The Help (Kathryn Stockett) is now among my favorite novels (The Poisonwood Bible (Barbara Kingsolver), In the Time of the Butterflies (Julia Alvarez), La Casa de los Espiritus (Isabel Allende), The Red Tent (Anita Diamant), Amor en el los Tiempos de la Cholera (Gabriel Garcia Marquez) and Gabriela, Cravo e Canela (George Amado)). I confess that at first, I was taken back by a white woman speaking in the voice of an African-American woman in the 1960's. I wondered with what authority Stockett felt she could take up such a voice. Later I read of the author's own experience in the deep south and felt a little better.
Though I still wonder what an African-American woman would think of this book, I was soon completely lost in the worlds of Skeeter, Aibileen and Minny. It was fascinating to learn of the realities of the 60's in Mississippi through the lives of these courageous women. Each chapter is told from the perspective of one of the women - Skeeter, a white college educated young woman and Aibileen and Minny, African-American maids with wisdom beyond any college degree. Together, these women attempt to write down the stories of maids - the good and the bad - risking their own lives in the process. Amazing. The fear and fearlessness are both palpable.
This book helped me to continue my own education process, of learning about life "at the bottom" of society, so that I can try to live my life with as much solidarity and integrity as possible. Given that we live in a world with such extreme disparities, I wondered: "Am I willing to risk my life for justice as these women were?"
My aunt just told me about this book. I'm excited to read it.
ReplyDeletehi evelyn, thanks for this recommendation...i've seen it around but had no idea what it was about...now i'm intrigued :)
ReplyDeleteOh it sounds like a book I have to pick up, thank you. I will also mark down some of the others you mentioned. In terms of pondering whether you'd be willing to give your life for the just, if I may, I think you would so much like to read "The White Rose" by Inge Scholl....one of my favorites.
ReplyDeleteCindy
I also have El amor el los tiempos de colera on my list. I read that absolutely ages ago, but remember how it took over my soul at the time. Now, it is Verghese (his two books, especially Cutting for Stone) that I most love. I need to read the Poisonwood Bible. Thanks for the good ideas!
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