" I SAT THERE AND BAWLED "

This post originally ran last March. Since Kathryn won this award yesterday for her wonderful book and because I have so many wonderful readers now that weren't following in March, I am re-posting my review of the best book I've read in YEARS!! Congratulations Kathryn Stockett!
It has been on the NY Times Bestseller list for 24 weeks and is still # 3. It has been the # 1 book on Indiebound for several weeks!


















I am reminded of a story told to me many years ago by my sweet neighbor Mr. Albert. As a boy, he had to walk nearly a half mile from the barn back to the house carrying two heavy pails of milk hanging from a pole across his shoulders. One day he had made it nearly to the back steps when he stumbled and fell, spilling all the milk. He said to me;
" my mother always said not to cry over spilled milk, but I sat there and bawled " !

"The Help" by Kathryn Stockett ( Pub . Feb.2009 by Amy Einhorn/ Putnam ) 444 Pages

I finished reading " The Help" this morning around 2:00 A.M. When it was over, I sat there and bawled! All that time I spent with Abilene, Minny, Skeeter, May Mobley and Miss Celia had come to an end and I was just heartbroken! They became my friends, like family and now it was like a funeral, after 444 pages, they were gone. I will miss them!

I have been reading the works of Southern Authors for as long as I can remember.This book is the work of a True Southern Author and it is an Awesome Read ! Kathryn Stockett has truly captured the emotion both the good and bad of the 1960's Mississippi I grew up in!

I have never laughed , cried, been angered, ashamed or proud this much within the pages of "one book ", in my life and I have read hundreds of great books! I relived my days with Ruby, the black woman who worked for my family, through Abilene whose character is so much like my memories of Ruby. I heard through Abilene's voice talking to Mae Mobley, Ruby's voice telling me; "what a smart girl I was and how I was gonna grow up and be something real special". I cried because I lost the chance to let Ruby see what I became, just like Skeeter did with Constantine, the black woman who helped raise her.

Thank God the South has been trying to change for the past 40 years and I am reminded by this book that it really has. Though things are not and may never be completely , the way they should be here in my lifetime, I have faith that they will in my children and their children's.

I agree, Kathryn may just have her a book as special in its message as Harper Lee did with "To Kill A Mockingbird "! I will place my copy of "The Help" on the shelf with the ones I consider the Classics.

I predict great things for " The Help" and to whomever buys the movie rights, I hope they opt for a mini-series because two hours will never do justice to these 444 wonderful pages!

If you love to read, read this book! If you don't read it , you have as we say in Mississippi, " a grudge against your own self ".