Kathryn Stockett releases The Calamity Club after sterilization law shaped novel

6 articles · Updated · Clarion Ledger · Apr 29

The 600-page book arrives on 5 May, with a 6 May meet-and-greet at Jackson's Eudora Welty House and Garden.
Stockett said finding Mississippi's 1928 law permitting sterilisation of people labelled "feeble minded" or epileptic transformed a bland draft into a Depression-era story spanning Oxford, Memphis and the Delta.
Her first novel, The Help, was published 17 years ago; after criticism and years of touring, she said she regained confidence, while possible film or series plans remain undecided.

After the controversy surrounding 'The Help,' does Stockett's new novel offer a wiser take on Southern history?

How does a forgotten 1928 law reveal the dark history behind Kathryn Stockett's highly anticipated new novel?

Can a story about 1930s Mississippi explain the systemic threats faced by marginalized communities in America today?