Comments for one shoe off

Comment on Books-2010, Delectable Novels and other good (and not-so-good) reads by Mocha

Mocha — Fri, 23 Jul 2010 19:05:49 +0000

Thank you for your perspective on The Help and for pointing me to this post. I loved what you said here: “So we’re reading a story about white oppression of blacks in the U.S. that has been filtered twice by white women’s voices.”

YES. That was my problem as well.

And I think there is a reason you don’t/won’t read these same stories by a Black author who lived as a maid during that time: IT WAS A PAINFUL TIME FOR US. We don’t like to relive it and the glorification of it by a white woman is just…ugh…even more painful. Thanks for ripping open THAT wound, Stockett. Geez.

I felt the same way about “Happens Every Day”. Did her WASPy-ness get on your nerves? Bully? WHAT? Most of the time I wanted to slap the crap out of her and tell her to stop being so whiny. She wrapped up the book too quickly, too. I’m not saying divorce isn’t painful. It is, but her husband’s co-workers and her friends in that Ohio town were pathetically unhelpful and blase about the whole thing. Shame on them.

Great reviews, thanks for commenting on mine.

Comment on On Motherhood and Transitions by priscilla

priscilla — Tue, 15 Jun 2010 00:12:00 +0000

what a mom. for real. love this post.

Comment on On Motherhood and Transitions by Katie

Katie — Mon, 14 Jun 2010 15:21:54 +0000

Dang, Deneese. Crying in one’s cube is unbecoming. :)

You’ve done enough and more. Just as you are lucky to have gotten C, she is so brilliantly blessed to have recieved *you*.

Also, they’ll see how amazing she is. I promise.

Comment on On Motherhood and Transitions by Sam

Sam — Mon, 14 Jun 2010 06:16:27 +0000

That brought a tear to my eye..beautiful.

Comment on Books-2010, Delectable Novels and other good (and not-so-good) reads by Bruce

Bruce — Wed, 19 May 2010 16:11:35 +0000

Okay, so… I told you in Twitter I think The Help was amazing. I still do. I do, however, think you bring up some great points. I heard an interview with the author on NPR, and apparently she was raised in the south with a (or rather, by a) “maid”, similarly to the ones in the book… so at least her perspective comes from more of a place of understanding than say, if I were to write it. She also does say something in the back of the book about realizing the risk she was taking by being a voice of someone who has been oppressed (bad sentence, but it’s early and I’m not fully awake). I think she went into it with trepidation… and while I can totally see what you are saying, I disagree that she shouldn’t have written it. If there is a book written by a woman who actually was a maid during that time, I would love to read that too. I think it’s fair to look at it as fiction, but even I do think the voice of the oppressed comes across pretty loudly in the book. I also think she does a great job of detailing out the white women’s attitudes towards their maids… something she was *did* have first hand experience with. My two cents. :)

Comment on Out of the Mouths of Babes by priscilla

priscilla — Wed, 12 May 2010 04:18:31 +0000

this must be the three oh? you make it look awfully appealing, what with your charming good looks and delightful personality.

Comment on Books-2010, Delectable Novels and other good (and not-so-good) reads by kjames

kjames — Tue, 11 May 2010 21:38:28 +0000

I like what you have to say here, and I see your point. I agree. You’re right that it’s simply speculation. I think that’s a very good point.

Comment on Books-2010, Delectable Novels and other good (and not-so-good) reads by OSO

OSO — Thu, 06 May 2010 14:36:27 +0000

I’d love to be able to travel to the region at some point. Perhaps it’s not the safest place to go at the present moment, but what an amazing experience! I’d certainly love to hear about your travel experiences there if you’re up for sharing some time.

Comment on Books-2010, Delectable Novels and other good (and not-so-good) reads by OSO

OSO — Thu, 06 May 2010 14:35:12 +0000

I haven’t! I’ll have to add this to my list!

Comment on Books-2010, Delectable Novels and other good (and not-so-good) reads by OSO

OSO — Thu, 06 May 2010 14:34:50 +0000

I had also read her comments about having been raised in the South, and I think that does give her some perspective albeit on the white side of the equation, and I think that it’s important that she has acknowledged the risk that she takes. I still think it’s strange that her character, Skeeter, does her due diligence by talking to the maids, where Kathryn Stockett apparently does not. I would also argue that the voice of the oppressed does not actually come through because behind all the voices is a white woman, not a black maid. I will say that I enjoyed the read, I just think she’s treading on very thin ice, and I think that she could have done more to truly get the perspective of the black maids. Without doing the research and interviews, the voices are simply her speculation about what they think and feel.