The Help by Kathryn Stockett

The Help

The movie may be taking the country by storm this fall season, but before that came the book. Told from the perspective of three women dealing with life in a racially charged Mississippi during the 1960’s, The Help deftly weaves together the personal and political history of the early years of the Civil Rights Movement.

Ok, so the movie is hitting the screens, but how much does the movie reflect the book? That is always a question to ask but do you ever go out and get the book? I have to admit, I don't. But this book is an exception. Why? Because as  a Bzzagent I am up for a opportunity to receive the book to read and review. I hope that the book fills in the questions the movie left. 

Taking care of the written word, 
Dannielyn  

'What We Have' Tells Us What We Need

The book 'What We Have' by Amy Boesky was delivered on Wednesday about 10:00 a.m.and by 11:00 p.m. that same night I had finished one of the most wonderful non-fiction books.  I took time among reading to do regular chores but I had to get back to Amy's story.  Amy, Julie and Sarah are sisters with an horrible problem they were faced with their entire life.  They shared a family trait and it was a deadly one. When reading the title and the inside cover one finds out that cancer is the family trait that has been shared with all the women in the family.  Sadly, all the women are having daughters and not sons.  This means that the girls in the family is faced with the same result, cancer.   First impressions of this book would mean show that this was a book full of depressing chapters of depressing episodes in life.  That first impression would have been wrong.  This book is filled with much humor, insight, joy, pain, growth and struggle.  This family is deciding how to live in the present while taking into account their past and their futures.   I do not recall one part of the story that was slow and difficult to read.  I thought that I was sitting next to Amy on her sofa in a sea of green shag.  We could have been drinking some tea and I could have been listening to Amy tell a story about her family.  It was that real and engaging.   You realize in this story of this family that they were exceedingly normal with an difficult situation to overcome.  You begin to ask yourself that same questions they had to ask.  It is impossible to know if you would make the same decisions they did, but you definitely admit that you are relieved that you did not have to make actually those same decisions.   Taking Care of the Written Word, Dannielyn This book was given to me to read and review.  The review is a honest account of this writer's opinion and not a paid endorsement.

The Girls From Ames by Jeffrey Zaslow

If the quality of book could be counted by tears and laughter, then The Girls from Ames can be considered top quality in reading.  Jeffrey Zaslow shares the story of the eleven girls from Ames, Iowa who grew up together and remains the best of friends through the years. 

Through death of one of the girls from the group, a daughter and many miscarriages, their relationships changed from being teenage best friends to heartfelt sisters.  Chapter 12 is a heart wrenching example of the strength, pain and the need every woman has for friends that will be there between the good times to the heart breaking times. 

As these women experience their own pain and growth they learn what their mothers have already experienced and tried to shield them from earlier in their lives.  After the death of the first born child of any of the Ames girls they finally understood the pain that their dear friend’s mother felt at her death. There were quite a few moments of laughter of antics of the girls, remembrances of silly moments in their past and present that really showcased the healing affects of having those close bonds with others. 

I was born not too far away from Ames, Iowa and have family that live around the vicinity still today.  I recalled many memories of the same locations and drives up to Minnesota.  The connections are certainly close to my heart because of the geographical coincidences and I believe that is in fact why many readers can relate to this story of friendship and sisterhood.  There is certainly something very compelling about Ames and the growth of deep relationships found in smaller towns. 

Many tissues were consumed to wipe of my tears of sadness, heartache, joy and release as I related to the various personalities of the eleven from Ames. I could change the names to the close friends I had in high school and add a few tales of our escapades.  That is what a good book should do for all of their readers; take the reader out of their present situation and bring them right in the middle of the story being read. 

If for no other reason than to recall the friendships of our youth and to hold onto the friendships we currently have, everyone must read this book.  It is honest, pure and difficult to put down once it the book is begun.  The Girls from Ames by Jeffrey Zaslow is a must read for everyone who has ever had a best friend. 

Taking Care of the Written Word, 

dannielyn

http://takingcareofthewrittenword.com

http://dannettfreywrites.wordpress.com

http://ladyofproverbs31.blogspot.com

http://hendersonvillenorthcarolina.blogspot.com

http://wishpot.com

http://twittermoms.com/profile/dannettfrey

The Girls From Ames by Jeffrey Zaslow

If the quality of book could be counted by tears and laughter, then The Girls from Ames can be considered top quality in reading.  Jeffrey Zaslow shares the story of the eleven girls from Ames, Iowa who grew up together and remains the best of friends through the years. 

Through death of one of the girls from the group, a daughter and many miscarriages, their relationships changed from being teenage best friends to heartfelt sisters.  Chapter 12 is a heart wrenching example of the strength, pain and the need every woman has for friends that will be there between the good times to the heart breaking times. 

As these women experience their own pain and growth they learn what their mothers have already experienced and tried to shield them from earlier in their lives.  After the death of the first born child of any of the Ames girls they finally understood the pain that their dear friend’s mother felt at her death.  There were quite a few moments of laughter of antics of the girls, remembrances of silly moments in their past and present that really showcased the healing affects of having those close bonds with others. 

I was born not too far away from Ames, Iowa and have family that live around the vicinity still today.  I recalled many memories of the same locations and drives up to Minnesota.  The connections are certainly close to my heart because of the geographical coincidences and I believe that is in fact why many readers can relate to this story of friendship and sisterhood.  There is certainly something very compelling about Ames and the growth of deep relationships found in smaller towns. 

Many tissues were consumed to wipe of my tears of sadness, heartache, joy and release as I related to the various personalities of the eleven from Ames.  I could change the names to the close friends I had in high school and add a few tales of our escapades.  That is what a good book should do for all of their readers; take the reader out of their present situation and bring them right in the middle of the story being read. 

If for no other reason than to recall the friendships of our youth and to hold onto the friendships we currently have, everyone must read this book.  It is honest, pure and difficult to put down once it the book is begun.  The Girls from Ames by Jeffrey Zaslow is a must read for everyone who has ever had a best friend. 

Taking Care of the Written Word, 

dannielyn

http://takingcareofthewrittenword.com

http://dannettfreywrites.wordpress.com

http://ladyofproverbs31.blogspot.com

http://hendersonvillenorthcarolina.blogspot.com

http://wishpot.com

http://twittermoms.com/profile/dannettfrey