I am generally a mystery, thriller kind of book reader. Give me a murder mystery and I will hardly get anything done around the house until I am at the end. My kids always tease me because I have so many books on my "to read" list that it is insane. I think I am up to 60 just waiting to be read.
One of the books laying around was The Help by Kathryn Stockett. I had heard a lot of great things about it but I just didn't ever feel like getting started. A couple of days ago I had finished my current mystery and was perusing my options when I decided to jump into The Help.
WOW! Why did it take me so long to read this book! Now, I am writing a little prematurely because I am only half done but I can barely put it down. It explores the issues of racial and class divisions in the South in the early 60's. What I find most interesting is that it is told from the perspective of several characters.
The help are the African American maids that work for the wealthy women in the deep South during a time of intensely difficult racial tensions. This book explores the inequity, biases and bigotry in such a way that it makes my heart literally hurt to read. The way men and women of color were treated seems so completely foreign to me now. What really amazes me is that this was less than 50 years ago!
The other characters are the women in Southern society. This was interesting and sad as well. The prevailing thought was that women did not need education or employment. The expectations were to marry well, serve on various community committees and allow The Help to raise their children, and perform all domestic duties. For those women who had other aspirations, their corner of the world was a very lonely place.
I would highly recommend this book. I don't know how it ends but I am enthralled. It makes me wonder what our little piece of the world will look like in 50 years...hmmmm.
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