I figured a salad was a great way to cram a bunch of vegetables into my meal and created a big ol’ veggie-packed salad to enjoy.
All the Veggies!
In the mix:
- Butter lettuce
- Grape tomatoes
- Cucumber
- Peppers
- Goat cheese
- Mushrooms
- Italian dressing
Monday Lunch
It was just what the doctor ordered.
The Help
It’s time for another PBF Book Review!
Past book reviews on PBF:
About halfway into my trip to Europe, I began reading The Help, a novel by Kathryn Stockett.
The Help
When I’ve previously asked for book recommendations from you guys, The Help popped up in the comments section of this blog again and again. I figured it had to be a winner.
Within 10 pages of the book, I was hooked. The book focuses on the hardships and adversity felt by black women who work in the homes of white people, helping to raise their children in the 1960s. The author does this in a way that is intelligent, thought-provoking, hilarious, gut-wrenching and inspiring.
The Help is told from the point of view of three main characters. Skeeter, a white woman who longs to be a writer, is deeply unsettled by the racial prejudices in her hometown of Jackson, Mississippi. At the urging of a New York magazine editor, she decides to write an anonymous book about what “the help” experience while working for white families. Aibileen and Minny are two of the black maids she interviews and whose lives are also followed in the book. Their sections are filled with love, struggle, passion and hope.
I cannot say how sorry I was to finish this book. I wanted it to keep going! The author clearly did a lot of research to adequately capture such unrest and tension during such a challenging time in America and managed to do so in a lighthearted way that made The Help fun to read.
The Help was one of the best books I’ve ever read. No lie.
And great news! It’s going to be a movie! I can’t wait to see it in August. The previews look fantastic.
Question of the Afternoon
- What was the last great book you read?
- What’s up next on your reading list?
I am currently reading The Five People You Meet in Heaven by Mitch Albom and I’m not sure what’s up next for me once I finish it!
P.S. The Fashion page was updated!
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5 people is a great book. quick read.
I am currently reading Open (Andre Agassi). I have been on a memoirs kick. Next up is: Summer and the City (the latest prequel to SATC and Carrie Bradshaw). I think its a perfect summer chick book!
ooh i really wanted to read andre agassi’s biography. what do you think of it?
I thought it was really good! Very fascinating story.
i am in awe of it. i have loved andre (from afar of course) as when he was really starting out in vegas i lived there too…so i knew about him before the rest of the world 🙂
anyway i think its fascinating…
another good one was Unbearable LIghtness by Portia deRossi.
such tragic lives these two led…and we think its all grand.
I am too lazy to “read”, I am an Audio book girl. I just bought “The Help” and I have listened to the “5 People” and it was great. Have you read “The Shack” ? and let’s see “Never a Bride?by-Rene Gutteridge and Cheryl McKay. These are pretty good. My “reading” is all over the place, but I think you may like these.
Julie! That lunch is just what my doctor ordered as well…and I think he ordered it for my dinner too after a weekend of bacon and eggs, post-wedding party pizza, and a few cocktails to boot! Question, have you ever tried insanity or P-90 x? I am considering giving it a go, I hear the sweat it produces is unbelievable! Happy Monday Veggie Day!
i’ve personally never tried either, but i’ve heard great things.
i thnk my mom is reading that book right now!! i should ask her how she likes it!! the book im reading now is for english class.. its called persepolis.. its pretty awesome! its like a comic book form!.. really like it!
I felt the same way about The Help; I was SO bummed when it was over! I need a new book to read. I’m reading The Mermaid Chair (by the same author as The Secret Life of Bees). It’s ok, but I’m not loving it. Looking forward to finding something new soon. Maybe Bethenny Frankel’s Place of Yes.
Love Mitch Albom’s books! I really want to read The Help – I’ve heard such great things. I am currently reading The Alchemist and am really loving it! And also on my list I have The Life of Pi, the Girl Who Played with Fire, and The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet’s Nest.
Im reading The Help right now! So good!
The last book that I absolutely could not put down that I read was Water for Elephants. Phenomenally written.
I could spend hours in a book store!
I just finished writing a blog about The Help! I really adored it. The characters were just fabulously crafted. I was a little disappointed in the ending, but otherwise I think it was fabulous!
I have had The Help on my reading list for awhile, but I’m stuck on the Outlander series at the moment. I may need to break the cycle and read Water for Elephants too.
I’m glad you liked The Help! I loved that book.
The last books I read was Life of Pi, which was slow but ended up being a great book, and The Pre-nup which was a good quick chick-lit book.
Now I am reading The Historian. My podiatrist recommended it to me (bc I spend waayyy too much time in his office) and said it was his favorite book of all time.
I’m also re-reading The Hunger Games with my book club. I had to get them in on my obsession!!
Have you read Mitch Albom’s “Tuesdays with Morrie”?? That book is a life-changer!! Seriously — Life. Changer.
i read that entire book on a plane ride. SO, so good. i made ryan read it immediately after. we both loved it.
Glad you liked the book–I’m so excited for the movie!
I’m currently reading “Anna Karenina”. I read so many popular and girly books on the regular, so I figured I should read a classic . It’s a good book, but it’s so hard to get through…
ugh I started reading The Help a few weeks ago but it got put on the back burner once I started the new job. I think I need to devote this weekend to working my way through it!
I loved the Help as well. Such a great read 🙂
Have you read the books such as ‘Something Borrowed’ etc…. ?? I know it is a movie, but the writer does fun, light books that are quick to read if you’re looking for fun novels.
I also liked the Girl with The Dragon Tattoo….still need to read the other 2 in the series. Ahhhh I love books!
I love Wayne Dwyer’s ‘Excuses Begone’ book…so motivating and helping me get rid of excuses or other things keeping me from reaching my goals, dreams, etc. Awesomely motivating!!
Looooooove the book and can’t wait for the movie!!
LOVED The Help! I just finished Tina Fey’s Bossypants (HILARIOUS! I reviewed it here — I think it should be required reading for all working women: http://momjovi.com/2011/05/tina-fey-call-me/).
I just started reading “In the Garden of Beasts,” a non-fiction book about the last American ambassador to Berlin just before WW2 and if you’re looking for something RACY my book club is reading “Candy Girl,” Diablo Cody’s memoir about the year she spent working as a stripper. It’s fascinating but v naughty!
I’m on the hunt for my next vacation book for our trip to the Keys next month so I’ll be checking back on your comments for more suggestions! I may have to pick up the Carrie Diaries.
I just finished up reading two very good books. I got the book “Oryx and Crake” as a free download when I got my eReader and didn’t ‘crack it open’ until a couple of weeks ago, but it was so good!
It did leave me feeling a little bit down as it ends in a very dark place and at the end of the book I didn’t want it to be over. Luckily, there is a sequel that I quickly bought and tore through as well called “The Year of The Flood” which is from the perspective of different characters than “Oryx and Crake” and ends with more hope. Both books are by Margaret Atwood.
p.s. I just started reading “The Help” and I’m loving it!
I just finished “The Help,” as well, and I share the feeling of sadness of it being over. Words can’t describe how much I loved it!
I’m currently reading (actually listening on audiobook) to “The Friday Night Knitting Club” but the last book I loved, loved, loved was “Unbroken.” It’s non-fiction but an amazing and heart-wrenching story about an Olympic runner who was a POW in WWII.
Just finished the Help too! Great book!
I have heard The Help is a great book but I haven’t picked it up yet. The last book I read was The Uglies — it is also a series that you might enjoy, it reminded me somewhat of The Hunger Games.
If you liked The Help and Water for elephants then I think you’d probably like The Secret Life of Bees too. Similar(ish) to The Help and just as un-put-down-able!
Also have you read Room? About a boy and his mum held captive and their life / escape plans etc. Brilliant, harrowing and life-affirming at the same time!
Reading The Help right now! Can’t put it down!!!
I thought Something Borrowed was pretty fabulous
Save for the mushrooms (ick!), this looks just like my salads! I am WAY too lazy to peel cukes (plus I think they taste better w skin), and I’m obsessed with goat cheese + butter lettuce combo. Mmm!
Last night, I finished Bossypants by Tina Fey which I enjoyed. There were definite moments where I laughed out loud!
The Stieg Larsson books (Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, etc) were fantastic as well.
I have to admit, that I haven’t done much reading outside of school for MONTHS. I keep hearing great things about this book, though, so I feel like it might be just the thing to break my book-less streak!
I read the five people you meet in heaven back in high school 🙂 I loved it! I had to read it for summer reading but I didn’t mind at all.
I’m currently reading Skinny Bitch by Rory Freedman and Kim Barnouin
as well as The Time Travelers Wife 🙂
do you have a goodreads account?! If not you should get one soon! It’s a life saver for my “to-read” book list and keeping them all organized.
I haven’t read The Help yet, but it’s on my list. I loved The 5 People you Meet in Heaven and I finished it in one night. Loved it!
The last book that I read was The Hunger Games…and, I have the next two in the trilogy to finish.
I hope I’m responding to Katie’s post about Shanghai Girls. One of the best books I’ve ever read!!! 🙂 it sucks you right in!
The last great book I read is Shanghai Girls by Lisa See. I read about 3-4 books a week (yay maternity leave!) and this is one of the best I have read in a while.
I loved The Help!!! AND The Five People You Meet in Heaven 🙂
The last (great) book I read was SKINNY by Diana Spechler — AMAZING, read it twice! And up next is The Art of Racing in the Rain 🙂
We just read The Help for my bookclub, and while I thought it was a good book I wished the author went more into how the maids felt and their thought process throughout the story. I just felt she could have gone deeper into that, but I do know the author based this on her life so it makes sense she focused on Skeeter more.
I’m currently reading Cutting for Stone and love it, you should definitely check it out!
The Help was definitely great! Can’t wait for the movie either. 🙂
I just got done reading Something Borrowed – fabulous! Havent seen the movie yet but the book is great! I’m also reading the 3rd of Lauren Conrads series – Sugar & Spice – its fun, entertaining, light summer reading!
A lot of people have suggested that I read this too.. I am thinking it will be my next one. Right nowI am reading Bitter is the New Black.. .. like.. just started it.. 10 pages. in. I was too tired when I began it. ha
I read The Five People You Meet in Heaven a few years back and LOVED it! I am sure you will, too!
Room by Emma Donoghue
I am reading Water for Elephants right now, and yesterday I just purchased The Help to read next so I am happy you loved it, as soon as I read the back of the book I was sure it would be a gooder!
The last great book I read was Alias Grace by Margaret Atwood. It’s SUCH a good book, and there isn’t a single dull moment.
It really interesting too because you have to figure out who you can believe when the story is being told, and it’s based (kinda) on a real story.
Hands down, it’s one of my favorites.
The last book I read was a chick lit book called The Dating Detox by Gemma Burgess. It was a hilarious & really good read! The next book I really want to read is The Paris Wife.
I’m sooo glad you liked it!! It is also one of my favorite books of all time and it’s going to very hard to top it. Today I’m expecting the Hunger Games to arrive from Amazon. It has a similar obsession factor with those that read it, so i can’t wait!!
All year I have to read super dense neuroscience papers/textbooks/articles so when summer rolls around I like the easiest entertainment reads I can find. Plus, I usually listen to audiobooks while I’m at work in the lab.
I’m currently on the fourth book of the “Sookie Stackhouse Series” by Charalaine Harris and I LOVE them. They’re the perfect mindless read with a little bit of romance, mystery and fantasy all rolled into one.
I also just finished the Hunger Games Trilogy audio books and they were the best books I’ve read/heard in a really really long time. I’ve been recommending them to everyone! 🙂 My next audiobook endeavor is going to be the girl with the dragon tattoo since it was on my summer reading list anyway (I’m way behind on the times on this one 😉 )
I’ve had The Help sitting on my bookshelf for a year now. I’ve heard many good things about it though so maybe I should pull it out. I just got a hold of The Happiness Project which has been quite inspirational so far.
The Help was one of my favorite books ever! I just finished The Art of Racing in the Rain (bawled my eyes out might I add) and just started The Book Thief. 🙂
This book is definitely on my Summer list! I’ve heard such great things about it.
I am currently reading Bossypants by Tina Fey. HILARIOUS! I love it so far. I just finishes Funny in Farsi which is a quick read with a sweet story line, and my next book will be Pride and Prejudice and Zombies.
I can’t wait to read The Help–it’s next on my reading list! I just finished Cutting for Stone by Abraham Verghese (it took me quite a while to get through it–it’s 500+ pages!). It was an incredible, beautifully-written book that held my attention the whole time I was reading. I highly recommend it!
Great! I’m really into colorful salads with warm temperatures. I’m currently reading “The private lives of Pippa Lee”, and it’s good to read.
I loved loved loved the Help!
Along the same lines (a book that gets you absolutely hooked) if you haven’t read Sarah’s Key by Tatiana de Rosnay then put it on your list! Another amazing page- turning, can’t put it down, yet don’t want to finish it books 🙂
Ok I’m officially ordering that book in T-minus 2 seconds…thanks for the great review!
If you like The Help, you should also read The Kitchen House by Kathleen Grissom.
I second The Kitchen House! LOVED it and could not put it down!
I really liked “5 People You Meet in Heaven”.
You should read “Little Bee” next!
I just finished American Wife and loved it! So good! I read a couple pages of The Help in Barnes and Noble the other day and it was amazing– definitely will be going back for that one. 🙂