The Help by Kathryn Stockett

I have had this book before it became popular because of the movie.  I remember trying to get my book friends to do it for book club.  But, at that point I hadn't read it.  So here I am many months later....the movie here and on DVD and I just barely finished it.  It is a very good book.  It tells the story in three different perpectives.  Two of these people are black (Minnie and Aibileen) and they work at white people's houses as maids.  The other is white (Skeeter) and she wants to write a book about "the Help."  Skeeter grew up with a maid in her life.  She was raised by her and she loved her with all her heart.  When she comes back from college her maid is gone and no one will tell her why she is gone.  Skeeter looks at her friends and their help and how they are treated.  Those things lead her to the idea for the book along with her desire to write.

This book is about writing the book and the adventures that come along with it. I learned much and felt much as I read this book. There is a part that was not wholesome about an intruder in Minnie's employer's backyard.  I kind of wish that wasn't there but, other than that I thought the book was well written.

Cry the Beloved Country by Alan Paton

This book is beautiful.  I am still finding myself pondering some of the words and thinking about the story.  There are so many lessons to learn in this book.

This story is based on South Africa.  It is a story about a man who goes from his small village in search of his son in the big city.  In the process I learned much about South Africa that I did not know.  I fell in love with the characters and was inspired by their actions.  Human kindness, Poverty, Big Cities, Africa, Family, Politics, and Choices are all talked of in the book.  This book is written differently than most books I've read and I enjoyed learning a new way.  The conversations are written differently and many times I noticed that the dialogue had changed on me and I didn't notice it right away.  It kept me on my toes.

I highly recommend this book and recommend re-reading it if you have.  :)