The Help by Kathryn Stockett

You know I consider People magazine one of my reading staples..... but in my defense, often I learn of good books and movies that I might not otherwise be aware of.

As I was reading my end of the year People, it was listing the best books and movies for 2009. So armed with my Barnes & Noble XMas Gift Card (thanks, Dad!), I check the list to see what I've read and what I'm lacking.

I read that one of the best books of 2009 is "The Help" by Kathryn Stockett. How is it that I've never even heard of that book? So I go to Barnes and Noble.com and order it and a few other books. (Plus War, Inc. which stars my future hubby, John Cusack. A girl can still dream, right?)

I got the book, but was reading other books so it sat on my nightstand for a few weeks. So on Saturday afternoon, I start this book. I pretty much read non-stop and just finished it about a half hour ago.

And I'm mad.

Mad that it's over. I wish there was another 450 pages, I could have gone on and on reading. I wish I would read it more slowly, savoring each page rather than wanting to get through it so fast. The characters were so well written, the visuals so descriptive, I felt like I was in 1960's Jackson, Mississippi. The story is told from three perspectives: white Miss Skeeter, black maid Minny and black maid Aibilene. It's interesting to see how their stories interconnect and how their lives change from beginning to end.

It's a fabulous read! Another great possibility for Richardson Reads...... I'm not sure what I'll read next, but I hope it's half as good as the books I've read so far this year.

Mo's Review:
"The Help" by Kathryn Stockett, (2009, 451 pages): 5 out of 5 Stars