Gone with the Wind is probably one of my most skimmed, most tattered and most read books. I fell in love with the setting of the late 1800's, back when women carried dedicated fans and had bridge parties, back when being the 'queen' of the society was competition like no other, and back when balls and dances held more importance than the affairs of the country's government.

This was life for the white people. The blacks lived quite a different life. They were subjected to being nothing more than slaves. They weren't allowed to enter the areas where the white women had their tea parties, or use the same toilets as them. The Help describes the life of a black woman, living in the sleepy town of Jackson, Mississippi. And it's an eye opener in more ways than one.

Aibileen has raised more white children than she can remember. After her own boy died, she's raised 17 babies, all for families who are more worried about organising bridge parties than their own children's meals.

There's her friend Minny, who's famous for three things: her cooking, her sharp tongue, and her chocolate pie. Then there's the character you would least expect, a young white woman, who goes by the name of Ms. Skeeter, who's ambition is to be a writer. An unlikely friendship forms between these three woman. They end up depending on each other, for courage to cross the lines, and to escape the constant disapproval of their snobby employees and families. They come together because they have a story. A story they're scared to tell, a story that's brutally honest, and a story that will change the lives of those who were to read it.

I'm not a big crier. But I was reaching for the Kleenex pretty soon. It's a roller-coaster, really. It has simple little moments, which make you smile. It has moments that make you wish you could punch certain characters in the face. It's one of those rare books with the ability to draw you in and make you live the story, minute by minute. Plus, it's worth reading, just for Minny's inappropriate remarks and stories. It's definitely a one to be read and re-read. And one to hold close to you and not let go.

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