Duneland.com > Calendar > May 2010 > Bookmarks at the Museum presents The Help

Bookmarks at the Museum presents The Help

Thursday, May 20, 2010 • 2 pm

Westchester Township History Museum, Chesterton

Westchester Public Library’s book review series, Bookmarks at the Museum, will meet at 2 p.m. on Thursday, May 20, 2010 at the Westchester Township History Museum, an educational service of Westchester Public Library. The museum is housed in the Brown Mansion at 700 W. Porter Ave., Chesterton. Kathleen Mullen will review The Help, written by Kathryn Stockett.

Kathryn Stockett’s debut novel is set during the emerging civil rights movement in Jackson, Mississipi. Eugenia Skeeter Phelan, a recent college graduate who is anxious to be a writer, accepts advice to hone her skills by writing about what disturbs her.

Skeeter begins to collect stories of the black women on whom the country club set relies and yet distrusts. She enlists the help of Aibileen, a maid who’s raised 17 children, and Aibileen’s best friend Minny, who has a hard time keeping a job because she is too quick to speak her mind.

The book that results is both scathing and shocking, yet brings pride and hope to the black community and gives Skeeter the courage to pursue her dreams.

Bookmarks at the Museum will meet next on Thursday, June 17, 2010 when Pat Klewer will review the book The Last Time I Saw You by Elizabeth Berg.

It is not necessary to have read the books in advance to enjoy the presentation. Both Thomas and Hageman Library have copies of the books reviewed in the series. For more information, call the museum at 983-9715.