the help

Ta-Da!! No, I didn't read a challenge book yet... but I did read my first non-list book! I just finished The Help, by Kathryn Stockett and I am so mad at myself for not reading it sooner. I don't know why I put off reading this book for such a long time. In fact, it was even my book club's chosen book for July. It actually took me listening to my book club discuss it (yes, I went to the gathering, even though I hadn't read the book - what can I say, I needed a margarita!) before I realized this was a book I needed to read! I then had to wait a month and a half before snagging a copy from my library - who, by the way, has 7 copies!
If you haven't heard of this book, which I'd be surprised  if you haven't because I think the whole world and it's dog has heard of it, it's a story of black maids in Mississippi in the 1960s. It mainly focuses on two maids, Aibileen and Minny, their employers, and Skeeter, a young woman who dears to be different and risk criticism, loss of friendship, and severe consequences to share the stories of southern "help."
This book amazed me. I never had thought about things from the black servants' point-of-view... I just always thought "how could people segregate others just because of their color" and "Isn't it terrible how those people were treated?" After reading a quarter of this book a bell just dinged inside of my head! Why was it okay for these black women to raise and care for (love) the children of wealthy white couples, but they weren't allowed to eat from the same dishes or use the same toilet because they were considered "diseased." It made me sick to my stomach and opened my eyes to a whole new world.
I don't want to share too much more of this book because I think you need to read it. I think everyone needs to read it. Even though the story takes place in the 1960s, I think that it's lessons are still relevant today. I realize that defined and lawful segregation doesn't exist anymore, but that doesn't mean that lines aren't drawn and stereotypes aren't believed or acted upon.

So... shoo! Go read it and let me know what you think!