Two Basic Rules for Bibliophile Friday: Read a book. Write about it.
Keep it clean. Be honest.
Bibliophile Friday is the 4th Friday of every month, so get reading!
My book selection: The Help, by Kathryn Stocket
Recommendation: Wise, poignant, gut-wrenching. Go get this book.
Summary:
Ms. Stockett writes about the fictional Skeeter Phelan, a young college graduate in Mississippi who’s grappling with the pervasive racial issues in her 1960’s town. As Ms. Stockett tells the story of the black women who serve as domestic help in white Southern homes, she articulates much of it through her protagonist, as Skeeter struggles against the racism she’s grown up not noticing.
My thoughts:
Not so long after the time Ms. Stockett writes about, I was born in the south. I moved around quite a bit, and military kids don’t have the deep hometown roots of other southern kids, but I completely understand the context about which she writes. Although this is a fictional story, it rings true. I’m certain that there are plenty of women who can recognize themselves or their family members on both sides of this story.
There were several things that disturbed me about this book, other than the obvious fact that there’s something in the human composition that allows us, time and time again, to sort ourselves into classes. It’s the boy who’s too dark, the girl with two moms, the kid who’s mom doesn’t quite grasp our language, the boy who doesn’t excel on the football field, the girl with the wrong shoes. We still sort one another, all of the time. One of the things I kept bumping up against as I read this story was that it’s set just a stone’s throw back in time. This isn’t a book about 1890 for goodness sakes. Our parents remember these days. I struggled with that, with the idea that it took us such a long time to work through our racial issues. But my discomfort didn’t stop there. I liked this book if only because it forced me to stop and think through so many things. If we were still so off in the 1960’s, what remains today? How do we continue to sort ourselves? And why?
What are you reading? Add your link in the comments & share your thoughts. I’d love to hear them.
I loved this book. I have never read a novel quite like this one. It was disturbing to think that this era was in the not so distant past. Fabulous book.
I started reading some of Kristin Hannah's books here lately. Only problem is it takes me forever to get through them because I keep falling asleep!! They aren't boring…I'm still not getting any sleep at night because of the baby! 🙂
I know what you mean, having spent many summers in the "South". I don't think my grandparents would have enjoyed this book. My husband's grandparents in Dallas had "help"; hope they were treated well. I loved that it was written from 3 different perspectives. I think I am still squirming.
I am reading The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo. Not my usual style, but it's pretty gripping so far. I can't stand how the author includes brand names, though. Characters don't use a laptop – they flip open an iBook. And so on.