The Help

By: Kathryn Stockett

Narrated by: Jenna Lamia, Bahni Turpin, Octavia Spencer, Cassandra Campbell

Length: 18 hrs and 6 mins

Publisher's summary

Three ordinary women are about to take one extraordinary step.

Twenty-two-year-old Skeeter has just returned home after graduating from Ole Miss. She may have a degree, but it is 1962, Mississippi, and her mother will not be happy till Skeeter has a ring on her finger. Skeeter would normally find solace with her beloved maid, Constantine, the woman who raised her, but Constantine has disappeared and no one will tell Skeeter where she has gone.

Aibileen is a black maid, a wise, regal woman raising her 17th white child. Something has shifted inside her after the loss of her own son, who died while his bosses looked the other way. She is devoted to the little girl she looks after, though she knows both their hearts may be broken.

Minny, Aibileen's best friend, is short, fat, and perhaps the sassiest woman in Mississippi. She can cook like nobody's business, but she can't mind her tongue, so she's lost yet another job. Minny finally finds a position working for someone too new to town to know her reputation. But her new boss has secrets of her own.

Seemingly as different from one another as can be, these women will nonetheless come together for a clandestine project that will put them all at risk. And why? Because they are suffocating within the lines that define their town and their times. And sometimes lines are made to be crossed.

In pitch-perfect voices, Kathryn Stockett creates three extraordinary women whose determination to start a movement of their own forever changes a town, and the way women—mothers, daughters, caregivers, friends—view one another.

This edition now includes the afterword "Too Little, Too Late—Kathryn Stockett in Her Own Words", as read by the author.

Bonus Audio: Hear an exclusive interview with Kathryn Stockett.

©2009 Kathryn Stockett, Cover Art: (c) 2011 DreamWorks II Distribution Co., LLC (P)2009 Penguin Audio

Critic reviews

“The two principal maid characters...leap off the page in all their warm, three dimensional glory...[A] winning novel.” (The New York Times)

“This could be one of the most important pieces of fiction since To Kill a Mockingbird…If you read only one book...let this be it.” (NPR.org)

“A beautiful portrait of a fragmenting world.” (The Atlanta Journal-Constitution)

LOVED this book!

I can't wait to listen to is again just in case I missed something.

I didn't want this book to end

I am always hesitant to read books that have been turned into movies. I've never seen the film version of The Help, and I don't know that I want to. This book was so perfect in every way, I don't know if I want any part of my imagined version of the characters or settings to change. I also can't imagine a movie could do justice to the amazing first person narratives of the women in this book. The audio performance was incredible. Some narrators do a functional and practical job of reading a book, not bad, not good, just a vehicle; this audio recording gave life to words that were already bursting with vibrance. I don't know if I've ever listened to an 18 hour book within 72 hours before, but that is how quickly I went through The Help. I can't recommend it enough. It is a beautiful, thoughtful, articulate, and very necessary account of a painful era in our country's history and in the evolution of the racism that is still so prevalent in our society, though less thinly veiled in our modern times.

Unforgettable

This is the first audio book that I literally could not "put down". I listened at work, in the car and at home. The narrators do an amazing job of putting life into each character. You will fall in love with these women and root for them as they discover the true meaning of friendship and loyalty. A must for any audio book fan!

Clearly a good choice

I always have the most trouble choosing where to spend my precious credits and highly recommend this book. It was good and a nice length which is always a concern for me (I like to get the most bang for my buck). The story is definitely great. The readers also helped me really feel like I was in the South again, though it was always a bit difficult to switch between narrators and just start up listening because their accents are so different. Finally I did think the ending was a bit abrupt. But You will have to judge for yourself. This book made me laugh, cry, and most importantly, think. So take the plunge and buy it!

I Should Have Listened Sooner!

Friends, my women's group and even Audible recommended this book to me over and over. Somehow the description just never intrigued me. I finally bought it and could not put it down. The writing draws us into a world of people that we care about. empathize with and sometimes detest. The narration is terrific, particularly Jenna Lamia ( Skeeter) who I wish could narrate my daily life. I love it so much I'm writing my first review after having a monthly subscription to Audible for 7 years.

Wonderful, amazing book!

I grew up in the South, a well off white girl with a black maid who loved and cared for me. Ms.Stockett's characters become living testimonies to a culture that was a dicotomy of love, hatred, supression and freedom. Reading the book took me back into a world that I had put behind me. It gave me a different perspective on what life was like in the South. I am ashamed that my generation was so oblivious to the pain and suffering that we so selfishly fostered.

Excellent

I can't imagine reading this book any other way. The women who "played" each character were incredible. Wonderful voices, accents. It was addicting. Couldn't put it down. I can't wait to see how the movie measures up. This audiobook was fantastic.

Amazing

What did you love best about The Help?

Narrated beautifully. The use of multiple talented narrators stirred my imagination in new ways.

Any additional comments?

Wonderful book! So fun to listen to. I couldn't wait to hear more. Very satisfying from start to finish.

Best book on Audible!

Any additional comments?

This was the first book that I purchased on Audible and it is by far the best one that I have listened to. The narrators are fantastic. The story and character development kept me hooked. Do not hesitate to listen to this book!

The Best

Excellent Narrative. Excellant story with good historical background. One of the best audio books I have had.