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)

I agree.

I concur with the high assessments written by others. I thoroughly enjoyed listening to this book.

Gilded transport

This was a wonderfully produced story. The readers were a true joy and Stockett's writing painted the picture so vividly, it was a pleasure to listen. Her poignant portrayal of all the caricatures was done with such honest expression and varied perception. This was a gift and I would highly recommend "The Help" to anyone who is looking for a civil rights historical novel with a behind the scenes perspective. These absolutely vivid women will enchant you with their personalities. The readers voices, tone and dialect were beguiling and so on -point.

One of the most entertaining

What made the experience of listening to The Help the most enjoyable?

This was great. Several different narrarators really get you into the story. Highly recommend.

very enjoyable, sad when finished

This is so well done, the narratators felt like friends, I was very sorry when the story was over. I had never read anything set in this time period before, it was a very interesting perspective. I will be listening to this one again.

Amazing

What made the experience of listening to The Help the most enjoyable?

This was a gift from my children for Christmas, one I wouldn't have normally listened to. I am so glad they got me this book. I've listened to it three times already. The performance is wonderful, the story is amazing. This is a book I'll be listening to for years to come, and I also plan to purchase a hard copy of this wonderful book.

laughter to tears and back!

This book and narration will take you from laughter to tears and back around! As always, the book is so much better than the movie (read/listened first). The book is like listening to a family member telling you the story, the characters come to life from the words and interpretation of the narrator...loved this book!!!!

Everything is great about this book!

What a story! The narration is perfection! The voices of these women bring the book alive!!! A must hear!!!!!!!

a kerper

I listen to this over and over. I love the voices. very soothing at night

Love it all and especially the narrators.

What made the experience of listening to The Help the most enjoyable?

This was my first audible book. The story was so well written it was all most like seeing it in video. I thought the narrators were excellent. I'm afraid any other audible book will be a disappointment! I am open to suggestions.

What other book might you compare The Help to and why?

none

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

so much more.

Absolutely wonderful book with superb narrators!

The Help stole my heart. I didn't want the story to end. Each of the narrators did such a wonderful job expressing the emotions of each of the characters. I loved their sweet Southern dialect. I can't wait to see the movie when it comes out!