Kathryn Stockett’s New York Times Best Seller, The Help, is an eloquent novel, inspiring readers to fight for what they believe in. Moreover, readers learn that they don’t have to be an authority figure to enact change or help others.

The story, set in Jackson, Mississippi during the early 1960s, centers around African Americans working in a white household, taking care of the children and cleaning the house. As the segregation between the blacks and whites becomes more stringent and violence between the two groups ensues, the African Americans are determined to see a change in their community.
The novel puts readers in the perspective of African American women during the Civil Rights movement. It includes elements of racism, violence, abuse, and friendship. Throughout the novel, African Americans are conflicted by their desire for change and their fears and of fighting for injustice; they are frightened about what could happen if they are caught. However, when a destructive and devastating murder happens in their community, over a dozen African Americans yearn for a change.
From start to finish, Stockett leaves readers compelled and eager to read more. Although the book was published in 2009, it remains the perfect book to sit down and read now.