Sunday, June 5, 2011

Books

I've been reading The Help on my iPhone and have to say again how much I love that phone!!!  I read Jackie's blog post about it HERE and decided to try reading it on the phone.  Great experience so far.  I grew up in the segregated South and remember the separate restrooms, drinking fountains, waiting rooms, and lives.  I also remember when things changed and schools were integrated and transitions made.  I can't put this book down.  Even though it was written by a white woman, she seems to have captured the essence of the experience.  I haven't finished it yet but am basing that on what Jackie wrote.  What to me might seem accurate might not to someone non-white who lived through it.  Empathy can go pretty far but is no substitute for the reality of experience.  Unless someone went through it, too, I don't think anyone really knows what it was like to be pregnant and unmarried in 1963 when the best of all available bad choices was to give my baby away.  So I don't presume to know how it is to be discriminated against for being gay, black, etc, but do sincerely empathize. 

7 comments:

Kailyn said...

I just recently read the book. As I wasn't around in 1963, I have relied upon the stories told by parents and other family members. And yes, there felt like there was a great deal of truth in the book. Probably why I couldn't put the book down.

mrs.missalaineus said...

i'm going to look for it now that i am on break and have free time!

xxalainaxx

the dogs' mother said...

Okay, let's spend a moment realizing that you are reading a book on your phone.... speaking of what was not available in 1963.
(I am still holding out on anything other than a page made out of wood pulp...)

Beth said...

Sounds very interesting. I'll keep it in mind.

Joy said...

LOL! True, Froggy! Changes!! And I do love the gadgets.

Bob said...

I'm with Froggy.
I love the feel of actual books.
And I, too, should read this. i keep hearing people say how much they like it.

Tivo Mom said...

I have yet to "fall prey" to electronic books. I love to read and I love books. Just an FYI, being from North Carolina, this was my life. Well my mother's anyway. My mother had a woman that worked for her family who was more of a mother than her real mom on some days. We had "help" when I was growing up but not full-time. I loved Alberta and she was part of the family but I read this book and realized how different things seemed from my eyes. I sincerely hope that my family treated these special women better than what is portrayed in the book but I will never know that for sure. I cannot go back and change anything but I can make sure that my children grow up with an entirely different perspective.