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The Help  By  cover art

The Help

By: Kathryn Stockett
Narrated by: Jenna Lamia, Bahni Turpin, Octavia Spencer, Cassandra Campbell
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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)

Featured Article: 25+ Quotes About the Power of Kindness


Kindness is the quality of being considerate, compassionate, generous, gentle, and caring towards others without expecting anything in return. Often described as a virtue, kindness is also a strength—in fact, it may be one of humanity's greatest superpowers. Whenever you need a little encouragement or gentle reminder, turn to these quotes from authors who understand the power of kindness and express it quite remarkably.

What listeners say about The Help

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

Wonderful

I loved this story it is very well written I loved the characters they were so real and inspiring. The women who narrated were excellent they brought the story to life. I highly recommend this book.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

Amazing!

This one is not to be missed. Stockett's use of language is astonishing; the narrators are all brilliant. I could not stop listening.

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    5 out of 5 stars

a compelling look at Mississippi in the 1960's

I loved listening to this, I enjoyed every second of it, felt like I was there.

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Exceptional

A very well written book with a glimpse of all sides. Engaging. I had a difficult time putting this one down.

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loved it.

characters come very much alive in this story. beautifully written! enjoyed every minute of it

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5 stars

I absolutely loved every minute of the book. Entertaining and thought provoking. The readers were wonderful.

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The best!

Truly the most entertaining audio book to which I have ever listened. the voicing is brilliant. Put it on your list if you haven't listened!

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Great story, great performance!

I didn't see this in the theater and was curious about the story. I thoroughly enjoyed it. The story moved at a good pace and the performance was so engaging! I highly recommend it!

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beautiful and enlightening

Sucks you in with every story of every person and I now see why this book was so controversial

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Excellent!!

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

Absolutely!

Who was your favorite character and why?

Mini - She speaks her mind.

What does the narrators bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

Different voices. There are several actors used to depict the different voices.

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