"I've discovered that my own little postage stamp of native soil was worth writing about and that I would never live long enough to exhaust it."
- William Faulkner




Monday, July 13, 2009

monday again

Welcome to another week, readers. I trust everyone’s weekend was enjoyable?

Kell and I had supper club at our house last night, and it was a blast. We desperately needed a reason to get to work decorating and arranging the house. And I must say, it looks pretty good.

Also, I’ve got a book review for you! I finished The Help. (Actually I finished it a week ago, but I was waiting on my next book.) It’s the story of Skeeter Phelan, a recent idealistic Ole Miss graduate who comes home to Jackson during the Civil Rights era and strikes an unlikely friendship with the black maids who work at her friends’ homes. Skeeter, Aibileen and Minny together throw a wrench in how Jackson perceives its “help,” and turns the Jackson social scene on its head.

I’m truly sorry to everyone out there who was moved so deeply by it, but I didn’t love it. I can’t exactly put my finger on why, but I do know that I thought it dragged and was a little lengthy and predictable. And if you’re sensitive to racial issues, let this be your warning. That portion of the book was very difficult for me to get through. Don’t get me wrong, it was a good book, but I didn’t think it was wonderful. To be fair, it’s very different from the other kinds of books I read, so perhaps I wasn’t in the right mindset. Just read the reviews on Amazon, and you’ll see how many people disagree with me, though! I am glad I read it, having been written by a Mississippi author and all. I give it a B.

Now it’s on to I’m Down, a book about a white family living in a black neighborhood in the 70s. This memoir is written by Mishna Wolff, the daughter of a man who truly thinks he’s black. He says things like “hells yeah” and “keepin’ it real” while playing dominos with his black buddies. I’m not too far into it, but so far, it’s really funny. I mean, just look at that cover! Review to come!

Have a great week. 3 days until Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince!

2 comments:

LT (and Max) said...

sometimes i want to BE you. :)

KK said...

I just don't know how you didn't fall in complete love with Minnie! I was so sad to read the last page and my journey with her be done! Oh well, we never said we liked the same books. I haven't read one page of Harry and you are so skeptical of my EDWARD!

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