The intertwining lives of black maids and their white employers in 1960's Mississippi
Kathryn Stockett's debut novel 'The Help' is set in Jackson, Mississippi in the early 1960's where two black maids and a white woman conspire over a clandestine project that could put their lives at risk. It has become a best seller in America, been praised by critics and is a firm favourite among book groups. It has also the current the Woman's Hour Drama. Kathryn tells Sheila how her own childhood inspired the narrative and the challenges she faced as a white author giving a voice to black characters.
The Help is published by Penguin ISBN 978-1-905-49043-1
