Book #12 - The Last Resort

Hmmm...The Last Resort by Norma Watkins, is not exactly what it appears to be.  From the descriptions I was expecting it to be a book about a hotel.  Instead it is a memoir of the author, Norma Watkins, which follows her life and desegregation in Mississippi.

This was an easy and mostly light read.  If you like The Help by Kathryn Stockett, then this book will help flesh out that story.  You will get another point of view in Jackson, Mississippi.  It helped me realize more how deeply seated rascism was in the deep south, and how the help was treated. (On a side note, I never knew how involved the Kennedy's were in desegregation.) 

Watkins also points out the helplessness of women in that society.   Everything she had was tied to her husband.  It is hard to imagine how far we have come in 50-60 years.  I can understand her desire to do the just thing for African Americans, while being afraid of the ramifications for her own comfortable life. 

As most of our lives are, the author is a complicated person.  She takes, what appears to be, an honest look at herself and the people around her.  While this isn't always flattering, it is very real and interesting.