The Help.

The Help is by far one of the best books I've read in a long time.  I've had a desire to read it ever since I saw it on the cart at the Faith and Literature conference last October, and recognized it as one of those books that has been on the Best Seller list for a billion weeks.  Sometimes I'm weary of those "New York Times/Oprah" recommendations, but this one was taking a spot on a cart next to Billy Collins.  I figured it was up to par.

The story is told from three different perspectives: Aibileen, Skeeter, and Minny.  Aibileen and Minny are African American slaves tending white families in Jackson, Mississippi in the 60's.  Skeeter is 23, fresh home from college, and (gasp) without a husband.  Going to college and coming home without a ring is almost worse in the 60's than it is today at private Christian schools.

Aibileen is almost the "main" character, as the story begins and ends with her.  She's raised 17 white children throughout her career as a maid.  Her life pattern is: working for a family, raising the children, and quitting before that child starts treating her like the parents do.  It's heartbreaking in many senses: the lack of care for the child from the mother, the relationship between Aibileen and the child she is watching slowly deteriorating as the child gets older... but that's the way it was.  Aibileen was my favorite character.  Her voice in the novel goes from soothing to scolding; from wise to hilarious.   She taught me about bravery. She reminded me of the power of prayer.

Skeeter becomes the prominent character for a while, particularly in the second half of the novel when Skeeter is trying to launch her career as a writer.  She's back from college and living at home, which isn't something any college grad wants to do: not now, not then.  She wants to be a writer, so she takes a job at the local paper writing the housecleaning column.  Completely disinterested in boys and fashion, she is certainly the odd duck compared to her other friends.  Although Aibileen was my favorite character, I related to Skeeter the most.  Her and I have both experienced the post-graduation lack of purpose.

Minny never really takes center stage in the novel, but her perspective is just as interesting.  While Aibileen is old and ready to retire, Minny is a maid whose perspective shows what it's like to run a white and black home at the same time.  Minny has her own children and husband to take care of, but has to work all day cleaning and caring for a white family.  And what thanks does she get?  She comes home to a drunken and abusive husband who tries to crush her strong will.

What do these three characters have in common?  Change.  All spurred by a frightening novel topic picked by Skeeter.  Trying to combine her writing career with her interests, she wonders if she can impress the New York publishing company with some radical thinking--writing a book from a black maid's perspective on what it's like to work for white people.  Although Jackson, Mississippi is a dangerous place to think these things in the 60's, Aibileen and Minny soon agree to help Skeeter with her novel.

As these two women share their tales, a thought-provoking glance is given into the mind of a black housekeeper.  Some families they have worked for loved them, others treated them horribly.   Remember, this isn't the slave era; we're in the heart of the confusing time of Civil Rights.  In Jackson, a black can get their tongue cut off for saying one negative word toward a white.  In Washington D.C., Martian Luther King Jr. is getting ready to give his famous speech.

As it turns out, the publishing company won't even consider Skeeter's novel unless there are a dozen different maid perspectives.  How on earth will Skeeter be able to convince that many maids?  And what if her mother finds out?  Or her friends, who the maids work for?  Find out in The Help.  Or wait until the movie comes out next week.  But I would recommend the book.  I don't think the multi-perspective flavor of the novel will shine through in the film.