The Help by Kathryn Stockett

The Help, Kathryn Stockett’s first novel, takes place in the 1960s where segregation is still prevalent. The novel focuses on Skeeter, a young white lady determined on landing a job at a prestigious journalist firm in New York. Skeeter decides to write a book from the point of view of a few black maids. She gets this idea when her best friend Elizabeth builds a special bathroom for her maid Aibileen, because ‘black people are dirty’. Skeeter interviews two maids Aibileen and Minny. Aibileen is a sweet and caring person, while Minny is hilarious and outspoken. The two maids share their good and bad and funny stories with Skeeter in secret. The town cannot find out that Skeeter is writing this book because their reactions would be worse than the government’s punishment. This book dangles the reader on the edge, throwing in close-calls and suspense. Throughout this book I was constantly cheering on Skeeter and her maids, wondering if the book will even be published and if Skeeter’s friends will ever find out. The Help kept me up all night with its constant suspense and engaging tale. I recommend this book to anyone who desires a book they cannot put down. - Michelle K, class of 2012