"The Help," a novel, by Kathryn Stockett

I have always loved to read books written by Mississippi authors, and my personal collection includes many such books. Several weeks ago, I purchased a copy of "The Help" by Kathryn Stockett. So far, I have read only 150 pages of the novel, but I can already see why it has been near the top of The New York Times bestseller list for many months now.

The setting for the book's story is the Jackson, Mississippi area, where the author was born and raised. Set in the 1960s, a pivotal time in the history of the author's native state, the book's story is told through first person narratives of several women with different backgrounds whose lives are interwoven. Although the book is classified as fiction, its story is a poignant one, and one that is both heartwarming and heartbreaking.

Although this is Ms. Stockett's first novel, and I haven't completed this one yet, I already hope there will be more.

Three New Books Added to My Library

Last year, for Mother's Day, one of my sons gave me a gift certificate to Barnes and Noble. A good son he is, because he knows how much his mother likes to read. But I have been waiting to use the gift certificate for just the right time and for just the "right" books. Last Monday, the time was right and I made a decision. Not only did I order one book.....I ordered three.

The first book is a slightly controversial one.....Kitty Kelley's newest publication about media great and one of Mississippi's own, Oprah Winfrey.

Not only did I order Ms. Kelley's new book, I also ordered "The Help," by Kathryn Stockett. Born and raised in Jackson, Mississippi, Ms. Stockett now lives in Atlanta, and her newest literary work has been on the New York Times bestseller list for several months. I have not read fiction for a number of years, but since the book is set in my native state, and its reviews have been glowing, I decided to make an exception.

Just for fun, I added a third book to the order....."The Politician," by Andrew Young. The latter should be an interesting read - one that addresses a serious matter and allegedly dishes a lot of political dirt.

All three books are scheduled to be delivered by UPS no later than tomorrow afternoon. The next decision will be to decide which new book to read first.

Thank you, son, for your gift......it took almost a year for me to use it, but the time (and the books) were not "just right" until now.