Book Review: The Help

I went in to The Help expecting nothing but pure entertainment, not a social commentary equivalent to the impact of Harper Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird. So while it is necessary to take this book with a grain of salt, I was pleasantly surprised. I really enjoyed the book. The book centers around an Ole Miss grad {a young, white woman} writing the stories of black maids and what it is like to be the help in Jackson, Mississippi during the peak of civil rights, the 1960s. I think I actually ended up finishing all 500-something pages in one day because I could not put it down. I even lent it to my sister who did the same thing, and she's not really a book person, at least not as much as I am. The characters are all fun and interesting to follow so you get sucked into their storylines {even those characters that you hate}.

{Sidenote: I read one review of this book on a different blog and her only complaint was that Skeeter's relationship with the senator's son was explored deep enough. Personally, I thought that could have been cut out completely and it still would have been a great book. Differences in book choices, I suppose.}

One complaint about the book though is that it does sugar coat relations between white and black women in the South, especially during that time. Has there been a good fiction book that really tackles those issues well? I haven't heard of one but would love to read it if it exists. Also, I think it's important to keep in mind that the author is a white woman from the South who grew up with a black maid in her home. I would definitely recommend this book to others; it's a quick, entertaining read.

I think it's incredibly interesting to hear others' opinions on it also, since my perspecitive is very different from others as I am a white woman in the Midwest. According to the Association of Black Women Historians:

"The Help’s representation of these women is a disappointing resurrection of Mammy—a mythical stereotype of black women who were compelled, either by slavery or segregation, to serve white families. Portrayed as asexual, loyal, and contented caretakers of whites, the caricature of Mammy allowed mainstream America to ignore the systemic racism that bound black women to back-breaking, low paying jobs where employers routinely exploited them. The popularity of this most recent iteration is troubling because it reveals a contemporary nostalgia for the days when a black woman could only hope to clean the White House rather than reside in it."

As long as you keep those things in mind, it's a good book. Definitely not ground-breaking though. You can also read the NYTimes movie review here. I heard the movie sticks closely to the book.

Since this is such a big-seller {both in the bookstores and in the theaters}, it's also interesting to hear what people have to say about it. Especially on Twitter {sometimes your opinion actually comes out more clearly in 140 characters, and sometimes not.}:

cupcakekristin Kristin

I could not have loved The Help any more, @Nate_Berkus! Best movie I have seen in years.

goldietaylor goldietaylor

I've long been known for saying: Be careful who you let tell your story. The Help reaffirms that for me.

AFineFrenzy Alison Sudol

On another note, go see The Help tonight. It will make you laugh and cry and make your heart, broken or not, feel better. #thehelp

JennBrownESPN Jenn Brown

"The Help" was amazing!!! Seriously, Oscar worthy!!!

10 Aug Favorite Retweet Reply

365 things for 365 days

This blog is EXACTLY something I would love to do.... if I could draw. The blogger draws one illustration a day for 365 days. It's so simple, the idea and the drawings, but it's so clever, I love it!

This reminds me of the photography project I attempted last year. My goal was one photo a day for a year. I think I made it about 4 or so months before I just gave up, which was unfortunate. It could just be difficult to find something worthy of a photograph on a day you wake up, go to work, go home and then to bed. But this blog has revived that project a bit. I may consider trying it again.

87 down, 278 to go.

Daring photography

Some people call it spectacular artistry; I call it crazy. But either way, they are some pretty impressive images. This terrifying photography technique puts the photographer on the edge of very tall buildings, often dangling over edges, to capture the striking view from atop.

I recently came across a blog that compiled some of the best of this daring technique and I had to share them. Check out the blog for even more vertigo-inducing photography.

kopps frozen custard

If you ever find yourself in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, forget Summerfest, the world's largest music festival; forget the art museum, an impressive expanse of creative expression; ignore the beautiful lakefront beaches or tailgating parties at Miller Park... the one place you should find yourself is at Kopps Frozen Custard. A Milwaukee landmark {there are two}, Kopps serves the most delicious fast-food burgers, only rivaled by In-and-Out Burger, and deliciously divine frozen custard. The have a different and interesting flavor every day, but I personally believe that when you find perfection, why try anything else? And so I order vanilla every time.

I once heard a rumor that you can order Kopps custard to be shipped to your door if you live too far away to visit. {Or maybe that was just a hope of someone who lives a bit too far away.} Either way, I definitely have to look into that rumor if I ever move far enough away that frequent visits are not possible. {My Dad has already promised that if I ever move to one of the coasts, he will ship me my favorite Wisconsin micro-brews, so I have that covered.}

Anyway, I highly recommend stopping at Kopps if you make a trip to Milwaukee, which you should, just for the custard.

On a boat

On Saturday, my friends and I enjoyed an afternoon boating on Lake Michigan and the Milwaukee River. It was a beautiful day and even prettier scenery. And to add to the afternoon, we completely forgot that the airshow was going on that afternoon. Fighter jet airplanes were flying right above our heads, it was crazy! I can't wait to get back out on the boat again.

Cheese curds, cream puffs and beer.

It's that time of the year again... time for the Wisconsin State Fair. I know it's incredibly cheesy, but I look forward to the fair every year. And why wouldn't I? State Fair = cheese curds, cream puffs {the possible official desert of the state}, roasted corn, brats with sauerkraut, frozen custard and deep fried beer. Sounds healthy and delicious, huh?

After taking the tour of food around the fair grounds, my family and I sat with a few cold beers and listened to a musician perform class rock tunes. It was a great time this year, as it is every year.

And my favorite part of the State Fair: the flavored milk barn. As any true Wisconsinite, I love milk. Especially when it tastes like a rootbeer float. In addition to the typical chocolate and strawberry, they also have banana, cherry vanilla and rootbeer. The last two are my favorite. I wish they sold these flavors in my local grocery store; although, it wouldn't be quite a treat.

It's my birthday

Today happens to be my birthday, and while I don't typically make a big deal out of birthdays {for myself at least}, I plan to celebrate a bit today. Actually, a bit is an understatement, it's going to be a busy day. My friend is taking me out for breakfast in the morning, then we're going boating down the Milwaukee River and into Lake Michigan, after that, I'm going out for a family birthday dinner and finally, a few celebratory drinks with friends. It's going to be a busy and fun day!

{image via weheartit}

Heinies in the Leinies lounger

I never win anything. Well, besides trivia games, but that's not really anything to brag about. {Mostly because you set yourself up to get made fun.} So today when I got a message from the Taste of Wisconsin people that I won some contest, that I didn't even know I entered, I was ecstatic! What did I win, you ask? I don't know yet, but regardless... I won!

So the contest that I won that I didn't know I entered all started with a little Twitter picture post of my sisters and I at the taste:

How to talk to little girls

As you know, I work with young children. Every morning at school one 3 year old little girl, Charlotte, walks in my room, smiles brightly and twirls in her newest pretty little skirt. She waits for my gushing compliments about how beautiful she looks or how I love the new skirt or her hair. I often wondered myself if I, and society in general, talk too much about how cute little girls are and not enough about other more substantial {for a 3-year-old} things. Sometimes this talk really bothers me and I try to avoid the clothes and hair talks with these girls. And rightly so, says Lisa Bloom, author of Think: Straight Talk for Women to Stay Smart in a Dumbed-Down World.

Bloom says that these comments teach girls at a very young age that their most important attribute is their appearance. The ABC News even reported that nearly half of three- to six-year-old girls worry that they are fat. I find that completely absurd and disgusting. Children should enjoy a careless childhood filled with friends, fun and lots of treats, not be worried about counting calories. I find that absolutely disturbing.

While I know I am guilty of this on occasion, I am going to try harder to connect with my little friends in a different way than complimenting their appearance. We'll talk books or movies or games, anything but clothes.

Read the Huffington Post article about Bloom's new book here. And tell everyone you know to compliment a little girl's brain, not her clothes.

It's official, New York

In case you didn't hear, a little over a week ago lawmakers in New York passed a marriage bill allowing gay and lesbian couples to marry. July 24th, 2011 is a day to remember in the fight for equal marriage rights. On that day, 33 lawmakers in New York turned the tide in gay marriage and, I hope, gave the gay rights movement new momentum on the path to equality.

Also, I was pleasantly surprised by Republican Senator Mark Grisanti's, a long-time opponent of same-sex marriage, comment: “I apologize for those who feel offended... I cannot deny a person, a human being, a taxpayer, a worker, the people of my district and across this state, the State of New York, and those people who make this the great state that it is the same rights that I have with my wife.” While it is not a ringing endorsement, it's enough.

I’m so happy for everyone in New York who had been previously unfairly denied the right to marriage, but now can.

{Also, did you check out the Lookbook photos of gay marriages in New York. Fashionable and beautiful.}