Kathryn Stockett Has Finally Followed Up ‘The Help’
The New York Times • • entertainment
Key Points:
- Kathryn Stockett, author of the bestselling debut novel "The Help," which sold 15 million copies and was adapted into an Oscar-winning film, is releasing a new book titled "The Calamity Club" after 17 years.
- Following criticism of "The Help" for its portrayal of Black maids through a white perspective, Stockett took feedback seriously, moved to Bali, continued writing despite setbacks, and found a new publisher.
- "The Calamity Club" is a 656-page historical saga about two white women surviving the Great Depression in Mississippi, reflecting Stockett’s continued commitment to detailed storytelling.
- Stockett described the long journey of writing the new novel as challenging, feeling like "everything I touched was failing," but persevered through multiple rejections similar to those faced with her debut.
