STICKETT, Kathryn - The Help - (Paperback)

Book still in a very good but not perfect condition - Has previous owner's name inside - 451 pg.   >>>   This book is Stockett's masterpiece, that story in her that was just itching to get out. From the first page, the voice of the characters took vivid form and became real, breathing people. I loved Aibileen, but think I loved Minny's voice more because she is such a strong character. Besides the maids, I loved Hilly as a portrayal of the white Southern belle with the ingrained belief that black people are not as good as whites, verbalized as "separate but equal" so it doesn't sound racist. My favorite scene was when Hilly says they have to be careful of racists because they are out there. She's a bit over the top, but if you've been to the South, not that far of a stretch. I just would have liked to find some redeeming qualities in her from Skeeter's perspective.   (Goodreads)   >>>    The Help is a novel by American author and published by in 2009. The story is about African Americans working in white households in , during the early 1960s.   -   A article called it one of the "summer ." An early review in notes Stockett's "affection and intimacy buried beneath even the most seemingly impersonal household connections," and says the book is a "button-pushing, soon to be wildly popular novel." The said of the book: "This heartbreaking story is a stunning début from a gifted talent." -   Stockett began writing the novel her first after the . It took her five years to complete and was rejected by 60 literary agents, over a period of three years, before agent Susan Ramer agreed to represent Stockett. The Help has since been published in 35 countries and three languages. As of August 2011, it had sold seven million copies in print and audiobook editions, and spent more than 100 weeks on .    (WIKI)   >>>   Ablene Cooper, a housekeeper who once worked for Stockett's brother, criticized the author for stealing her life story without her knowledge and basing the character Aibileen on her likeness. Cooper sued Stockett for $75,000 in damages. Cooper also criticized her for making the racist comparison of her character's skin color to that of a . A , Mississippi judge dismissed the case, citing the Stockett denied her claim of stealing her likeness, stating that she only met her briefly.  

Awards and honors

* Prize Winner * Also Made Into a Film *