“The Help” by Kathryn Stockett  is one of my all time favorite books, I can go back and read over and over again and never get tired of the storyline. A few years ago it was made into a movie, and it did not disappoint, it followed the book for the most part and the actors were phenomenal helping to recapture the excitement and sadness all over again.

“The Help” is based in the early 1960’s in Jackson Mississippi, where every white socialite family had an African American maid, and almost everyone treated them like dirt except for Skeeter, a local wealthy white girl who just got back from college. Although there are many tales of mistreatment of African Americans back in the 1960’s, this book  focuses on the story of two maids, caretakers, and friends Aibileen and Minny. Day after day these women got treated like they were worthless, from not being able to use the toilet inside the house to getting paid next to nothing without ever receiving so much as a, “Thank you.”One day, Minny gets fired by her downright evil employer, Miss Hilly, and is put out of work having nothing to provide for her family. Eventually, she gets so desperate she goes to find work with Miss Celia, who up until now people have stayed away from because the ringleader of the nasty white socialites in Jackson and Minny’s former employer, Miss Hilly despises Celia out of jealousy. Throughout the book, budding journalist Skeeter decides to write a book containing all the stories of unfair treatment, sadness, and even comedy about working for a white family straight from the African American maids of Jackson. At first she finds it hard to find women who would want to tell her everything but as soon as she got the well-liked and respected duo, Aibileen and Minny to talk everyone soon joined in. Skeeter’s book is later released and all the dirty secrets of Jackson Mississippi’s finest white folk come spilling out.

I applaud Kathryn Stockett for this well written, clever, and amazing story. At some points it had me in tears, and at others it made me laugh till my stomach hurt. From this book we get an insight into the lifestyle in the south back then and it makes me sad to remember that people were really treated in such ways. This book is truly moving and is a must read for anyone who enjoys a dramatic, inspiring, and powerful story.