Not looking forward to reading "The Help"

[Susan R]

I'm starting a small experiment here to see if my opinion changes on this book. Not that I have much of an opinion yet, since I haven't read the book or saw the movie. What has formed my opinion is the number of people who keep telling me I "Have" to read this book.

Have I ever told you how much I hate people telling me what to do? I have never enjoyed a book that people try to force me to read. I think it started back in school when the teachers assigned us books to read and I didn't enjoy any of them. What makes this so strange? I love to read...I mean I read so much that I would rather read then watch television!

So...for the last year, I have had many friends, co-workers and strangers tell me that I *HAVE* to read this book. I would smile and tell them that I'm glad they enjoyed it, but I really want to tell them that if they would lay it off, I will probably get around to it.

So, I got a Kindle for Christmas and the person who gave it to me pre-loaded it with, you guessed it, "The Help". Yeah, they have a warped sense of humour... and here I am about to start it...I wanted to put this down in writing so that I can come back to it when I finish the book. Let's see if it lives up to the "hype" or if I will be bored with it...

to be continued...

 

[mirage0306]

I certainly don't know if you will like it or not, but it was truly a wonderful book.

 

[juliemcalister]

Would it make you feel better if I told you NOT to read it?

 

[DisneyKevin]

Don't read it.

Let it go.

Reading should be enjoyable.

Approaching any book with the attitude "let's see if it lives up to the hype" will lead to disappointment.

Just read what you want.

Keep in mind....according to Amazon, it's been in the Top 10 for 768 days....almost two years.

Maybe the"hype" isn't hype after all and you've been missing a great read.

 

[mchllevns]

I picked it up because of all the hype from people whose opinions I value...I had trouble putting down the book. Hope you enjoy it!

 

[Susan R]

finished 2 chapters...so far, so good. I don't think I will be up all night reading it (I'll tell you tomorrow if I am) but I'm finding it interesting. I can tell it will be a book that you "mull" over and I like that. I enjoy learning about history and this is certainly a point in history that I find fascinating. Close enough for people in my parent's generation to remember but there has been so much change since then that I still find myself reading and thinking, "How could people think like that".

juliemcalister - lol... it might. I think it just bugs me that so many people talk like it's the best book ever and if I don't read it, my life will not be complete. But, maybe it is...I'm keeping an open mind...

Kevin - What can I say, I'm a reader...if a book is in front of me, I will read it and my friend who put it on the Kindle knew that! I don't know if approaching the book with skepticism will automatically lead to dissapointment. I feel like I need to give it a chance. I think if you go into the book believing it won't live up to it's hype, you are wasting your time... you need to give each book a chance. I wanted to put this on the board to see if my attitude will change when I finish the book. I'm also wondering if others have the same experience with books as I do.


Has anyone else felt the same way? I used to finish reading a book I wasn't enjoying simply because I felt like I must be missing something and maybe the book will start getting better soon. Thank goodness I gave that up! I do at least read half the book before I choose not to continue with it and I have learned to deal with people's surprise that I didn't enjoy or finish books like Interview With a Vampire or Pillars of the Earth.

 

[PinkBudgie]

Well, I'm the other person who hasn't read that book. I don't even know what it is about but it doesn't sound like a thriller or sci-fi or action. Wrongly or not, I have lumped it in to the category I call "boring drama". I do not like books or movies soley about relationships. Without an action filled back drop, relationship stories bore me. I don't care about two sisters who don't get along. I don't care if three friends go out for girls night once week to talk about their issues.

It isn't people telling me I have to read it that makes me not want to, it is my bias against "boring" sounding books. I'm sure I've missed out on good books because of this though. I'll be watching to see what you think after you've read it.

Well, that's my book confession.

 

[sayhello]

I don't know, but when people tell me I "have" to read a book, I've always interpreted it as the fact that they really, really enjoyed it, and they want me to be in on that enjoyment, too. I mean if someone told me I was an idiot if I didn't read it, or something, then I might get resentful. I have had people telling me for years I "have" to read the Twilight series. They all seemed to enjoy it so much, I figured I'd give it a try. I hated it, and barely got 1/3 of the way through the first book. I just smile now when people tell me how wonderful Edward is, or what a fantastic writer Stephenie Meyer is. But I would never resent someone trying to share a book they loved with me.

But that's just me.

And for the record, I was afraid of the hype for "The Help", too, but I read it anyway, and loved it. The movie, however, was only "OK". I imagine it's probably much better for someone who doesn't have the book to compare it to. JMHO YMMV.

Sayhello

 

[KathyTX]

Life's too short to read books you're not interested in. You won't find me spending time on bodice-rippers or most historical dramas, they just do nothing for me.

Having grown up in the South and seeing some of these debutantes with their entitled and openly racist attitudes, and remembering when the balcony at the theater was for "coloreds", and when blacks weren't allowed to use the community pool, I could really relate to these characters. I thought the book was brilliant.

For someone younger from the North, I don't expect you'd connect to it as much.

 

[KathyTX]

I have had people telling me for years I "have" to read the Twilight series. They all seemed to enjoy it so much, I figured I'd give it a try. I hated it, and barely got 1/3 of the way through the first book. I just smile now when people tell me how wonderful Edward is, or what a fantastic writer Stephenie Meyer is.

Oy... I slogged through the first Twilight book. It was pretty painful, and awkwardly written. I think someone in the throes of their "teen angst" period might overlook the bad writing, but I just kept hoping it would get better. (It didn't.) I felt a little like a teacher, wanting to rewrite dialogue and mark up the book to help the poor author.

On the other hand, the Hunger Games trilogy is aimed at that same teen/young adult audience, and I really enjoyed that series.

 

[willowsnn3]

Read it or not its your decision. It is a good book. I've read better, I've read worse. I felt the same back when everyone was telling me to read Harry Potter & then the Twilight books.

 

[sayhello]

Oy... I slogged through the first Twilight book. It was pretty painful, and awkwardly written. I think someone in the throes of their "teen angst" period might overlook the bad writing, but I just kept hoping it would get better. (It didn't.) I felt a little like a teacher, wanting to rewrite dialogue and mark up the book to help the poor author.

On the other hand, the Hunger Games trilogy is aimed at that same teen/young adult audience, and I really enjoyed that series.

I'm with you on the writing. When I say I could not relate to Bella, I mean I *TOTALLY* could not relate to Bella. But I agree, I'm not a teenaged girl in the middle of teen angst (Thank God!) "Painful" is a good way to describe it!

I'm totally with you on "The Hunger Games"! Really well written. The last book was a bit of a train wreck (couldn't look away!) but was still well-written.

Read it or not its your decision. It is a good book. I've read better, I've read worse. I felt the same back when everyone was telling me to read Harry Potter & then the Twilight books.

Ah, but Harry Potter really *IS* good!

Sayhello

 

[DisneyKevin]

No one is ever going to live long enough to read everything available....or even everything you want to read.

Please don't waste time on books (or movies) you aren't enjoying.

No one will know you quit in the middle unless you tell them.

If it's not holding your interest, it's not the book for you.

Someone recommended Pillars of the Earth and my first thought was "yeah....I'm going to be fascinated by a book about building a cathedral in medieval England.....sure".

I devoured that book, read the sequel and have since gone back and read both again.

One of the great things about a Kindle (or Kindle app) is that you can get samples of most books delivered to your device free of charge. This allows you to make an informed decision before you buy.

 

[*NikkiBell*]

I agree with some of the comments posted here, but wanted to add my two cents as well.

Speaking from experience, it is very difficult to find yourself falling in love with a book that others are telling you that you have to read and you have no interest in. If it was one you were truly wanting to spend time with, you would have. As a result, your opinion of it is already somewhat tainted towards the negative side.

I read The Help when it first came out. I found it to be one of the best books I have ever read and am hoping that this new author releases more books one day. I cried at various scenes throughout the novel and was so sad to lose the characters when I reached the last page. I was very excited when the movie came out and, although it was good, it never could touch the brilliance of this text (and this is coming from a 31 year old Northerner ).

I did not read any of the books in the Twilight series until Eclipse was released. I knew very little about the series, but kept noticing the elaborate display at my then local Borders store. I bought the first in the series and found it so easy to relate to that I devoured it within two days.

While I don't want to get into a character analysis discussion of Bella (that's good for another thread though hehe), I do want to say that I find myself having many of her same qualities. She is a true American girl, in my opinion, based on how she thinks and acts. Bella is not the stereotypical "pretty girl" who has all of the guys running after her. Instead, she is somewhat plain, but with her own sense of style, and likes to blend in with the crowd often. I don't view her as a teenager caught up in the teen angst, so to speak, but instead a world in which many can relate to. Unfortunately, much of this was lost in the horrid film versions that were released. Similarly, I found that reading New Moon caused such an intense emotional response that it took me several weeks to get through it all. I found myself in Bella's shoes instantly even though I was in a committed relationship at the time. The fact that Stephanie Meyer was able to initiate such a reaction through her power of the written word says something for her talent.

I hope you do wind up enjoying The Help. I know I did and plan to read it again soon.

 

[skater]

I really loved The Help and its not a genre I read all the time. I think I told my mother she "had to" read this book, but it was only because I wanted to share it with her.

 

[Susan R]

okay....have been reading it off and on all afternoon and to be honest, I'm not sure if I will finish it...if I do, it will be me reading it in between other books. It's not that it's not a good book. I am just not connecting with it like I hoped I would.

WebmasterKathy- at first, when you said I might not connect because I didn't grow up in that generation and being from the north (not sure if you meant Canada or the mason dixon line) I didn't agree. My parents told me crazy stories of things they experienced with their black friends during this time and this was in Canada. I think maybe the racism wasn't as out in the open here, but unfortunately, it was and still is here as well. But you're right, I'm not of that generation and I can't understand fully what happened. For godness sakes, I remember watching Nelson Mandela being freed from prison and my parents trying to explain to me why he was there in the first place and what Apartheid was. I remember going to one of the southern states when I was 14 and trying to figure out why African American's seemed to have all of the behind the scenes jobs at the hotel I stayed at while all of the front line workers dealing with the public (and higher paying jobs) were white. But maybe if I keep reading the book I will gain a better understanding of what was happening.

I just thought of something...one of my favourite books is "The Diviners" by Margaret Lawrence...maybe "The Help" is the deep south version of "The Diviners"

sayhello - I agree with you about the Twilight series...I enjoyed the story but I don't think it was well written. But what do I know, I don't have the guts to write a book LOL

Kevin - your Pillars of the Earth was my Outlander. My friend kept telling me how much she enjoyed it but I thought it was just a historical romance so I wasn't willing to give it a chance. One day I was out of books to read and I picked it up...now Diana Gabaldon is one of my favourite authors and I re-read the series often.

I have discovered the samples of books that I can download from amazon.com and have a "wishlist" started for when my budget allows.

skater - if your mum trusts your judgement on books, it's a good thing that you recommend them to her...just don't pester her to read it and look at her like she has 3 heads if she hasn't read it yet

I have another question for everyone...do you find you read different books based on your mood or based on what is going on in your life at the time? For example, when I am having a stressful day I might come home and decompress with something light and entertaining like a Sookie Stackhouse Southern Vampire book. If I feel the need to escape, a Diana Gabaldon book. If it's a winter storm, Anna Karenina

I think I'm enjoying reading this thread and everyone's opinions more than the book

Susan

 

[limace]

I am pretty "meh" on The Help. It's an interesting story and some of the characters were really compelling, but I struggled with what seems like a different kind of racism-the poor black people are only saved by the intervention of the white girl (similar to Dances with Wolves).

I totally understand why the Twilight books were the hits they were, but man, did that series end up as a trainwreck-bad writing and nauseating plot details (not sure if the chewing the baby out of her or naming the baby Renesmee made me queasier!).

 

[DisneyKevin]

I am pretty "meh" on The Help. It's an interesting story and some of the characters were really compelling, but I struggled with what seems like a different kind of racism-the poor black people are only saved by the intervention of the white girl (similar to Dances with Wolves).

Please take a look at this article from The New Republic by John McWhorter.

http://www.tnr.com/article/film/93779/the-help-black-racism.

It's entitled "‘The Help’ Isn’t Racist. Its Critics Are."

The article offers a different viewpoint on the book and the movie.

 

[jjjmranch]

I'm a huge Diana Galbadon fan. Even the audio books were outstanding. I just picked up her last book, Echo in the Bone. I read "The Help" for my bookclub and I did enjoy it. I read the Twilight series because everyone said to and the writing was atrocious. I love to quote Stephen King who said that Harry Potter books were about finding your inner strength and the Twilight books were about getting a boyfriend. Only you can decide what books you want to read. I felt that way about all the Nicholas Spark books. Meh...

 

[princessbride6205]

I am not usually a drama book person. And many of the books I "should" read, like a lot of frequent book club selections, are boring to me. But I've loved The Help. I actually have two chapters left, but I've enjoyed it much more than I thought I would.