Thurs., Aug 18: The Help

"The Help"

Anything dealing with racial dynamics is bound to get people talking. Kathryn Stockett’s book, The Help, is no exception. Set in 1960’s Mississippi, The Help was published weeks after President Obama was sworn into the White House - a time when many flirted with the idea that America was a post-racial nation. Stockett says she didn’t try to tap into the zeitgeist and didn’t set out make grand proclamations about race relations in America. She was simply aiming to write a story based on the maids who helped raise her. Her book hit the best seller list and a lot of nerves. Was this another white writer trying to give the black community a voice? Or did Stockett overcome a hurdle by writing a successful novel about black people? Now that the book’s been adapted to the big screen, we’ll take a look.

Guests:

Garen Daly: film critic
Kim McLarin: Emerson College assistant professor of writing, literature and publishing, author. 
Emmett Price: Chair of the African American Studies Department, Northeastern University.

Trailer for The Help