Kathryn Stockett joins Carol Fitzgerald to discuss her new novel, THE CALAMITY CLUB, her first book since THE HELP (which was published in 2009) and a Bookreporter Bets On selection. The story is set in Mississippi during the Great Depression and follows a group of scrappy, strong-willed women who work together to conquer challenges they face, knowing that there are no men to save them. The novel also addresses the societal expectations and hypocrisies of the 1920s and '30s.

Kathryn balances the book's serious historical themes with humor. Initially she tried to write a cautious, bland tale that was different from THE HELP to avoid similar criticism, but she realized after a number of years that it lacked heart. Kathryn also discusses the novel's length, which she justifies by the character development and story complexity. She drew a lot of inspiration from her own mother, to whom THE CALAMITY CLUB is dedicated.

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