The Help, Page 51

  Wasn’t that the point of the book? For women to realize, We are just two people. Not that much separates us. Not nearly as

  much as I’d thought.

  I’m pretty sure I can say that no one in my family ever asked Demetrie what it felt like to be black in Mississippi, working for our white family.

  It never occurred to us to ask. It was everyday life. It wasn’t something people felt compel ed to examine.

  I have wished, for many years, that I’d been old enough and thoughtful enough to ask Demetrie that question. She died when I was sixteen.

  I’ve spent years imagining what her answer would be. And that is why I wrote this book.

  ABOUT THE AUTHOR

  Kathryn Stockett was born and raised in Jackson, Mississippi. After graduating from the University of Alabama with a degree in English and

  creative writing, she moved to New York City, where she worked in magazine publishing and marketing for nine years. She currently lives in Atlanta

  with her husband and their daughter. This is her first novel.