The Help

Just finished the book The Help which has been sitting on the Best Seller's List since before Christmas. My Mom got it for me as a Christmas gift and one thing lead to another, like me rereading the Twilight Saga, new books by my favorites like David Baldacci and John Grisham and the great Nora Roberts (don't judge me because I am a romantic). See I have this rule, it's a great rule really if you really think about it. From Labor Day until Memorial Day I don't read ANYTHING that has literary acclaim or value. I am all about romance novels and murder mysteries and spy thrillers and People Magazine. I mean of course I read the scriptures EVERY DAY for hours and hours but other than that, I keep it 100% superficial. The reason is that I am trying to avoid seasonal depression. You heard me. Seasonal depression, look it up. When it's winter and gray outside and raining and cold I find that reading fluff makes me feel happier. I don't have to think too hard about world hunger, racism, war and sadness. My brain hardly ever hurts and I find it lessons the winter blues. During the spring and summer I am by nature a happier creature so I have room in my heart and head for the classics and more difficult pieces. I try and read contemporary literature that has won literary awards. You don't find these books in the romance or mystery shelves at Borders. They are found in the literature racks. I have to force myself to stay out of the thriller aisle and pick up John Updike and Victor Hugo and Louisa May Alcott. Edith Wharton, ugh. It's painful sometimes but like lifting weights, it's supposedly good for you.

Anyhow, a couple of books that technically would have been part of my summer reading slipped in before Labor Day. I read the Thorn Birds this winter for the first time. meh. I don't see what all the fuss was about. Meggie is maybe the most annoying character in any book and Justine possibly the most sociopathic. And Ralph is just sad and might be the greatest argument for Priests being able to marry that there ever was. But then during these infusions I was out of fluff so I turned to the only book on my shelf that was unread. It was The Help by Kathryn Stockett. It was one of the best books I have ever read. It is in my top 10 you guys. And that says a lot. It's not my normal genre, it's not the normal type of story I devour. But it was such an amazingly funny and heart warming and sad story that I could not put it down. I literally had to set the book down because I was laughing so hard. When does that happen? If you happen to pick it up, please don't be scared off by the subject matter the setting or time it is set in. Please just buy it, check it out from the library, borrow it from me and read it.

Summary: Read The Help. Please. You won't regret it. Email me and let me know what you thought about it or leave a comment here. I'd love to know if you enjoyed it.