[RhondaRN]

I just finished up this book 2 days ago and I was very touched by it.  I cried at the end, not from sadness, but the good way that it made me feel in the end.  I was born in 1960 in the south, where I still live, and remember very well the white/"colored" segregation in all aspects of southern life,  Separate bathrooms, water fountains, etc and I remember the civil rights movement very well.  I think she touched on so much of what was going on then, and the fear that black people had to make a stand and the courage it took to do so.  I applaud her work.  Someone had to get this out.  It is a VERY good book.  It made me laugh, cry, and think, and rethink about things I already felt and the injustices of that time.

 

[Carolyn J. Rose Mystery Writer]

I also connected with this book and its messages. I went to Arkansas in 1970 as a VISTA volunteer and ran up against a lot of lingering attitudes. The Help seemed to me to be about being strong in spite of your fears, about doing just a little, bearing what you couldn't change, doing what you could, knowing what you might lose, and making the choice to sacrifice. It left me feeling good about the capacity of some of us to make those decisions instead of sticking to the status quo.

 

[Shayne Parkinson]

I'm currently reading this - I started yesterday, and am about 60 pages in. I'm liking it a lot - it drew me in right from the beginning. The author has a way of painting characters with just a few words, and making them very believable and sympathetic. The setting's quite unfamiliar to me, but I don't feel at all lost in the details.

 

[Tara Maya]

I was given the book as a gift, but it's the hardcover, and I just haven't been able to bring myself to lug it around. On the other hand, since I have the hardcover, I haven't wanted to spend the money on the ebook either. LOL

 

[Julia444]

I really enjoyed this book.  The moment that I saw what a close bond Aibilene had with the tiny baby in her care, the author had me.  I wanted to know what would happen to that baby if she lost her loving maid and had to be with her kind of terrible mother.

Aibilene was my favorite character.  I wonder if the movie will be any good.

Julia

 

[RobynB]

This was the first book I read on my Nook (almost a year ago now!), and I loved it. I'm really looking forward to the movie, which comes out next week. Here's the trailer:

 

[mistyd107]

absolutely ADORE this book and really hope the movie does it justice

 

[kchughez]

The Help was crafted extremely well. I still despise Hilly Holbrook.

~KC

 

[Geoffrey]

I'll be quite upset if the movie is all Hollywooded up and isn't faithful to the book.  I loved the book - it was one of the better books I've read in the last few years.

 

[emilyward]

I really enjoyed this book! I read through it so quickly, really liked the characters and the "message." I'm sort of wary of the movie. The trailer made it seem so. . .upbeat, I guess? But I'll probably see it because I like comparing the two different forms of art. It has some great actresses, too!

 

[trixiedog]

I loved the book also!    Hilly was something else, that is for sure.  Her character was easy to dislike.  The movie will be interesting to see if they stay true to the book, or take their liberties with it.

 

[D/W]

I haven't read The Help yet, but it's definitely on my "must read" list! My hairstylist was raving about it a few months ago. Since that time I have had quite a few other people recommend it as well. It'll be a while until I can get to it, but I'm really looking forward to reading it.

 

[Neekeebee]

Great book, and one of the few that I have re-read.  The audio version was excellent, too.  When I saw the trailer a few weeks back, I kind of got the impression they were making a comedy. 

N

 

[Jon Olson]

I think it's just another white condenscion to blacks. Check the blogosphere for how African Americans react. Do you think those black women in the book don't really loathe their employers? Or wouldn't if they weren't created by a white woman?  I do. It's the OJ phenomenon in literary form. What you see depends on your race.

 

[caseyf6]

I'm not sure I get what you're saying.  Yes, quite a few of those women in the book loathed and feared their employees.  It is very clear in the book that they do.

Have you read the book?  If you have, I welcome hearing your thoughts.  If not, then I don't understand how you can form that harsh an opinion.

 

[elenaaitken]

I read the book awhile ago and was impressed by the way the author made the reader connect with each character.
I am also wary of the movie because the trailer made it seem quite upbeat. I do hope they keep it true to the book. fantastic storytelling!

 

[mscottwriter]

I think it's just another white condenscion to blacks. Check the blogosphere for how African Americans react. Do you think those black women in the book don't really loathe their employers? Or wouldn't if they weren't created by a white woman? I do. It's the OJ phenomenon in literary form. What you see depends on your race.

I'm confused by your statement as well. Were you referring to the poster who said:

The moment that I saw what a close bond Aibilene had with the tiny baby in her care, the author had me. I wanted to know what would happen to that baby if she lost her loving maid and had to be with her kind of terrible mother.

If so, then you might have gotten the wrong idea about the book. Yes, that was a part of the story, but so was the hostility that the maids felt towards their employers. I thought the author did an outstanding job of fairly representing all of her characters. But you are right about checking the blogosphere to see other opinions. I should check that out.

The book is pretty complex, given that it's such a fast read. I highly recommend it as well.

 

[Fredster]

"I was touched by The Help" certainly takes on a different meaning when at first it doesn't click that "The Help" is a book title.