I purposely found myself taking my time, trying to make it last, savoring all the moments.
I loved it. When I finished it a few nights ago, I was sad, like I was saying good bye to my new friends.
The storyline is through the eyes of black maids serving white families in Mississippi back in 1963. My most favorite maid is named Aibileen. I love her! I found myself going back and re-reading her southern black dialect. I couldn't get enough of it. While it broke many English rules, it had a beauty all it's own.
I was not too impressed with the white families. Of course this is a novel and who knows how much is accurate but it was written by a white woman who was raised until she was 16 by the family's black maid.
This book was captivating, very funny in parts, and I just loved the people. Well most of them. I want my friends back. The ending left me wanting more, so I suspect a sequel is in the making. I hope so!
Did you read this book? What did you like about it?
Any suggestions on what I should read next?
PS: Over dinner tonight with my Dad, I was mentioning how the characters in this book freely used the word 'pregnant'. I'm not sure that was correct for the times...I was in 3rd grade in 1963 and I remember hearing 'expecting.' I don't think people used the word 'pregnant' much. Am I remembering wrong? Just as we used the word 'nursing' but not 'breastfeeding' back in the 1960s.
My Dad brought up this random fact, "The Moon is Blue" was the first movie ever to use the word 'pregnant' in it. I googled and found it was made in 1953. Apparently it was quite the controversy. How did my Dad know this??
16 comments:
This is my new favorite book! It was a page turner for me and I laughed out loud and cried too. It was enlightening to me and made me think about the times back then. It is our book club selection for July and I can't wait for our meeting to talk about it! don't get me started on what you should read next. I have a list a mile long! But two of my other favorite page turner books were "these is my words" and "sarah's key" both historical fiction...maybe you have already read them...come check out my bookshelf...I have tons for you to pick from!
I loved this book. Now I think you should read
"Small Change, the secret life of Penny Buford." It is a good book!
Allyson...here is a link for a good discussion at your book club.
www.kathrynstockett.com/stockett-reading-groups.htm
And thank you for the book ideas. I am looking into them. :)
Rebecca...Thanks for your book idea too. I've never heard of that one!
I have never heard of this book but it sounds good.
Your dad knew about that movie because he is so smart.
It was a very good read. I learned that calling children "chilluns" is just southern slang and not something I made up. I totally pictured Miss Celia as the red-headed girl from the movie Enchanted.
Being in CA we are pretty removed from racism, but its still going on down south, even today. I remember when all the displaced black people from New Orleans started moving to Houston after Katrina. Very interesting to see people's reactions to that- made a lot of people very uncomfortable. I felt a lot of compassion for them and thought a lot about the early Mormons and how they made other people nervous.
Carly....has your Mom read the book? She would love it.
Even though Minnie did not have a lot of respect for Miss Celia, I think Celia had a heart, unlike many of the other white people in the book.
I just finished it a few weeks ago and I felt the same way. It is my new favorite book. Marnee Seamons said she's read another since then that she lies even better but I need to ask her what it is! I just read your comment on my blog and yes, she got bit, but it was a king snake so it wasn't a big deal, it doesn't even hurt.
I remember hearing about the huge controversy of having Lucille Ball appear on "I Love Lucy" when she was pregnant with Desi, Jr. Or the fuss over showing them in twin bed instead of one bed. Really, do you know any married couples who sleep in twin beds? Funny how I thought nothing of it when I was a child!
I, on the other hand, remember asking my Mom back then, "Why are Lucy and Ricky in twin beds?"
Kelly...if you think of that book Marnee likes please let me know. I'm reading previews of all the books people refer me to and trying to decide which ones to read this summer.
If my vote counts for anything, I would second Scrapally's suggestion of "These Is My Words". That was an excellent book that I read last summer. I'm going to try to find The Help and read that. It sounds very good! Thanks for sharing!
Yes, I gave Carly the book to read. I do not know how to savor, I read it in 2 days, hardly doing anything else.I love to escape when I read. I bet Dennis would enjoy it too. The book Marnee liked even better is "The ---Of CeeCee Honeycut" (I can't remember the middle part) Peggy Sue
I enjoyed "The Help," too.
=)
Well I hope they have this book on an ebook thing so I can read it. I'm finding books harder to read these days. Interesting tidbits and the Blue Moon looks good too. Your dad...he's just a SMART fellow!
I LOVED this book! I didn't want it to end!
I'm with you Miranda. I so did not want it to end. I hear a movie is in the making...that ought to be interesting. And it ended in such a way that there's got to be a sequel!
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