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)

we all need to read this

I love this book! it breaks my heart that we treat people insuch degrading ways. we all live lives that no one else will, and we have so much to learn from one another no matter what the color of our skin is or any other difference we have.

Excellent

Excellent story. intriguing, gut wrenching. It's so easy to forget that life was like this at one time.

Phenomenal writing -- and reading

This is a writer's read, wonderful characterizations, dialects delightfully read, details perfectly accurate, an unpredictable plot with interesting twists and turns. As a Yankee who moved to Lexington in '78 and was shocked by "the help", racism and friends with "mammys" this makes it all fit perfectly. Insightful...don't miss it. It's a shame it ended so soon. Hope she writes more.

The Help

There should be a category for "narrators" at the Academy Awards. This book could not have been the same with out the definition they gave each character. Listening to it was like a movie without the video. Absolutely wonderful. I can't imagine any book having to follow it, I hope Stockett is working on another. Excellent!!!

Loved it!

I held on to every word! I loved the different narrators and the story was great! Adored this book, can't wait to see the movie!

Great listen, ending lack luster

I really enjoyed this listen. Cute, endearing, agrivating at times - the characters are convincing and interesting. The ending however I found disappointing and very dull SPOILER ALERT, would have been nice if we could get stewarts opinion on her book after it came out, and to know that she found love and/or hapiness - seems like she has a promising furture ahead, but the ending is just so blah.

I recommend this book.

The beginning was kinda slow and a little to sad i thought but the more i listened the better it got. Now i must see how the movie compares to book.. thanks for a GREAT story!

A book for our times

Beautifully narrated, heart-wrenching story, should be required reading for every student today. sorrowful yet hopeful.

Loved it

Could not get enough of the book. The story was better than the movie and the voices matched perfectly what was in my head.

Just Read It!

This is a wonderful book! It has made a slow climb up the Best Seller list due to recommendations vs. publicity. The characters have depth and texture, the narrators capture the essence of each. I had never heard of this author, nor did the 1960's south interest me, but this is more a story about people; relationships;and courage. I have recommended this book to many friends, which I am usually hesitant to do as people have such different tastes. This is a worthy listen!!!