I could not help but cry as I read Stockett's novel of interest. I could not put the book down, for I am a product of both a mother and a grandmother who served as the "HELP." The stories they related to me in my adult years were unbelievable and heart-wrenching. The things they tolerated, yet they remained quiet and cooperative, knowing that all they endured was for their babies to have a roof over their head and food in their little stomachs. Stockett has done a superb job in capturing the real flavor of that era about which America does not wish to verbalize. I can hardly wait for the movie adaptation to appear. Indeed, I am a fan of this great writer.