Discover millions of ebooks, audiobooks, and so much more with a free trial

Only $11.99/month after trial. Cancel anytime.

Unavailable
The Help
Unavailable
The Help
Unavailable
The Help
Audiobook18 hours

The Help

Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

4.5/5

()

Currently unavailable

Currently unavailable

About this audiobook

Jackson, Mississippi, 1962. Aibileen is a black maid raising her seventeenth white child. Minny, Aibileen's best friend, is the sassiest woman in Mississippi: a wonderful cook with a gossip's tongue. Graduate Skeeter returns from college with ambitions, but her mother will not be happy until she's married. Although world's apart, Skeeter, Aibileen and Minny's lives converge over a clandestine project that will change the town of Jackson forever.
LanguageEnglish
Release dateAug 25, 2021
ISBN9781407454641
Unavailable
The Help

Related to The Help

General Fiction For You

View More

Related articles

Reviews for The Help

Rating: 4.370240404683322 out of 5 stars
4.5/5

10,847 ratings962 reviews

What did you think?

Tap to rate

Review must be at least 10 words

  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    The Help is addictively, compulsively readable. I couldn’t put it down. Stockett’s debut is well-written, and it is clear that she really understands Southern life and has made great efforts to understand what life was like for black women who served white families. She presents sad stories that leave a great glimmer of hope, and though she examines our differences and our mistakes, she highlights our humanity to wonderful effect. And while this is a serious book, it also has wonderfully lighthearted moments, humorous moments, and strikingly funny insights into women and their behavior.Read my full review at The Book Lady's Blog.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    I don't know how I missed this when it first came out, but I'm glad I found it.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    I loved listening to this book! The voices were spot-on and mesmerizing. Each of the characters was engaging and their narratives gave a glimpse into the culture of the Southern states during the 60's. I assume I'd like the book as well if I'd read it, but this is one that is terrific as an audio book. Thanks, Jodi!
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    Overall, this was a decent read. However, I felt a little detached by the narrative style that it was written in. As this is Stockett's first novel, I feel that her skills, perchance, are still developing and I notch it up to that reason. Nevertheless, an enjoyable and pleasant read that speaks of a time with ramifications that should not be forgotten.3 stars.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    I loved this book. The author grew up in Mississippi and bases the novel on her experiences as a child growing up in the segregated South. She focuses on the strange combination of intimacy and separation that existed between black maids and the white families they worked for. This was especially true with the children, who were close to the maids that raised them -- but at some point would be taught the "rules" that were observed before the Civil Rights movement changed things. Although this book deals with a serious subject, the author does it in a most entertaining way. She tells her story from three parallel points of view: those of two black maids and a twenty-something year old white woman who challenges the status quo. I was hooked by the second paragraph, in which Abilene, one of the maids, describes a baby this way:
    "I ain't never seen a baby yell like Mae Mobley Leefolt. First day I walk in the door, there she be, red-hot and hollering with the colic, fighting that bottle like it's a rotten turnip."
    Who wouldn't want to hear more from that character? All are as well written. It's great to find a good book that is also a fun read.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    This is one of the best books I have ever read. It pulls at the heart and really opens your eyes to what was going on in the south in the 60's. Very well written. Made me laugh and cry. I have recommended this book over and over to people.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    I absolutely adored everything about this book. I've been wanting to read it for a while now and have heard so many good things about it and it definitely did not disappoint. I was hooked from the very start and every single page felt important.

    Aibileen was an incredibly powerful character and her narration brought a lot of life into the story. I also really enjoyed Minny's presence and her encounters with Miss Celia. Skeeter felt like she was in the background a lot but that felt really fitting- this was the maids' story, not her's. She was still a very strong and interesting character and it was intriguing watching how her ideas turned into something so big. The writing was really good- it all flowed well and each narrator had a really distinct voice.

    I liked the author's note at the end- it brought it all together and it was nice to see that Stockett drew from personal experience when writing the book. It made it feel a lot more real and honest. This book will certainly stay with me for a very long and I would recommend it to anybody.

    For more of my reviews and recommendations, visit my blog: here
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Set in Jackson, Mississippi, in the 1960s, this book focuses on the daily lives of Southern white ladies and their negro maids who meet their every need. Told from the perspective of three very different women, I found Aibileen to be the star of the story. Despite being born into poverty and struggling with the loss of her only son, she is warm-hearted, hard working, strong and nurturing. However, Minny and Miss Skeeter also have rich, wonderful voices that makes this a fabulous read as the three of them come together to create a movement that will change their lives, and the lives of the townspeople, forever.The author has created a wide range of characters that are both realistic and believable. Some are very likable, whilst others are quite loathsome, especially Hilly Holbrook, who represents the views typically held by Southern society white women at the time. Yet, despite the injustices and racial hypocrisies that the book brings to life, "The Help"is more a book about hope, acceptance and change for the better. Highly recommend!!
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    A modern day classic.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    As I’ve spent more time wandering the library, I find more and more books that I’ve heard a lot about and which I can’t believe I haven’t read yet. The Help was one of these books and based on the waiting list after me, I was lucky to stumble on a copy! And I must say, along with the Percy Jackson series, this book is a convincing argument in favor of listening to all the hype some books get. I loved this book. In fact, my first thought when I finished it was that I just didn’t have words to describe how much I loved this book. Since then, I’ve been pondering what to say about it and there are two specific features which I think contribute to the success of this book.First, the author does an incredible job of telling the story from three different perspectives, accents and all. At different times you almost believe a matronly black woman, a spunky young black woman, or a shy young white woman is sitting down next to you telling her story. (For those of you who avoided the hype, this is a book about three women trying to enact change in a racist community during the period of Jim Crow laws, so my identification of the women’s races is both pertinent to the plot and important because of the great job the author does capturing the accents of the two black women.)The second really great thing about this book was the subject, because more than a book about the process of desegregation, this was a book about people. A book about human nature. A book about people bravely coming together to do something good. I’m almost scared to watch the movie, I just have trouble imagining it living up to the book!
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Absolutely loved this book! The characterisation was brilliant and I really thought I knew and cared about the three main characters in the book. There were a numbers of points in the book which I really found moving. You really feel you are there in Mississipi in the 1960's and you feel strongly about the issues explored. I would encourage everyone to read this.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    A great book
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    I listened to the audiobook, which I highly recommend! It's read by three women who each handle a range of character voices so well.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    The Help tells the tale of a time years ago of the separation between the color of people’s skins through the eyes of maids and a brave wanna be writer. The book shows how hard of times that era was and how powerful an alpha female (whom is present in every part of society) is even after being brought done. Full of emotions and laughs, The Help presents a way to fully treat people as you never know how it may come back to you and sometimes courage is all that you need.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    The Help is a heartwarming story of prejudice, struggle, heartache, friendship and unlikely heroes. The main characters are engaging and I had a rare love connection with each of them. I couldn’t get enough and wished to be reading it every moment when I couldn’t. The writing style is amazing. It is narrated by each of the three main characters, two black maids and a white woman, each with a distinct voice. The setting is early sixties, Jackson, Mississippi. What these women go through is nothing short of remarkable. I am not an emotional reader, but I couldn’t stop crying near the end. Joyful or not, I refuse to say.

    The Help is important literature with endless discussion opportunities. Read it with someone else, your book club, class, or anyone else that you can. If not, just read it on your own like I did. I can’t see how you could come out the other side of the book the same person.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Seriously, this was a fantastic book. The characters were wonderful, the pacing was excellent, the funny parts were funny and the touching parts were touching but never maudlin. The ending was perfectly satisfying, but I really wish I could have continued to read about these women's lives!
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    While this book isn't perfect - at least one character (ahem, Miss Hilly) deserved a lot more pain than she got - it does bring 1960s Jackson, Mississippi, alive. The segregation between the black and white community looms large in this book, especially as a few characters start to cross the barriers between the two communities. The structures of power and relationships that transcend race are also woven into the compelling narrative. As much as I enjoyed this book, I couldn't help but think that this is exactly the story a white woman would tell about this era and I wonder how different the story a black woman would write would be.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    This is SUCH an amazing book!
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    I didn’t expect to like this book because I rarely enjoy the books everyone else raves about, but I really did! I grew up in South Dakota, and didn’t see my first black person until I moved to Texas at age 20. I’ve lived in the South, including my current state of Alabama, for more than 40 years now, and have gained a much better perspective on what it must have been like in the civil rights era than I ever had growing up during that time. I feel the author was extremely authentic in her portrayal of both the black and white realities of the Deep South based on what I know about their realities today, albeit from my "white person" point of view. I almost felt like I knew every one of the characters, so well were they written. Very enjoyable and eye-opening book.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Though this wasn't a rip-roaring drama, I really enjoyed these characters and loved to hate a few of them. I would give the story 4.5. I was anxious to see how they portrayed everyone in the movie and I'm glad it stayed true to the author's original story.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Excellent, written with a true to life voice...just enough tension without drastic drama. Thankfully So Very Not Oprah!
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    I think the author did a wonderful job with this book. I enjoyed it very much. This is one of my favorite books. I would recommend it!!
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    This is a book where coloured maids in 1963 are afraid to speak up. This is a book where they gain the courage to tell a white lady what actually happens inside their lives. No one is ready to hear the truth, everyone is scared for their future, but bravery is a strong attire to have, and the maids prove they have what it takes. Lot of courage, lots of excitement, anxiety and me biting my nails over and over again, but definitely book that's worth reading. And definitely a book that will open your eyes about what actually happened back then.
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    While I enjoyed this book I was disappointed in the ending. I felt like the author glossed over what the real repercussions for these black women would have been in the South of the 1960's. All the 'good' people got their happy ending while the 'bad' people were disgraced to a degree. Nice in theory but rarely happens in the real world, especially that world.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Excellent Book!!
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    This may be the best book I've ever read. I know for sure it's the best one I've read in a long time. I couldn't hardly put this book down. The characters draw you in right from page one. I found myself rooting for Miss Skeeter, Aibileen and Minny throughout the book. I have already recommended this to my mother, best friend, and sister.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    This book has both positive and negative reviews but has been on my "to read" list for quite some time. When the opportunity arose to read it for a research paper, I jumped on the chance. While some readers commented negatively on the dialect, I soaked it in. It isn't overly written and the simple change of words and placement, for me, bring the accent of the south to the characters. Another reviewer wrote that he/she was confused why only the maids spoke this way. I think this was carefully done to show status between the two classes and it didn't bother me at all while I was reading. The chapters are evenly spaced which made me want to keep reading. The story is believable in a sense because of the incorporation of details like Martin Luther King Jr.'s march. Stockett did a great job in transporting me to Aibileen's kitchen while Skeeter took notes. I could smell the coffee being made in Miss Celia's huge kitchen while her and Minny chatted. I felt like this could be happening today and yet story is set in the 1960s. The book is by far better than the movie, to no surprise, and there are extra tidbits of the story that would have contribute to the movie had they been included. I loved this book and Stockett is on my list of author's to watch because of it.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Wow. Just wow. I came into this knowing it was a period piece about black house servants, civil rights, and a little about the infamous pie. I didn't realize how brilliant this was going to be with amazing and diverse characters.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    This book really grabbed me and I found myself displaying an emotional attachment to most of the characters. I really enjoyed the concept of this book. However, the author's own struggle to make sense of the issues on hand were present in the novel. Because of my own strong feelings that tend to lean in one direction only, I was distracted by her wavering between her love and pride for her city/state and her issues with racism and segregation among her community members.

    I also had an issue with the extreme depiction of vernacular used for the help compared to the incredibly (and in my own opinion not accurate) speech of the white women. This book takes place in Mississippi where all people, regardless of color, speak with a southern vernacular. Obviously the white women were more educated and would not sound the same as the maids but their speech would also include a southern charm which I found lacking in the novel. On the same hand, I respect the author's ability to write in the "help's voice" because it really did humanize the characters in the book and I'm sure it was a risky and difficult task.

    Overall, this book was well thought out, well written and well researched. I enjoyed it and it definitely captured my attention. I would recommend this book to my friends and family and I would read other works by the author.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Compassion and humor keep The Help levitating above its serious theme. This is perhaps why I gave this book 4 stars. I grew up in the North and the seriousness of the anger for the fight for desegregation was very clear on both sides of the racial divide.

    I wished I had read the author's autobiographical afterword in the beginning of the book. It would have made it clearer why she chose to write this story in such a way. A tender tribute to a black maid, her own "Demetrie" who raised her.