As a book company that funds and promotes literacy and education at home and all over the world, we love many authors and books. Recently, however, I have been particularly inspired by a series of love letters our fans have written to us, Better World Books, on their blogs. In this spirit, I felt led to write a love letter to one of my favorite authors.
Dear Kathryn, I read your book over Thanksgiving weekend in the crisp fall of 2009. I have no idea how it took until November for me to read your novel which debuted that February. It sat on my bookshelf begging to be opened, but I let work and life get in the way. Foolish me. “The Help” offered me a better perspective on work and on life. Growing up a sixth generation Georgian, I have been fascinated by Southern folklore, human and civil rights, social justice, and love of tradition my entire life. My deep roots here drew me to learn more. I have always dreamed of being able to adequately explain the real, and often times, positive interconnectedness between these Southern and social passions. This led me, a musically inept young lady, to learn how to play the banjo.

Through my musical journey across bluegrass, folk and rock & roll, I discovered their roots in blues and jazz. About the same time, I began diving deep into every class the University of Virginia offered on the history of the American South. Music was at the core of Southern culture and movements. It did not take much digging for this short, blonde, y’all-sayer to find where our beautiful music came from. So I finished the American history and politics classes and started cramming in every course I found on Africa.

My college thesis states that the civil rights movement could not have been successful if it were not for the songs and spirit brought over on the slave ships and strengthened across the Atlantic from Africa to the cotton fields to the white only lunch counters.

Your book is a better version of my thesis. It’s what I had been thinking about for years. It answers the questions I was sometimes afraid to ask. It goes beyond the music to the heart of the conflicts and beauties behind race relations in the American South. It is more lovely than Hilly’s home, more delicious than Minny’s chocolate pie and (my sweet mother might cry at me for saying this) more real than “Gone with the Wind.”

Rumor on the street is that you actually live in the same town as me and Better World Books. It would be an honor, much like how Skeeter felt when Elaine Stein called her from New York City, for you to kindly reply and perhaps even share your story with the Better World Books community.

In admiration,
Erin Levin
Community Manager, Better World Books

About the book

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 and friends view one another. A deeply moving novel filled with poignancy, humor, and hope, The Help is a timeless and universal story about the lines we abide by, and the ones we don’t.

About the author

Kathryn Stockett was born and raised in Jackson, Mississippi. After graduating from the University of Alabama with a degree in English and Creative Writing, she moved to New York City where she worked in magazine publishing and marketing for nine years. She currently lives in Atlanta with her family. The Help is her first novel.

Discussion questions from the publisher

1. Who was your favorite character? Why?
2. What do you think motivated Hilly? On the one hand she is terribly cruel to Aibileen and her own help, as well as to Skeeter once she realizes that she can’t control her. Yet she’s a wonderful mother. Do you think that one can be a good mother but, at the same time, a deeply flawed person?
3. Like Hilly, Skeeter’s mother is a prime example of someone deeply flawed yet somewhat sympathetic. She seems to care for Skeeter— and she also seems to have very real feelings for Constantine. Yet the ultimatum she gives to Constantine is untenable; and most of her interaction with Skeeter is critical. Do you think Skeeter’s mother is a sympathetic or unsympathetic character? Why?
4. How much of a person’s character would you say is shaped by the times in which they live?
5. Did it bother you that Skeeter is willing to overlook so many of Stuart’s faults so that she can get married, and that it’s not until he literally gets up and walks away that the engagement falls apart?
6. Do you believe that Minny was justified in her distrust of white people?
7. Do you think that had Aibileen stayed working for Miss Elizabeth, that Mae Mobley would have grown up to be racist like her mother? Do you think racism is inherent, or taught?
8. From the perspective of a twenty-first century reader, the hairshellac system that Skeeter undergoes seems ludicrous. Yet women still alter their looks in rather peculiar ways as the definition of “beauty” changes with the times. Looking back on your past, what’s the most ridiculous beauty regimen you ever underwent?
9. The author manages to paint Aibileen with a quiet grace and an aura of wisdom about her. How do you think she does this?
10. Do you think there are still vestiges of racism in relationships where people of color work for people who are white?
11. What did you think about Minny’s pie for Miss Hilly? Would you have gone as far as Minny did for revenge?

October Better World Book Club selection

In the Time of the Butterflies by Julia Alvarez

Set during the waning days of the Trujillo dictatorship in the Dominican Republic in 1960, this extraordinary novel tells the story the Mirabal sisters, three young wives and mothers who are assassinated after visiting their jailed husbands.

The movie is long and a bit graphic, but that’s not the part that’s so un-Hollywood. It’s the casting that was really different from how Hollywood does it. The characters actually look the way they are described in the book. Like real people. They’re not Hollywood buff. No one appeared to have any Botox in their foreheads and there were attractive women that were actually over 40 and looked it. Yay for Sweden. Hollywood should take a lesson.

In addition to that, it’s a really good movie. Very true to the book, wonderfully acted and directed. Of course, Hollywood also has the rights so it should be interesting to see how the American version differs not just from the book, but from this Swedish film adaptation. Stay tuned…

As for other books on the big screen, I haven’t gotten around to checking out the two recent movies based on Nicholas Sparks books, DEAR JOHN and THE LAST SONG, but both looked interesting. I hate to admit that I didn’t make it to the theater for THE BLIND SIDE, but now that it’s out on video I’ll definitely being Netflixing it.

And if you haven’t heard, in August EAT, PRAY, LOVE will be released. I’ve heard a few negative comments about Julia Roberts playing the lead – but I’m reserving judgment until I see it.

Do you have a favorite screen adaptation? Least favorite? Do tell.

I will admit that I’m not sure how long I would’ve stuck with it if it weren’t for the joys of Tivo, but as it stood I managed about 1.5 hours before I gave up and went to bed.

I saw the fabulous opening number where Neal Patrick Harris danced about in a sparkly black jacket and sang about Botox, Twilight and Julia Child.

Then on to the comic stylings of Steve Martin and Alec Baldwin who essentially roasted all the nominees and some random audience members while the camera panned to a dark spot where James Cameron was and to an angry, sulky looking George Clooney.  I think maybe that was some kind of joke – but if so my response was not to ROFL or even to LOL – it was more of a hmmm?? – not even really a haha.

Thanks to a blue Ben Stiller, some strange line flubs and the inability of many of the women to manage their dresses while walking, the awkward humor continued.

And then there was the fashion.  I won’t do a full red carpet run down, but I will say this…what was up with Sarah Jessica Parker’s hair?  And was that England, France or Zoe Saldana’s underpants on display when she tottered up to the mic?

But on with the show…as is often the case…many of the year’s notable and Oscar worthy movies are adapted from our favorite books.  This year was no exception.

Congrats to:

• Sandra Bullock – Best Actress – The Blind Side – Adapted from the Michael Lewis book of the same name.
• Mo’Nique – Best Actress in a Supporting Role – Precious – Adapted from Push by Sapphire
  (This one got the award for Best Adapted Screenplay too)
• Jeff Bridges – Best Actor  – Crazy Heart – Adapted from the debut novel of the same name by Thomas Cobb.  (This one got Best Original Song, too).

And oooh almost – but nice try to:

• Matt Damon – nominated for Invictus, based on the book by John Carlin
• Stanley Tucci – nominated for The Lovely Bones, based on the book by Alice Sebold
• Meryl Streep – for Julie and Julia, based on the book by Julie Powell

They’re all winners in my book – and as you can see there’s lots of books in the winners!

I’m going to go out on a limb here and say I think the movie was better than the book.  Don’t get me wrong, I liked the book, but I think there is a reason Dan Brown didn’t really hit it big until The Da Vinci Code.  For me it was a weird and unbelievable action scene in Angels & Demons at the height of the suspense.  The movie fixed this problem and for me it worked much better.

In addition to liking the movie better than the book, I also liked the movie version of Angels & Demons better than the movie version of The Da Vinci Code.  It moved faster than Code, and thankfully Tom Hanks hair was not so weirdly distracting.  I’m just sayin’.

So – even though I liked the movie better, I’m a purist and still think you should read the book first.  Despite the strange ending, it is a page turner and does fill in some of the details on the history of the Illuminati and the mystery of the symbols.

And of course, if you’re a Dan Brown fan, you’ll want to pre-order the new Dan Brown book THE LOST SYMBOL – coming out September 15, 2009.

The story is about a young girl who sues her parents for emancipation because she no longer wants to be used as an organ and tissue farm for her older, sickly sister.

If you haven’t already read the book — I recommend reading it before you see the movie.  For no other reason than I rarely want to read the book after I’ve seen the movie!

As with all Jodi Picoult books the ending of this one was a shocker and if I’m being honest, one that I didn’t like.   But here’s a little insider info for you: I interviewed Jodi Picoult recently about her latest book HANDLE WITH CARE and when I asked her about the upcoming MY SISTER movie, she admitted that they had changed the ending.  I’ll be curious to see if they changed it to something that works better for me.  I’ll get back to you on that.

The movie comes out June 26, 2009 — so you still have plenty of time to read the book!  (And my interview with Jodi will be posted soon – so keep your eye on the blog).

The book by former “Sex and the City” writers Greg Behrendt and Liz Tuccillo was a runaway hit for good reason. Who doesn’t have a friend that you just want to smack upside the head for staying with the wrong guy? Who isn’t themselves in need of some good old fashioned head smacking that only a non-interested third party like this book can give you? While I certainly don’t think this is one you have to read before you see the movie, (note the lack of plot, character and surprise ending in the book), I do think you might want to have a copy on hand if you happen to be, well…female. I’m not saying you necessarily need the advice.  Maybe it’s your sister or your best friend.  You could just casually slip it into her backpack or leave it on her coffee table. I’m just saying…

I’ll definitely be checking out the movie (what can I say – I’m a sucker for the chick flicks).  Will you?  Let me know what you think of it!