Discussions
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Bodrugan
Thank you. You sound like a nice person. I enjoyed your "a series of unfortunate choices" group.
Would you care to explain what prompted your statement? If not, I will suppose it's an aberration.posted 5 years ago.
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limpet55
Jeez, did I say that to you? That you sound stupid? It was meant for the person who said TKAM should be banned in schools, which sounded to me kinda, you know....stupid.
posted 5 years ago.
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Bodrugan
Well, it wasn't I who said To Kill a Mockingbird should be banned in schools, so I guess it was a mistake.
posted 5 years ago.
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LycoReads
The College Book Chat Society read this for the Lycoming County Big Read program, sponsored by the National Endowment for the Arts. Some of the group was reading it for the first time, others were re-reading it. Almost all agreed that it is a timeless classic and a wonderful, eye-opening read.
posted 5 years ago.
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HemingwayHeroine
I just watched the movie and thought it was pretty incredible. I read the book ages and ages ago, but the movie really seemed to stick to the book and give it amazing justice.
posted 5 years ago.
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sweetafton
This book is perfection. And I am not at all biased: it is just my favorite book. See my actual opinion for more...
posted 5 years ago.
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ewardy16 removed this reply 5 years ago
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Hell-san removed this reply 5 years ago
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Pamela J. Dodd
Harper Lee contributed only one book to southern literature, but what a book it is. I read it as a student, re-read it as a college student, and I taught it several times when I served as a high school English teacher. Lee's portrait of Atticus Finch is often viewed as paying homage to her small town lawyer/father, and it remains one of my favorite reads.
posted 5 years ago.
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uplandpoet
Hard not to love this book, and harder to not go to Monroeville, Alabama and tell Ms. Lee to write us another story, but I understand she doesnt take to strangers doing that:) what an incredible story, the movie is good, but it doesnt come close....
Anthony Watkinsposted 5 years ago.
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SherryP
I agree. I want to know what Scout did when she grew up! Civil Rights lawyer? I understand that Lee lives mostly in NYC and is very reclusive. I have a theory (probably wrong!) as to why she never wrote another book if you want to hear it.
Visiting Monroeville is great....the courthouse is there and you can take a walking tour of places she incorporated in the book.posted 5 years ago.
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sweetafton
Give us your theory, sherry. I'm curious, because like you and uplandpoet I always wanted another book from her.
posted 5 years ago.
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Peach
Hmm... I'd be interested in any theories too. I always thought the idea that Capote wrote or co-wrote the book to be pretty silly, given that he doesn’t seem the type that would have hidden such an accomplishment. I’ve also heard some people say that Harper Lee was a terrible writer, and To Kill a Mockingbird needed heavy editing before it went to press. I just don’t believe that she could have been that bad, given that she wrote those essays (e.g., “Love—In Other Words,” “Christmas to Me”) which, although they don’t measure up to her novel, certainly aren’t bad.
I could invent a theory, but it doesn't ring true to me. She said in an interview pretty soon after its publication that To Kill a Mockingbird was really a natural for her, which makes sense since her father became Atticus and Capote became Dill. So, in a way, asking why Harper Lee didn’t write another book about the most formative events of her life is like this is like asking why most people don’t write two autobiographies. Added to that, she was known for saying that she was floored and intimidated by her success. Supposedly she worked on both fiction and nonfiction for years, just without publishing them, and I wonder if perfectionism and a fear that she wasn’t going to live up to her first work (because no subsequent work would be that natural to write) was part of her reluctance to publish another novel. ^_^;
Ah well, one really good book is better than a lot of mediocre ones! ^_^posted 5 years ago.
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uplandpoet
actually Harper's sister still runs old Atticus' law practice in downtown Monroeville, or she did a few years ago, they are both getting old now. to be honest, i think harper has done little since the book, but then she gave us, like mary shelly, before her, in one piece of work, more than most of us writers will give in a lifetime.... still, dammit, woulda loved another book, anybody read the day the dog bushes bloomed? lot of comparisons, not quite the same book, but still a great read!
posted 5 years ago.
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uplandpoet
Peach, the rumor that Capote helped write M ockingbird were spread mostly by him. He wanted to undercut the fact that she helped him write in cold blood. I love capote for being a flamer from South Alabama, when that could have got him killed, but he was an ass to strangers and worse to his friends. Yes, I agree that Mockingbird is highly if not exactly autobiographical. I would have rather read more fiction than an autobiography. I dont want to know how much is true and how much she made up. as it stands, it is all true and beautiful and maybe the most beautiful and importrant single book by an author in the English langauge. OK, may it is not the greatest, but surely a case can be made that it has to be considered. No other single book comes to mind. the works of Joyce, Twain, Faulkner, and a few others as a body are certainly of equal standing with this one book, but book to book, i cannot think of one.
posted 5 years ago.
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Peach
I haven't read In Cold Blood. Is the writing style at all similar?
The funny thing about judging what is the most important book in the English language (or for that matter, any superlative types of comparisons) is that the literary critics usually can't agree with the majority of people. This book has influenced the lives and ways of thinking of way more people than Ulysses, but Joyce will almost always get a higher billing than Lee from literary types.
I don't think I could choose a top book in the English language. There's so many really important books that I've never read, and many of the ones I have read defy comparison. I do think Lolita beats this though. It's beautiful, disgusting, and disturbing (oh my!) all at the same time.posted 5 years ago.
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maggiethecat74
I'm not sure I'd comparet the two writing styles, but "In Cold Blood" is BEAUTIFULLY written, which is says a lot considering its subject matter. At times I forgot I was reading about a horrible murder thanks to Capote's beautiful writing.
posted 5 years ago.
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alt171psu
Its been a while since I read this book (probably 10 years) but these discussions and theories make me want to go back and re-read it. As for the most beautiful and most important single book by an author in the English language, thats a pretty substantial claim!
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uplandpoet
Alt, I would not say it is, only that i cannot think of one to put ahead of it. I would love to hear suggestions for books that may or may not be the greatest single english novel, but that you would place in front of mockingbird on the list
posted 5 years ago.
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uplandpoet
Maggie:well, maybe it got beautiful, i could never get through it. guess it is all a matter of taste.
Peach: never read lolita, but if the movie was close to the book, then i agree that it was powerful, yeah, i would still agree with your main point that picking one would be tough. Ulysses was a great book, as were Joyces others, loved Light in August and Go Down Moses by Faulkner, Death in the Family and Delta Wedding, Razors Edge by Somerset, and 100s of others, so hmm, let me say the for a single book that has never been followed upp by another by a living author, this is a very good book:)posted 5 years ago.
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maggiethecat74
I can't get through Ulysses. It drives me crazy. I feel really stupid that I just can't even get 100 pages into it!
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alt171psu
Upland, from what I can remember of the style of Mockingbird, I'd say that the beauty of the writing is in its accessibility to readers of all levels while maintaining a sophisticated level of discourse...its not slow or dull to the average reader. I'd say its greatness is in the pertinence of its themes to society today. Two other novels that I have read and that I think attain these same qualities are Lord of the Flies and 1984. While they aren't really among my favorite books, I'd say they approach the same level of greatness, would you agree?
I haven't read In Cold Blood, but I have read Breakfast at Tiffany's, couldn't say for sure how much the style in it differs from Mockingbird, but it certainly doesn't deal with the same type of themes, I really don't think anyone but Lee wrote Mockingbird...I always think its difficult to compare styles of writing...its certainly not as easy as comparing two style of painting!posted 5 years ago.
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uplandpoet
I would say Lord of the Flies is a powerful book, 1984 is great for kinda being the first of its kind of book. Actually, I think the Trail is a massively important book, but then, I guess it isnt an English novel. I think Mockingbird is a bit ahead of others mentioned here, because with few exceptions, it is a book for 10 year olds that is just as rich for 40 year olds, and doesnt wear badly upon rereading. content is important, and the subtle way it is handled, for the most part. the way she has the good people on the wrong side of the issue, rings so true, the fact that the good guys do not win, the fact that justice is slightly diverted out of a sense of decency, is all so true of the Alabama i grew up in, gentle in all its brutality, almost gentle because of the brutality...
posted 5 years ago.
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uplandpoet removed this reply 5 years ago
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uplandpoet removed this reply 5 years ago
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Ninja Chick
As a reader, this has long been one of my favorites. As a teacher, I love to use the book in my high school classes, but sometimes wonder if the beauty of the book is lost on today's kids? Any thoughts? Any suggested approaches to show that it IS still relevant? I'm always looking for new ideas!!!
posted 5 years ago.
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Peach
As far as Ulysses I definitinely agree with what Upland is saying... the parts with Steven are the hardest parts in the entire book to read, and it does NOT need to be read in order. As horrible as sounds if you can't really stuck, get some glorified version of Cliffs Notes and read them until you know what is going on again. ^_^;
Back to the book at hand :), I read it at the age of about 10 then again at 25, and what I focused on in the book completely changed. For teaching it, have you tried showing it in the context of recent court cases? Being just an ignorant kid at the age of 10 I had no idea that this is about the Scottsboro cases. And issues like this are so alive today... high school students probably talk about them every day (Paris Hilton? =P) yet don't make the connection. How does the justice system deal with race and class today? Why is it that people with more money buy better defense lawyers? Can people with whiter skin get a fair jury more easily? Just going through cnn.com or the New York times will yield a lot of examples of the justice system getting hung up on issues of race and class. It's really easy to be angry if you pay close attention to the cases in the news today, yet it's hard to change a system so rooted in people's unspoken beliefs.posted 5 years ago.
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uplandpoet
maggie, on ulysses, skip the first hundred pages, read them later if you like, but just get past them, excellent story once you get past thsat first section
inspirddiva, no idea how to teach it to kids, i was lucky enough to grow up in alabama in the 1960s-1970s without TV, so i read a lot, but funny thing is, i didnt read this book until i was 40.... it was actually condemned in my conservative white family and friends circle, so i had to get away, but then i raised a family, got into business and forgot about it, just bumped back into it in the last decade, amazing!posted 5 years ago.
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vickyg54
One of my favorites. The only book I have ever restarted as soon as I finished reading the 1st time.
posted 5 years ago.
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renju
A very poignant book - absolutely loved it!!! - I luv the way characters slowly meld into real people - you live through Atticus's wisdom, through Scouts emotion, through Jem's and Dill's actions and ultimately know what the price of humanity is all about...jus' superb!!!
posted 5 years ago.
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renju
A very poignant book - absolutely loved it!!! - I luv the way characters slowly meld into real people - you live through Atticus's wisdom, through Scouts emotion, through Jem's and Dill's actions and ultimately know what the price of humanity is all about...jus' superb!!!
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uplandpoet
what does this mean? i guess it depends on the book? in mockingbird, they go pretty fast, 1-2 pages per minute, depending how thick the plot is getting....
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sweetafton
Agreed. It doesn't matter how fast one reads this book, only that it is read. Read this book!
posted 5 years ago.
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You gotta love this book! Even though it may seem cliche or overused, you just can't get enought of it! It's just so...classic. I read it once before we were assigned to read it in school. I felt that school would have tainted it a little. You have to love Scout's voice. I think it was her naive point of view that really connects with people.
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uplandpoet
no complaints here, except the big one, of course, no follow up books
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mommimi
I loved this one, especially the double plot. I'm glad I didn't have to read this one in school but for pleasure as an adult with some perspective.
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uplandpoet
i think the magic of this book is that while showing some really pathetic sides of human nature, it calls us to be our better selves, of course it also does that through a great tale and without the preachiness of most well intentioned books. it is like harper didnt realize what she was doing, though i am fairly certain she knew exactly!
posted 5 years ago.
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uplandpoet
funny, my background was so white conservative that i was strongly discouraged from reading this. Wow, how stupid!!! beautiful story, about some truly decent white people. I mean the poor guy acused of rape was brave in his way, too. I so wanted him to live and for Atticus to get him out, but that wasnt going to happen, so he took the only exit he could accept. i hope i act a little more like atticus and a little less like some of my ancestors.... I dont hope to be that brave, but i am inspired to at least be decent!
posted 5 years ago.
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sweetafton
What's funny about Atticus is that he is so good that he's almost unreal, which is a sad statement about our world. We should all ideally have the courage of our convictions, do what's right rather than what's easiest, defend those who are unable to defend themselves, and so on. But, we don't. For a number of reasons, some logical, others idiotic. I love that Lee gives Atticus poor eyesight and a few other faults to humanize him. From what I've read he is patterned after her father, and the hero-worship there is pretty clear. As a child I wanted Atticus Finch to be my dad for a day or so, despite the fact that he refused to play for the Methodists. haha!
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sweetafton
Yes, she does. And her, "Well, it's better to be silent than to be a fool" is great.
posted 5 years ago.
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nautical_pacific
It's one of my favourite books. Everytime I reread it I like it ever better. The slight nuances in the book just keep getting better and better.
posted 5 years ago.
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uplandpoet
hers a funny thought, i wonder if you read the fountainhead by ayn rand first, then read this one, if rands logic would taint the beauty of this story or accentuate it? this occurred to me because it seems the majority of the shelfari commentors on rand think her logic is perfect, but if Atticus had been a libertarian, this book could not have been written, there would have been no heorics, no true strength of character. again, the contrast hits me, as both lee and rand try to give us their version of the ideal man. one gets it, the other misses the point completely. i will let you guess which one i think got it right:)
posted 5 years ago.
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bdr
I read Lee and ten found Rand-- and I thnk I got the better experience that you deserve as a booker
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illusion11
Wanted to get a hand of this book for real long...and boy when i did...was I glad....this book really made me look at myself to be a better person...
posted 5 years ago.
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ATTICUS
Just have to say something about the book that inspired my cyber nickname... I love this line that Atticus tells Jem: "- I wanted you to see what real courage is, instead of getting the idea that courage is a man with a gun in his hand. It's when you know you're licked before you begin but you begin anyway and you see it through no matter what.". Sets him apart from a zillion other fictional heroes right there...
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spicensugar
my most favorite book,just love the language which has been used and also the names of characters.."atticus",noone can put it down.
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uplandpoet
the movie is almost as good, only it doesnt get the whole story, as i remember the movie, it is mostly the trail. read the book!! it may be the greatest novel written in the 20th century, maybe not, but it is certain a top ten lock....
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uplandpoet
umm, as far as i know, there isnt a trail in the movie, lets go with trial:)
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Joy_Forever
Definitely one of the best books I've ever read. The movie is lovely too, but its focus is mainly on the trial. The book captures funny moments of Jem and Scout's life, and their visits to relatives etc which make it lengthier, and a better read.
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kitab
I saw the B& W film version of this amazing slim book and it was as powerful and as evocative.
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vishakha247
One of my most favourite books. My favourite characters in the book - 'Atticus Finch' and 'Scout Finch'.
If u r lucky to find this book in any book store ,plz buy it.posted 5 years ago.
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ajit
It is undoubtedly a one of the best, I agree with many of you that it changes the way you see things. Lee should have wrote some more books...
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ravisurya123 removed this reply 5 years ago
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trupz27
made a big impact on me when i was a kid, still refer to this book sometimes when ethics and morals are questioned by a materialistic and psychedellic society
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~ Disaster~
Its really good but I still didn't understand the climax :(:(
anyone who cld just explain it to me !? Y wasn't it a sin ?
N why is the title so ?!!!!posted 5 years ago.
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Peach
Heh, it's very odd but I read this book most recently as an adult so the "climax" of the story for me was the trial, not the attack. I think you are asking about the attack, though.
Atticus says early on that it's a sin to kill a mockingbird, and it's explained that mockingbirds only sing for us and do no harm. They are emblematic of innocence, so killing one represents the attack of evil on the innocent. There are many people who can be identified with mockingbirds in the story, but the two major ones are Boo (he leaves gifts in the tree for Scout and Jem, but is treated less than kindly by his father) and Tom (he is kind to Mayella, and look what happens to him =( ).
As far as why it's not a sin to kill Bob Ewell, but it is a sin to kill Tom Robinson — Bob Ewell is one of the bluejays of the world. He is a bully, aggressive, and prejudiced, and these characteristics make him an immediate threat to the children. Atticus tells the children it's ok to shoot all the bluejays they want, if they can hit them. I don't think this is meant to say that they should go around killing evil people (eep), but rather that they should combat evil in all its forms. On the other hand, Tom Robinson is a mockingbird — he is kind and innocent, and does no one harm — so when he is killed it is a sin.posted 5 years ago.
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~ Disaster~
Its really good but I still didn't understand the climax :(:(
anyone who cld just explain it to me !? Y wasn't it a sin ?
N why is the title so ?!!!!posted 5 years ago.
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~ Disaster~
Its really good but I still didn't understand the climax :(:(
anyone who cld just explain it to me !? Y wasn't it a sin ?
N why is the title so ?!!!!posted 5 years ago.
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uplandpoet
excellent break down there peach, i just kinda read it as a story and never quite got the whole title thing. love the book, but dint make the connection, my southern family thought it was a waste of gunshot to shoot anything but crows:) i guess other birds ate crops, but crows were seen as a real threat.
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uplandpoet
not even close, it is a great movie, but it misses so much!!! the movie is really focused onthe trial, the book has muc more, the trial is just a major facet, but certainly not the only great part. do see the movie, but read the book or you will miss half the story!
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netrack
I'd heard a lot about this book before I actually got a chance read it. A bit disappointed. To be honest, I can't really figure out why it was so influential
posted 5 years ago.
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uplandpoet
seriously, what part of the planet are you from? how old are you? do you know much about race in America?
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Dawn
This book is a classic in that the message is timeless. A great book for adults and young adults. When will we all learn that we are all a part of the human race? Books that make us cry are the best!!
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The Purple Rose
I find it offensive to ask an African American woman living in America in any era, what she knows about race. I am from the part of the planet where neither I nor my ancestors were allowed to give their opinions nor respond to statements birth from ignorance, not that long ago. In case some aren't aware ignorance means lack of knowledge or unaware. I am old enough to haved been taught by the best professors of history as well as grandparents who experienced the era in history in which this book refers. I am old enough to have witnessed the struggles of the segregation and the challege of civil rights first hand. Since I have also loved books since I could speak, I am old enough to have read much about race relations in America; that is all that I have not experience first hand. I am old enough to be thankful to God that race relations in America has taken a drastic change. I am also old enough to know hidden racism and sarcasm when I read it or hear it. There are have been many classics written, some race related and some not. However, all the classics have proven themselves worthy of being read by all generations, especially those who are unaware of what has been. All value the written word from all eras, all generations. Therefore, I value Harper Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird as a classic. The events that took place in this classic shaped the lives of many who lived in its era. Furthermore, since we live in America, and this is a free world, most of it.; though I don't agree with everything I do value the writen word. To Kill A Mockingbird remains one of the best of many books ever written. It also amazes me that some people living and breathing in the year 2007 are still as blind and prejudiced still today. It remains a classic and remains timeless. I am so glad that my parents taught me that we are all the same in God's eyes.
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uplandpoet
empowered: does anybody ever ask you that? that is almost funny. why dont they ask me what i know about being white? good for you!
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AnamikaJoijode removed this reply 5 years ago
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blu_mist28
i so love this book i. it is a real classic..im mow well aware of how where african americans were treated ...it made me feel bad for them and for myself cuz i was one of the many who realize how bad it is to look down on other races..
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Paularay
I am just starting to read TO Kill a Mocking Bird. I have known the story all my life. I grew up in the town Harper Lee lived, In the summers. But never read the book some how I missed that part of High School pretty sad. So far So good.
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karbosed
It was a best trip i had while reading this book. The author rmakes u absorb every emotion of the characters.
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katiedaltonjames
I have never encountered a more worthwhile read, and I don't expect to.
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BEANBEAN
omg,I saw the movie and it was great!!!! I heard that the book is even better.
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tpatki removed this reply 5 years ago
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sabaysachigd
The movie "To kill a Mockingbird" starring Gregory Peck is simply awesome. A "must see one".
posted 5 years ago.
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sabaysachigd
The movie "To kill a Mockingbird" starring Gregory Peck is simply awesome. A "must see one".
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uplandpoet
I think that it was written by a small town southern white woman, at a time when the mores were very different makes it a remarkable book, but does not make it a masterpiece. what makes it a masterpiece is that it is a nearly perfectly written story about an interesting and important social issue. it is one of the books, as a writer i look at and realize i will never write something this good.
posted 5 years ago.
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uplandpoet
red balloon, she still could, she still lives in Monroeville-Frisco City, Alabama. I had the pleasure of not reading this book until I was forty. I think all the power really hits you then, especially if you were a white child growing up inAlabama in the 1960s....
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redballoon
We better track her down then and ask her to write more inspiring novels like Mockingbird :D No inch of space of this book was wasted. I even find it appealing that Time Magazine, Juicy Fruit and Tootsie Rolls were mentioned. Free advertising but hey, it's something we can relate to all the more at this time and age. Did you know that her first intention writing this book was just to make it as some sort of love story? Life takes it's own course, now more than just that.
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shiwanijuneja
I'm not done reading it... but Scout is already my favourite lil girl ever read! and Atticus ..the kinda father I'd want my husband to be ...
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shiwanijuneja removed this reply 5 years ago
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sweetafton
What an interesting thought. The book asks us to dream of Atticus as father, and I fall for it every single time. However, as much as I love Atticus, the great American hero, I would never want him for a husband, not now in 2007, and definitely not in the 1930s. He'd make a mighty fine neighbor, though. Miss Maudie has it right.
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huroofwakalimaat
I haven't read this book in a LONG LONG time...but I remember feeling terrified when I first read it...
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uplandpoet
redb: agreed, it is a great movie, and also agreed like most books, there is more and better in the book than the movie. both can be watched or read multiple times without losing their flavor!
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poppet
Harper Lee never wrote another book, but she received the Pulitzer Prize for this one.
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uplandpoet
Poppet: pretty sure this book is the best example of why write another when you have written the prefect book....
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vikasshelfari
One of my all time favourites too. I remember starting the book in the morning and forgetting to go work and almost finishing in the night when my colleagues were g.etting back home!
I particularly liked the story of the old woman who wanted to die free of the compulsion of taking the pain killers!
The writing style is just amazingposted 5 years ago.
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bmurray2
This novel drew me into the story, I felt as though I was there. It is one of my all time favorites. There story never gets old. One of my favorites of all time.posted 5 years ago.
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TeresaLove
Hmmm. I, and so many others find it a masterpiece. Perhaps you should realize that preconceived notions generated from "hype" are damaging. I came to this book, on my own, in tenth grade. I rediscovered it as a young adult, and then again in my mid years. Each time I was more educated and worldly wise. And each time I still ended up holding the the work in high esteem. And the movie is one of my 10 Best. (By the way I think no less than Horton Foote thought Lee's work did "live up to the hype." ) Lesson to be learned might be to try an come at a piece of literature with an open mind and heart.
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natashabetita
Oftentimes, it's the hype of a book that kills a persons enjoyment, we expect too much or perhaps, too little. Even prizes and awards are no real bearing because the people who awarded this book in the past were from a different place and a different decade, so to speak. Regardless of that, I found TKM a life changing book. I agree with gatadelafuente and all the others who wrote praises about this book. I find Atticus Finch a legendary type of character and Harpeer lee's insight into the mind of a child is amazingly fresh and real.
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sujayatrips
It is one of the best stories I have read. Because it is written with simplicity (which is really one of the most difficult things to do). Plus there is an innocence about it, seen from a chil'd viewpoint. Atticus is a person you wish you could be in your life. And of course cannot be. It is a well told story,
Even today, I feel very emotional when I read it.posted 5 years ago.
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Anne
one of the best books of all time - one of my favorites. this book inspired me to study law.
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FromWestToEast
It's the one book i've read the most times. I named my eldest child after the main character.
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hashir
there s just one thing i dont understand ....
how come Harper Lee never wrote another novel ????
its so sad.. such a gifted writer.. i wish she d written many more books !!posted 5 years ago.
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uplandpoet
she is still alive! but i think she had one story, mostly true, and that is all she wanted to tell us. yes, i know, about once a month, i get the urge to drive to monroeville, alabama and beg her to write another, but i understand sh doesnt take kindly to that kind of treatment. i guess one must be grateful for one taste of the best that ever was....
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hashir
dear uplandpoet... i guess you are right ...
the fact that its her only story makes it even more special ...
anyway this one story is worth more than a thousand others ..posted 5 years ago.
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uplandpoet
i think if she wrote a dozen they would all be special, but she doesnt write anymore, so we take the crumbs from the masters table. i am glad she did not yield to pressure and give us an ordinary novel
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Book Worm
All time fav book. I've read it many times. Never leave town without it. I never get tired of reading it. Love all the characters - Love Atticus Finch and Boo and Scout and everything else about the book.
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sweetafton
Scout, Atticus, Jem--it's possible to fall in love with the whole Finch clan.
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lorraine
I can read this book again and again and I'll never get bored...it's a book for everyone.....it shows that no man is born superior to others...if you miss that feeling of how it is to be a child...then read this...when I did' I felt like I was a kid and scout and the others were my playmates...it's like I was there with them and i was feeling and thinking the same way they did..=)
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Evelyn S
Ask a question, kick off a discussion, or just talk about this book...An American classic i decided to get with the American classic book. i enjoyed this more than the film which i did like. One has to expand one's knowledge. evelyn
posted 5 years ago.
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Rachel G
last year in 8th grade my LA teacher made our class read this!
at first i was on the fence.
but then i was caught up in it! my reading group finished first in the class. we were all so caught up in it that we wouldn't pay attetnion in class when my teacher was teaching about some prepostions or something like that! haha
I LOVE THIS BOOK!!!
tom robinson was innocent!!!!!posted 5 years ago.
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Rachel G
last year in 8th grade my LA teacher made our class read this!
at first i was on the fence.
but then i was caught up in it! my reading group finished first in the class. we were all so caught up in it that we wouldn't pay attetnion in class when my teacher was teaching about some prepostions or something like that! haha
I LOVE THIS BOOK!!!
tom robinson was innocent!!!!!posted 5 years ago.
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Rachel G
last year in 8th grade my LA teacher made our class read this!
at first i was on the fence.
but then i was caught up in it! my reading group finished first in the class. we were all so caught up in it that we wouldn't pay attetnion in class when my teacher was teaching about some prepostions or something like that! haha
I LOVE THIS BOOK!!!
tom robinson was innocent!!!!!posted 5 years ago.
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Evelyn S
Being english, it is not the book that i would have gone for but saw the film years ago and finally, whilst taking a late in life college course in eng. Lit. I decided to broaden my horizons to American classics, just a few. it was a gentle read with a strong message. Liked it evelyn S
posted 5 years ago.
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Lostbagpuss
I too love this book and often re read it - it is deceptively gentle and beautifully depicts what I imagine life was like in small american towns in that time - very evocative writing and the characters are wonderfully drawn -
It also makes its point in a very understated way - if you hadnt read the book you could be forgiven for thinking that the trial is the major part but of course its not although you are drawn inexorably towards it
scuse the spelling please I seem to be having a no-spell day lolposted 5 years ago.
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uplandpoet
Sweet, Twain was such an arrogant fellow, not unlike myself, though he had talent i will never have:), he might have resented Harper, but you are right, she built on the great legacy, and as much as i love twain, i would be hard pressed to find one of his books greater than this one. his was a satire without the sweetness. you can tell harper loved those old racoist bastards for their goodness while trying to show them the way to being enlightened human beings. i think twain just chucked them all overboard because he couldnt stand their stupidity. i dont blame him, but i think harper is the better person and the better writer, at least in this her one story.
posted 5 years ago.
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until i read your post, upland, i could never put my finger on what it was about twain's work that gave me pause. yes, he chucked them overboard because he couldn't stand their stupidity. the strength in harper's novel IS that she didn't give up on people. her work campaigns a faith in enlightenment and never giving up on the power of evolvement. therein lies some of the bittersweetness to her story.
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janice w
I just read this book and enjoyed being back in the simple life of childhood in the south when children still went outside to use their imaginations. I came back to this book after seeing Capote because i wanted to read Harper Lee's only book. Lee addresses tough issues through the eyes of Jem, very real and still going on today.
Excellent read.posted 5 years ago.
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puneetgupta
to be able to look back and describe what happened when you were a kid from a kids point of view is the amazing thing that keeps u going in this book...
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Mary Connealy
Brian1, The trouble is, I think this book is kinda wasted on kids. I was 'forced' to read it in school and didn't think that much about it. ONly years later did I find the depth in it, that I now see.
Good luck, though. They should read it anyway. Focus on the comedy and the intensely dramatic subject they'll get the comedy and maybe accidentally get the point, too.posted 5 years ago.
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rosemary c
TKAM is one of a few books I know intimately, I have had to reread this book at different times throughout my life. New to Shelfari, I had to read some of the commentary after 7 pages I was surprised to see no mention of the conspiracy theory involving this book. Does anyone out there believe it was a ghost writing of Truman Capote or that he contributed in editing a lot. I'm anxious to here from the crowd?
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Lord Manleigh
No, I don't believe it, although it's "fun" to think about...it's actually quite insulting to poor Harper Lee, though. But no, I don't think it's really in Capote's line at all, much too down to earth.
posted 5 years ago.
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sweetafton
rosemary, I'd only heard bits and pieces about this "controversy" but paid it little mind. That you asked made me curious, and here's something you might find interesting: a letter Capote wrote to his aunt indicates that he read the already-written manuscript and praised it. You can find more about it here: http://ledger.southofboston.com/articles/2006/02/27/news/news01.txt
The book remains Lee's masterpiece. Though I wish she'd written more, I am thrilled with this book... and read it often.posted 5 years ago.
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Mary Connealy
I've heard she didn't write it, too.
I've also heard, and this was taught to my daughter in school, so it must be at least believed to be correct, is that Harper Lee wrote the story of Boo and the children for some short story magazine, then when interest was expressed in publishing it, she added the whole subplot about the court case. If you think of it like that when you read it, that rings true.
Or maybe she was asked to add to it and someone else did the adding. It's a remarkable book for a woman from the south in those years.
And hard to believe it got published, really.
It's my favorite book of all time, in a close first place with 'A Lantern in her Hand' but Bess Streeter Aldrich. But I don't reread 'Lantern' very often because it's a huge tear-jerker for me.posted 5 years ago.
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Bodrugan
Sign The canard about Capote writing To Kill a Mockingbird will never die, though those who knew Capote well say that he was constitutionally incapable of keeping a secret: if he had written TKAM he would have crowed about it. As it was, he gave his grudging admiration but was quite astonished that people made such a big fuss over it and was probably a bit jealous.
It's quite possible that he gave Harper Lee general and editorial advice, but that's a far cry from ghostwriting the whole thing. Besides that, close reading indicates that it is not his style at all and the story is completely hers. It's really a slap in Ms Lee's face to say that it was a remarkable book for a woman in the American South to have written, at the time. Would it have been less remarkable for a man living in, say, New York City to have written it?posted 5 years ago.
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Marie Lynn
Actually, Harper Lee was herself living in New York City when she wrote To Kill A Mockingbird. She has lived there since the late 1940's.
posted 5 years ago.
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Bodrugan
Yes, she was living in New York City when she wrote To Kill a Mockingbird, but she also went back and forth to Monroeville. In recent years she has spent less and less time in New York City.
posted 5 years ago.
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uplandpoet
not only did capote not write Mockingbird, she certainly helped him write his books. Capote gets high marks from me for being a flaming queen from Alabama when that could have gotten him killed, but as a writer, I find him so-so, while Harper Lee is a living god!!!!!! of course all the above is just my "humble" opinion....
posted 5 years ago.
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Mary Connealy
I've read In Cold Blood. And I've never heard the conspiracy theory about Capote.
BUT, of COURSE there are conspiracy theories. The book is so beautifully written how could she not have written another one. That's what fuels conspiracy theories.
Hey, have you every heard the laura Ingalls Wilder didn't write the Little House books. Or rather, she wrote them but her daughter Rose Wilder Lane rewrote them and gave their their true shine.
Read the series sometime, then read These Happy Golden Years.
That book has a completely different voice than the others and that was most likely Laura Ingall's Wilders true work, because it was found after her death.
Aren't conspiracty theories fun? I know who really shot JFK, I think.posted 5 years ago.
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Seanna D
One of my favorite books that I had to read while in school. I loved it
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daniel c
^_^
Though I haven't read this book, I think it is interesting from this description. So, where can we get the URL about this book in PDF file?posted 5 years ago.
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uplandpoet
Capote did help Harper write the book in the sense he was the strange little child in her neighbors garden, so he gave her another character:)
posted 5 years ago.
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Book Worm
All time fav book. I've read it many times. Never leave town without it. I never get tired of reading it. Love all the characters - Love Atticus Finch and Boo and Scout and everything else about the book.
posted 5 years ago.
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Book Worm
All time fav book. I've read it many times. Never leave town without it. I never get tired of reading it. Love all the characters - Love Atticus Finch and Boo and Scout and everything else about the book.
posted 5 years ago.
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Book Worm
All time fav book. I've read it many times. Never leave town without it. I never get tired of reading it. Love all the characters - Love Atticus Finch and Boo and Scout and everything else about the book.
posted 5 years ago.
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uplandpoet
either yout computer screwed up or you really wanted to make sure we got the message:) you might want to delelte 3 of these....
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darshanasunoj
This book takes you to a world which cannot be described by mere words. It is a masterpiece.
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Kim
It's kind of embarrasing to pick this as a favorite because EVERYONE does, but it is truly the perfect novel, isn't it? It changed my life the first time I read it, subtly, but it was there. And then the first time I taught it to sophomores, well, I think it changed all of our lives. Thank you, Harper Lee.
posted 5 years ago.
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bobby
u said to kill a mockinbird changed ur life. Can u tell in what way did it change your life? I am really interested in knowing your answer.
Please do replyposted 5 years ago.
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crystal j
i think because it just gave me a view of how things really were back then. it showed some decrimination and how innocent people are accused of a crime they did not commit. they accused him just because he was black.
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i-Mommy
One of my favorites. Plan to reread it this year, it's been a while since I've read it.
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i-Mommy removed this reply 5 years ago
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i am lily.
good book, recomended for 11th grade. I recomend not reading it in 7th....some sexual issues that we didn't know about...
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ditzy
My son is reading this for GCSE.Lucky thing! I only read it a coupel of years ago for the first time...didnt realize what I had been missing! I have the DVD but wonder if it will spoil it for me. However as my son doesnt read anything it may be the only way for him to get a feel for the story!
posted 5 years ago.
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uplandpoet
the movie is fine, as far as it goes, but like many great movies based on books, it doesnt beginto tell the whole story. the novel is truly two things at once, well a thousand wonderful things, but mostly, it is scout's story and also the story of a society, but the movie focuses more on the trial, and does a beautiful job of that part of the book. will it ruin it for you? i doubt it, but just remeber, if you see the movie, you have not "seen" the book.
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vivek s
One of my all time fav novels most amazing thing that Harper Lee does is to give the characters in this novel such a life like image in front of you while you are reading it...without a doubt deserves a Pulitzer Price.
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Margaret H
This book is truely amazing!!!! If you haven't read it yet, your missing out!!!!
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carla c
where i was born and raised as a small child till i was 11 when we moved to all places Southern calif.
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carla c
was in the deep south where this book takes place. I think that is why i have a connection with this book. I can relate because even in the 70's things didn't seem to be that much different then when the story of this book took place. T
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Méabho K
One of my favorite books of all time! Atticus made me want to be a lawyer! Not even studying it ruined it for me, just amazing!
posted 5 years ago.
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..::Morphine::..
I'm completely loving this book right now, it was recommended to me by my school's librarian, and she was right. This is a great book!
posted 5 years ago.
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Achu
A fantastic read.....will show you how simple things are made complicated by adults...
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MacTechTeacher
This is my favorite book of all time. Atticus is an exemplary role model.
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Jacqueline
I read this book in Jr. High and loved it. I reread it with my nephew recently and it was wonderful to get his young perspective on the book. A good book for everyone.
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Ryan H removed this reply 5 years ago
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Ethan K
I remember reading this book in class a few years ago. It is well written and gives you a view on how things were back then
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Charis W
To Kill a Mockingbird is set a little beofre the civil rights movement. The book is told by Scout when she is older. It's about a man namedc Atticus Finch who is given the case of defending a black man named Tom Robinson. While defending him he is threatend his kids are put in danger and so is his life. I really enjoyed this book because it gave you a view on what things were like back then and how even if you are an innocent man who didn't commit the crime and teh evidence is there that you will get sent to jail just because your black.
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Angela R
this is the best book I ever read and I first read it when I was 13 years old.I have read it several times since then and still refer to all the beautiful lessons that have inspired me. It's a must read for all ages.
posted 5 years ago.
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uplandpoet
can somebody really be asking the community if they should read THIS book????
Have you been bombarded by complete strangers who wanted to know, after you have
written a review, and/or made comments expressing your opinion of a book,
whether they should read this book? And it isn't that they took the time to see
who you are, then ask in a note, no, they just spammed you and everyone else on
Shelfari who has said book on shelf. Does this irriate you? If so, you can do
something about it: you can contact either of the two Shelfari reps below, or
better yet, you can contact both of them and ask them to please remove the new
and annoying feature that allows this spamming!
http://www.shelfari.com/amanda
http://www.shelfari.com/timothygrayposted 5 years ago.
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uplandpoet
yes, she still lives in the small town in Alabama that the story is set in, there and in New York. She seems to feel as if she wrote all she had to say in the one. I, for one, as much as I would love another Harper Lee book, have to agree that she wrote more in one book than nearly anyone in history. I love it, love it, love it. I am just one of millions who list this as their favorite book, or at least in their very favorite group...
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athreyavc
One of the finest books I ever read. Thoroughly enjoyed reading. Highly simple to read, with great content.
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jigar t
hey thr! Once suddenly i came across this book n than i got to know that it's the second best novel of the millennium. i sarted reading it with great enthusiasm but gradually i lost interest. i really cudn't get wat the author is trying to say. i left the book half read n cud never gather enough courage to hold it again. Can u tell me wat the author is trying to convey??
posted 5 years ago.
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Moo~cow
Actually, there is alot the author is trying to portray. I am reading this in a class, and we go over every little thing. Almost everything is a symbol for something else. Without everyone explaining this book to me, I probably wouldn't like it at all, but it actually makes alot of sense once you understand it.
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Iffit Q
Loved this book. Read it when I was 11. Made an impression the way Harper Lee managed to relate the story through the eyes of Scout. The relationship between her and Jem was really moving. The racial tensions and the way a small town tries to deal with its racist attitudes and taboos was really interesting. The film based on the book was brilliant too. Highly recommend it.
posted 5 years ago.
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Loweyes
Wonderful book! It just stays with me. I can't believe it took me so long to get around to reading such a classic!
posted 5 years ago.
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Indrani D
Extremely humanistic. A must-read for all. Gives you a picture of the real America (I have never been there), as opposed to the picture you get from TV or Hollywood.
posted 5 years ago.
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Quoth
Agree with almost every word of most of your post, indrani. Except this part: "Gives you a picture of the real America (I have never been there)". The book depicts a very prejudiced period of America. Very true and realistic given the time period and setting. Thank God, however, most areas of our country has "grown up" since then. We've got much more growing to do , of course. But it is a "period piece", keep in mind. :)
posted 5 years ago.
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Tess
Our country has grown up since then? I think that is a dangerous opinion to hold given the extreme amount of prejudice and oppression still rampant in our country. Nursing the stereotype that we have grown up or out of our past only allows for these things to continue, ignored. I would reccommend the book Inga Muscio's "Autobiography of a Blue Eyed Devil" to further address these issues.
posted 5 years ago.
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alexxx. (:
i liked this book alot better than the movie. i think that the author told the story alot better through the book rather than the movie.
posted 5 years ago.
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Barb
Alexxxxxx, I agree. I read the book long before I saw the movie (which I also loved). I wonder why Harper Lee (who won the Pulitzer for this work), never wrote another novel? This is her one and only claim to fame.
posted 5 years ago.
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kadair
Barb, try reading Mockingbird: A Portrait of Harper Lee, by Charles J. Shields for insight on why she never wrote anything else. The biography was written without cooperation from the very reclusive and private Harper Lee, but it was still pretty good, and not *too* invasive of her privacy. My biggest complaint about the bio is he spent a lot of time talking about In Cold Blood, but then, I suppose that was easier to find out about than Harper Lee was! As far as the novel compared to the movie is concerned, the book is my favorite novel of all time, but the movie is pretty high on my all-time favorites list!
posted 5 years ago.
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gelyn m
An amazing book, beautifully written, with complex characters that I will never forget. It has such a natural flow to it and once you start reading it, it's hard to put down.
posted 5 years ago.
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chetan_eee
Very very good narration....you will not forget the characters Scout, Jem and Atticus in your life....A must read book...
posted 5 years ago.
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David W
Its been long since I read the book but its one of those few books which keeps you nailed to the book. The point of view that the narrator takes is also very refreshing. It actually provides an innocent point of view that questions the day-to-day activities in a very curious way- which makes it all the more interesting.
posted 5 years ago.
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urasay
true. it stays with you long after you put it down. tell me, would it have felt the same if the book was named 'Atticus'. it was the name originally chosen. check this out, an interesting article about book names. http://www.hindu.com/lr/2008/05/04/stories/2008050450260600.htm
posted 5 years ago.
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uplandpoet
actually, it is and always will be Atticus, to me, the name really throws me. i am from the deep south but never heard the title quote. i guess harper moved in more gentle circles than i did:)
posted 4 years ago.
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kirkzw
This book is awesome to read. I am currently reading this book in class. You may miss a lot of the book or totally not understand it if someone does not explain it to you.
posted 5 years ago.
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Shannon S
I loved this book the first time I ever read it. I loved Scouts view on things.
posted 5 years ago.
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Becky T
This book is on my top ten favorite novels ever. I enjoyed every page of it. Thank goodness I read it again.
posted 4 years ago.
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Selina C
Was/is there a movie biopic of Harper Lee? I heard there was one, but I'm not sure. It is my sister's favourite novel, not my absolute favourite, but up there. It's very period. I read it when I was about 14. I vividly remember the rabid dog, for some reason. It's one I think I might read again one day.
posted 4 years ago.
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kadair
selina, I've not heard of a movie biopic of Harper Lee, if there is one I'd love to see it.
I'm always curious to get the opinions of people not from the US South about this book, because for me it is a very personal book, one that opened my eyes to the ridiculousness of the racism I was raised within. I'm glad to hear that you and your sister think highly of it! I recommended it to a German friend, and she never mentioned it again ... but I was reading her favorite English language novel, and didn't like it, so I never brought it up with her... Maybe one day she & I will discuss them! And the scene with the dog is the pivotal scene for me in understanding Atticus. It's definitely top three of the best scenes for me in the book, and in the movie. I would encourage you to read it again, I've read it 3 times, and get something new out of it each time.posted 4 years ago.
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Selina C
oh, I just checked. There isn't..but she's been portrayed in movies of other writers - Capote, Jaquelinne Sussan.
Well not being from the US South and not of that era it was inconceivable to me, this whole segregated way of thinking. I thought it was very sad, that people could not recognise the common humanity of each other. I hope things have changed...posted 4 years ago.
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uplandpoet
having grown up in the middle of the worst of it (Alabama in the 60s) it is inconceivable to me that my friends and family culd buy into the insanity, and i am still amazed, that around the would, asia, africa, the middle east and europe, and of course here in america, bigotry still has sucha strong foothold, be it race, gender, sex pref, religion or immigration status.....
posted 4 years ago.
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Tiddleyboom
I think this book was not meant to say there is no racism, but there is hope that someone can stand up, in the face of adversity and even probable harm, for what is right. If no one does, then we are all doomed.
posted 4 years ago.
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Evelyn S
wE ARE STILL A LONG LONG way away from an ideal world. This kind of thinking will always be, it seems, you only now have to look at Muslim extremity THESE DAYS TO SEE that these feelings are world wide and still happening. Evelyn S
posted 4 years ago.
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uplandpoet
...not to mention looking at the christian, jewish and hindu extemism, and western corporate exploitation of folks around the globe, and the barbaric conditions that are the domestic situations in many countries, regardless of religion or of whether they even practice a religion (atheism is no solution to the evils of mankind, either)
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Tinkerbell y
Guys!! I need help! What age should I be so that I can read this and understand it??? What age???
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yeng r
the book does not require any gender nor age to be able to appreciate it... it's just...simply engrossing and one of the best books i've read and it happens to be my favorite... hope you enjoy reading it and the lessons it is giving the reader.. notwithstanding the hilarious events of scout's young life... enjoy reading
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Brandi B
i read this book the first time when i was ten. My mom had to read it for class. I re-read it again when i was 14 and understood more. but i really dont think age matters
posted 4 years ago.
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cloverkite
I wonder why you think there should be a certain age to read this book. To me, if you can already read, read it. When you grow a bit older read it again because you'll probably find new things to understand or think about. It's a great book so by all means read it.
posted 4 years ago.
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keilah g
it doesn't matter what age as long as you know what they are talking about
posted 4 years ago.
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Gabi G
I wish I could have read it when I was younger and then now to see what has changed in my understanding. But now, having it read for the first time, I felt some tears as wish I would be child again. I think that being adult would be the best age, not because you wouldn't understand it but because it makes reading such an... experiential thing. I truly felt as loosing something while being a (nearly) grown up.
posted 4 years ago.
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Jack B
There are aspects of this novel that might be over your head, but age is not an all exclusive force in literature. You are bound to relate to scout in one way or another. The race issues are not very discreet either. Have fun with it. If the book is too much for you, put it down, and return to it again another day:)
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Lexi B
I love this book so much, how its written from Scout's perspective. Brilliant book.
posted 4 years ago.
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Thom removed this reply 4 years ago
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Thom
Perhaps the greatest novel ever. The most refreshing part of it is knowing that this is the only title Harper Lee wrote and based on events that happened in her life. To me, this is as real as a novel can get without it being non-fiction; it's exciting and beautifully written with some great portraits of characters. The book is filled with subtle inexplainable eccentricities that are true to life.
As much as I love Gregory Peck, the film adaptation was terrible. The film as a standalone I suppose was okay but a massive downgrade from the novel. The charm captured in the text was lost completely in the film and became a movie based purely on the race issue. Although the racism came as a main part of the plot, it's not just what the novel is solely about.
Scout's perception on the world is hilarious, inquisitive and innocent; some people would use the word naive but scout is more intelligent than some give her credit for. There are some great characters in this novel, you feel like you them personally. To Kill a Mockingbird really is one to read, I can't express it enough. It is my favourite book of all time and will most likely stay that way.posted 4 years ago.
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buoyant
yesterday i watched the film and it made me remember the book with keen fondness- the film does not capture the spirit of the book and i think scouts voice in the book is so heartfelt and real.... to those who have not read the book, lose no time.
posted 4 years ago.
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rashi
Reading a classic is a pleasure and an experience in itself. 'To Kill a Mocking Bird' is too. I learned so many facts and lessons about life from this book. Quite a read.
posted 4 years ago.
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Betsy S
This book is probably in my top five favorite books of all time. For me it is a perfect example about the innocence of youth and how your perspective on life changes as you get older. I love the realistic courtroom outcome since that is probably what would have really happened. Life can be hard and it is nice to have a book not sugarcoat everything
posted 4 years ago.
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MAXXY!!!!!!!!!!!!~The Guy in Shades~
Marsh l- I completely agree! Totaly loved it.
posted 4 years ago.
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Brandi B
This book tells so much of human nature and how things look diffrent thru a childs eyes. best book ever!!
posted 4 years ago.
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tasha V
this year i did this book for literature class. let me tell you, of all the books i've read, this is the only book that i can read again and again without feeling bored. Harper Lee presents her world in a simple, humourous language that takes your breath away..if you've not read this book, i advise you strongly to do it. you'll be taken away and wont regret
posted 4 years ago.
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Jasmine L
I've read this book twice, and I enjoyed every minute of it. I was surprised to find out that the character "Dill" was based on the real life friend of Lee's. Truman Capote, who was also a writer, was portrayed as a lovable and outgoing sort of personality. I really want to recommend this book to everyone.
posted 4 years ago.
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maxdoggie628
I totally agree with you on this. This book is truly amazing. The characters are truly unforgettable. It is such a classic that I believe that everyone should read this.
posted 4 years ago.
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katie
hmm i agree, i thought it was the most beautiful thing i'd ever read, everything scout said seemed so sad yet true, ahh i loved it
posted 4 years ago.
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Sketti M
I had to read this book for my english class and thought that it was very good and well written. One of the things my teacher said though, is that some book are banning this book. It also said that some black parents are uncomfortable with having their teenagers read this book in schools. Could someone please shed some light on this subject for me? I don't get why people would ban this book.
posted 4 years ago.
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Gale K
The book is about racism and the rape of a young girl. I think many are not comfortable with the subject matter.
posted 4 years ago.
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Kerry H
I have taught this book, on and off, for 30 years. I can't imagine why anyone other than the most right wing redneck would not want their older children reading it. It is one of the great books in American literature. I could understand if people would find it not suitable for younger kids because the issues are quite confronting. I loved reading it in High School and have loved teaching it ever since.
posted 4 years ago.
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SIERRA L
I was required to read this book for my English class in 8th grade, and at first i knew i wasn't going to be interested in it, but was i wrong. I read this book again, and i wasn't bored. It is such a intriguing book and i love it. While i was reading it in school we were not supposed to read ahead, but i did anyway. I watched the movie after i read the book to compare and contrast what was happening, and it was such a difference and i was surprised how they changed a lot about the book. But i too, want to know why this book would be banned.
The characters are very strong and make you not want to put the book down. I really wish more schools would have the opportunity to read it.posted 4 years ago.
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SIERRA L
I was required to read this book for my English class in 8th grade, and at first i knew i wasn't going to be interested in it, but was i wrong. I read this book again, and i wasn't bored. It is such a intriguing book and i love it. While i was reading it in school we were not supposed to read ahead, but i did anyway. I watched the movie after i read the book to compare and contrast what was happening, and it was such a difference and i was surprised how they changed a lot about the book. But i too, want to know why this book would be banned.
The characters are very strong and make you not want to put the book down. I really wish more schools would have the opportunity to read it.posted 4 years ago.
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Michelle B
I read this book in seventh grade for English class. I used it again for my ninth grade honors English class and in eleventh grade for AP English. I've analyzed it in essays and assignments for three very different teachers. It is banned often because it contains slurs, derogatory language, and themes of rape, abuse, and incest.
posted 4 years ago.
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puneet0706
8th grade? That's being unfair yo the author. It's got a message & a relevance meant for older folks.
But then, wouldn't u say Alice in Wonderland, or Wnd in the Willows, aren't for kids at all??posted 4 years ago.
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Nienna
I have to say that I disagree with you puneet0706. I think this book is not only meant for an older audience but the younger as well. I also read this book, not in eighth, but in ninth. I think it is important to read this book at a young age. After all the narrator herself, Scout, is just a child. This book shows the mistakes that have been made in the past. As a younger generation we need to know these mistakes well as to not be arrogant, that way they will never be repeated again.
posted 4 years ago.
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Hi all -
Just wanted to get feedback on a new website that a bunch of us (mostly Ph.D. and Masters students from Stanford and Berkeley) just recently launched.
Here's our coverage of To Kill a Mockingbird. We'd love to know what you think.
http://www.shmoop.com/intro/literature/harper-lee/to-kill-a-mockingbird.html
Thanks!posted 4 years ago.
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ahenry262
Great synopsis!! I'm 41 and just read Mockingbird for the first time. In fact I just finished it last night and it shoots right up there at the very top of my all time fave books. I feel that this should be required reading for everyone. It is a very important book and I feel so enlightened to have read it.
posted 4 years ago.
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Francie R
This book is high on my list as one of the finest books that I have ever read. It gets better each time I read it. It's as close to flawless as I've ever read. What a gem. Ordered the film through Netflix and can view it on my computer instantly. What a treat.
posted 4 years ago.
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Kristin M
Like many people, I had this book as a requirement for English in school. Little did I know that I would enjoy this book, and reread it again and again. This is absolutely one of my all time favorite books!
posted 4 years ago.
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DEVIN E
I READ THIS BOOK WHEN I WAS IN THIRD GRADE MY MOTHER WAS REQUIRED TO READ IT IN HER FIRST YEAR OF COLLEGE. BY THIS TIME I WAS READING STEPHEN KING'S IT. ALTHOUGH I SEE MANY OF YOU READING THIS AS A REQUIREMENT I READ IT OUT OF INTEREST AND THE PURE LOVE READING. IN FACT I HAD READ SO MANY TIMES THAT BY THE TIME I GOT TO 8TH GRADE AND WAS REQUIRED TO READ ALOUD I CLOSED MY BOOK AND STOOD UP AND RECIETED FROM MEMORY THE ENTIRE TESTEMONY OF MISS ELLI MAY. THIS I SONE OF THOSE BOOKS THAT FOLLOWS YOU THROUGH LIFE!
posted 4 years ago.
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ashley;
This book was recently assigned to me in my English class. I've already began to read it, but it hasn't quite grabbed my attention yet. Is it going to?
posted 4 years ago.
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Kathy F
Absolutely, it starts off slow but it is definitely worth it. It actually isn't exciting in that sense but the story and relationships are fabulous.
posted 4 years ago.
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LindseyTheElfMage ~so many books to read~so little time~
yeah. I had to read this for english too and it took awhile but i got into it
posted 4 years ago.
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R_Barrett
ashleigh, you look pretty young so I'm thinking you are in high school? You've grown up in a different kinda world, although it's not exactly a post-racial world yet, there is a lot less racial tension in today's America than there was at the time Lee wrote this book. That being said, I think there are a whole host of books you should read, so that you really understand the history of black America. Uncle Tom's Cabin is another great book, but it's long...and hard to read because of the dialects used in it...but soooo worth it. TKM has a gradual build-up but it's a definite must read. take care.
posted 4 years ago.
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Vampire Queen
I was never assigned this book in High School to read nor had i even seen the movie , but my 16 year old was assigned to read it and was having trouble with it . My boyfriend had a copy from 1960 that was falling apart ( a few pages) so i bought a new copy for myself and got hooked right away. I helped my daughter with her report and class project as well as explain things to her she did not quite get in the book .
The book opened my eyes to the world we live in . While the world has changed in the years since this book was written , it really hasn't in ways .. Even with a African-American President in office , even with all the changes the country has gone through its still and may for ever be a racist country. I hope with all my heart this country will open its eyes and take to heart " All Men Are Created Equal" . If you haven't read this book but thought about it READ IT ...posted 4 years ago.
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Alex
**Spoilers** For those that have already read the book only!
Isn't Atticus the perfect father?? I hope one day I can be a good a parent and a person as he is!!posted 4 years ago.
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Mary Okeke Reviews
he is incredible!!! hope we all get to be like him.. and being a single parent in that case!!
posted 3 years ago.
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Angelika
Atticus Finch is the picture of righteousness. He is such a good role model. He is the best father ever. I think he is just great.
posted 3 years ago.
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Kiyana M
I'm so glad that I have a head start than all my classmates. I have already read the book (which was very good) abd hopefully, when im in high school, they will give us this book for an English project.
posted 4 years ago.
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Angelika
Same here. I read this recently (13) and when I get to high school I hope every body will have to read this book and experience it's awesomeness. Great movie too.
posted 3 years ago.
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Angelika
Best book ever! So great! Sad, touching, great, it's just such a feel-good novel. Teaches an important lesson without being preachy. You just want to re-read it over and over again. If this was the only book left on earth I wouldn't mind. Super-great! Characters, plot, mood, writing, the whole thing. Read it if you haven't, movie's great too.
posted 3 years ago.
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Venkateshwar S
Can you please suggest me a book similar to 'To Kill A Mockingbird'? I loved this book, and want to read another book which is a classic like this.
posted 3 years ago.
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Rohan Arthur
I think you will really like The God of Small Things by Arundhati Roy.
posted 3 years ago.
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phil m
The thing about "To Kill A Mockingbird" that made it stand out in my mind is how perfectly it showed us the ridiculous nature of racism. Another Pulitzer Prize winning American novel that teaches the same lesson is "The Store" by T.S. Stribling. If you are offended by the "N-word" then don't read The Store, but as in "Mockingbird", the racism that ran rampant in the early portion of the book is there for a reason: to bring us to a painful ending and allowing us to see the natural result of such racism. I liked "The Store" as well as "Mockingbird"...it even has that hint of the spooky and the supernatural !
posted 3 years ago.
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NanaSusanna
Well, it's not a classic yet, but Peace Like a River by Ted Enger is somewhat reminiscent of Mockingbird in that the whole story is seen through the eyes of the young boy and girl (narrated by the boy). The story is interesting and it contains nuggets of wisdom as well.
posted 3 years ago.
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Rohan Arthur
"The one thing that doesn't abide by majority rule is a person's conscience." beautiful quote. Harper Lee claims that she just set out to write a simple love story. This book achieved so much more than that!
posted 3 years ago.
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Rohan Arthur
"The one thing that doesn't abide by majority rule is a person's conscience." beautiful quote. Harper Lee claims that she just set out to write a simple love story. This book achieved so much more than that!
posted 3 years ago.
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Melody
I read this in middle school, and it's still one of my favorite books ever.
posted 3 years ago.
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Saby
Awesome book. I read it for the first time as an undergraduate student. I fell in love with Atticus Finch. I re-read it when I got a copy of it as a birthday gift the day I turned 30. I discovered aspects of the book I'd never noticed before... I remember telling everyone who would listen about it. It hurt, it uplifted, it tugged at the heart strings, it made me want to scream, it made me smile, it gave me goose-bumps, it plunged me into the depths of despair and it had me soaring on the wings of hope.... I had occasion to read the book a third time a month ago while preparing on a panel discussion on the book. I got a chance to share my romance with this book with my students. They're at least 20 years younger than I. And they loved it. And I'm in love with Atticus Finch all over again.
posted 3 years ago.
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Hannah Barkhin
my mom ordered it from a book order and i have yet to read it but she said it was pretty interesting so i should start it soon
posted 3 years ago.
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Jeff E
At first I did not want to read this book. Now, after I read it I am happy I did.
posted 3 years ago.
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Becky P
did u all like this book ?? and do u think i will understand it better when iam older
posted 3 years ago.
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Donna@yahoo.com M
probably, i have to keep reading it...i never finish it, but it intrigues me.
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Sarah N
Not to be mislead, Boo Radley did. It was Mr. Radley, the father, who cemented the hole in the tree.
posted 3 years ago.
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Kazia: I want my innocence back.
boo didnt cement the knothole in the tree, i think it was his dad.
posted 3 years ago.
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Sarah N
Mr. Radley, Boo's father, did because he knew that Boo was hiding things in the hole for the Finch and Jem.
posted 3 years ago.
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bex_bkk
it was Nathan Radley, Boo Radley's Brother. I just finished the book last week.
posted 3 years ago.
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bex_bkk
it was Nathan Radley, Boo Radley's Brother. I just finished the book last week.
posted 3 years ago.
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dan u
How come only atticus and his family were not racist like the rest of the county?
posted 3 years ago.
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Is@s
well...may be there are many other people who are not racist ..but they lack the guts to come out and defend robinson..it's very much implied in such situations...such prejudices exist in india even today
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Brittany G
Atticus and his family have learned not to be racist because it is wrong, Atticus has been around it his whole life and knew it was wrong he did not think it was nesasry to be rude to people that have never done anything wrong to you. he has taught his kids to behave the same way he does.
posted 3 years ago.
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bex_bkk
That's why the title is "To Kill a Mockingbird".
Atticus tells his children that they can shoot at as many bluejays as they want, but not mockingbirds, because all they do is make beautiful music for everyone.posted 3 years ago.
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Pawbones
I have recently started a group that plans to discuss this novel as well other prominent works of fiction:
Best English-Language Fiction of the Twentieth Century
A new group centered on a composite list of the best English-language fiction of the twentieth century. Please give it a look, join up and invite your friends!
http://www.shelfari.com/groups/46898/aboutposted 3 years ago.
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Laura H
Unfortunately, that's a period of history in our country. And some would argue that it's not really in "history" but also in the present. I teach this in American Lit and most of the kids really end up liking the book, but they are always bothered by the trial. I tell them that's a GOOD thing because I'd worry if they WEREN'T bothered by the trial. If it bothers them they have the power to make sure things like that don't happen.
posted 3 years ago.
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Christine C
Love this book. A wonderful story, wonderfully written. An American classic. I keep a copy by my bedside and pick it up every so often so that I can read some of my favorite parts.
posted 3 years ago.
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Inna O
I think that white people are offended in my book because of the case where Scout's (main character) father is defending a black man. I think it trods upon what we believe is freedom. Even though in the book everyone in the town seems to be equal but when this case comes up, people take the white folks side.
posted 3 years ago.
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Dog Lover - very limited time online for the foreseeable future
I'm sorry, inna o. I'm not understanding what you are saying.
Are you talking about the white people in the town where the book takes place? If so, then, yes - of course. During the time period when this story is placed, the racism was incredible, systemic, and protected by the judicial system. That is the whole point of the book - that only someone with the incredible honor and stamina as Atticus Finch could be trusted to act as defense attorney.
Is that what you are saying?
DLposted 3 years ago.
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Donna@yahoo.com M
i've yet to finish it, however, i always know where my place is.
posted 3 years ago.
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Emily S
Aside from enjoying this book, one thing intrigued me while I read. On the back of the copy that I read, it says, "Despite having written one of the most melodramatic trials in all fiction, Harper Lee always considered her book to be a simple love story. Today, it is regarded as a masterpiece of American literature." Perhaps Lee was just trying to be modest, because I find it crazy that such a moving, influential novel would be described by its own auther as a "simple love story." With so many important morals and points made throughout the book (many of which were portrayed through Atticus), one must assume that Lee's motives were well thought-out and planned from the start. I find it hard to believe that such moving piece could be written accidentally.
posted 3 years ago.
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bex_bkk
supposedly, Harper Lee purposely didn't publish anymore because she felt that she had done the best she could do with writing this novel.
I'm not sure though.posted 3 years ago.
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how is it a love story? i dont understand..i mean about prejudice and rasicsm yeah but love? the only part is about Dill and that isnt even mentioned alot
posted 3 years ago.
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Laura H
It's not a "love" story as in romantic love. You see the love Atticus has for his children, you see the love Atticus has for his town and his country (even if he doesn't like the way it's headed at this point he loves it enough to want to change it), you see the love between Boo and the kids, and you see the love Scout and Jem have for Atticus in how they take what he teaches them and you know they are better because of it. There's also love between Scout and Calpurnia (not to mention Cal and Jem) because she's like a parent to both.
posted 3 years ago.
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Adeline S
The love story is Boo Radley and the kids. A love story doesn't always mean boy/girl.
posted 3 years ago.
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Carlton P
This is one book that should be required reading for all Southerners or want to be Southerners . It is much better than the movie and the movie is worthy to be in your collection of must haves movies. The characters in the book are as real as my neighbors were to me growing up in central FL. in the 50's.
posted 3 years ago.
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Susan M
This is one of my favorite touching stories os a sensitive issue handled before racism was so provacatively dealt with. The innocence Scout and gentleness of Addison make this such a wonderful curl up on a rainy day read.
posted 3 years ago.
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jade m
ya know saying "crazy black guy" really makes you seem well.................................................... you couldve said this crazy dude or ya know something like that thats all im tryin to say
posted 3 years ago.
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Roni S
I'm reading this for my english class and I'm almost finished with it. I have to say, I was surprised by how great it is. I didn't have anything wrong with the book, but, being a girl who reads paranormal romance, I didn't think it would keep my interest.
I'm glad I stuck to it. (If I didn't. I'd get an F, anyway!)posted 3 years ago.
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I read this book already and chose it for our term research paper. I'm going to compare it to The Kite Runner. An unlikely choice but I wanted to compare it to something new and I think these two books hve alot in common. I need on information and articles for my report. Any help please?
posted 3 years ago.
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jade m
umm well really this is a really great book so far but, its veeeeeeererrrrrrrryyyyyy confusing. i would like to know why boo is only let out at night ya know i mean i know mr.radley is mean and all but to only let your son uot in the middle of night is plain out not nice. well in other words its an ok book so far.
posted 3 years ago.
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Isaiah
This is a great book in my opinion, but it can be confusinig at times, but you just need to read it to understand it. I need to read like 25 pages before monday so as i try to read all the pages it will be more confusing.
P.S. if any body has found a group called to kill a mocking bird and they are discussing it please let me know.posted 3 years ago.
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Elizabeth M
Has anyone heard the theories about how this book was really ghost-written by Capote? I don't think it's true, but it's an interesting theory.
posted 3 years ago.
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Elaine R
I have. Capote himself put that story out because he was jealous of her awards. He was actually quite nasty to her after that. She had based the character of Dill on him. They grew up together. She was quite hurt by his behavior after she won the Pulitzer Prize. Their friendship was never the same again.
posted 2 years ago.
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Melissa
I don't believe that he wrote it; if you read his work, Mockingbird is very different. I wouldn't be surprised if, like Elaine said, he started this rumor. I think the perpetuation of this rumor is a indication of the sexism that was in our country at the time of it's publication. It feels like people didn't believe a woman could write something so popular with both critics and readers.
posted 2 years ago.
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Trace
I have read this book a million times and LOVE IT.
Has anybody ever wondered what the kids are like as adults? What happened the next day? The next month? The next 20 years? Did one of them become a lawyer like their dad? Did they leave the town and travel the world? Did Boo get help? So many questions and so fun wondering. Happy reading.posted 2 years ago.
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Seredhiel (Simrin) **I barely have any time on here :'( sorry guys...**
wow, that's a really intricate way of thinking about that! I had thought about it, but never that much in depth...hmmm, I suppose you're right...what DID happen to them??
posted 2 years ago.
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Linda G
I read To Kill A Mockingbird so many years ago. I decided to read it again because I remember how much I enjoyed it.
posted 2 years ago.
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I read this book for the first time 48 years ago. I had no idea that this book would become such a classic. I knew I loved it and have read this title it often and taught this book for many years. I also found it interesting that it was puiblished only a short while before the civil rights movement really geared up. I also have a copy of the movie and plan to watch it again one snowy afternoon this winter.
posted 2 years ago.
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Emily h
I'm looking forward to reading this book. It seems everybody has read it. I hear it's really good.
posted 2 years ago.
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Marilyn N
I had to read this book in 9th grade for English. I think it was an alright book. The last chapter wuz probably the best in the book for me :)
posted 2 years ago.
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Neophiliac
It's a good read and I enjoyed it. Why it was awarded a Pulitzer Prize I am not so sure. As a rule it doesn't appear in lists chosen by critics (typically titled "Greatest Novels") but does on those chosen by readers. I guess it has become a popular classic because it can be read by anyone from eight to eighty and the author portrays the life of children growing up sympathetically and it gives you a warm fuzzy feeling. ;) It didn't have enough of the x factor for me to give it 5 stars.
posted 2 years ago.
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aditi s
itz a must for all readers ....harper lee.. has a heart of a child and a brain of a fabulous and imaginative writer :)
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megan m
This is a story that gives us an incite into the unjust percussion that many African American underwent during this time. People were quick to judge and persecute the innocent African Americans during this time. Only a very few people were willing to show them the respect and give them the chance at a fair trail. It is a must read book!
posted 2 years ago.
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Lisa M
This is one of my all time favorite books. I loved it the first time I read it, and I loved having the opportunity to teach it to my students. There are so many themes and life lessons that can be discussed. Even though it took place in the 30s, there are so many issues that people today can identify with. Racism, drug dependancy, society shunning those who are misunderstood and different, doing what you know is right when everyone else thinks it's wrong....just to name a few.
posted 2 years ago.
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Yu Hsuan Liang
the title of the book looks very scarcely. Ms.Dallard just recommend me to read this. it will be my next reading plan.
posted 2 years ago.
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~Brynn~ Don't dream it, be it
I just picked it up randomly and started reading it. THe beginning was a little slow then the action picked up. But i thought it was a good book. Pointing out how african americans were treated back then by most of the whites.
posted 2 years ago.
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Keighleigh D
I am currently reading this book for my pre AP English class and I absolutley love it so far!
posted 2 years ago.
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Vicki d
This book illustrates from a perspective of a naive girl who sees the racism around her and the effects of racism.
posted 2 years ago.
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Hearts- I don't get on anymore. Sorry guys. Bye :( removed this reply 1 year ago
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Hearts- I don't get on anymore. Sorry guys. Bye :( removed this reply 1 year ago
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SleepyGeek
No, she did not. This was the only book Harper Lee wrote.
An English teacher of mine told me a book called The Help was similar, and if you're at all interested, Dill was based on Harper Lee's cousin, Truman Capote, who wrote a few books.posted 2 years ago.
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E. Tibs
No, Harper Lee did not write any other book. I guess one was enough. This is my favorite book and I've read it multiple times!
posted 2 years ago.
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Thomas Glozman
I feel that even though this book was written to show certain aspects of society over 50 years ago, this book still applies to modern day concepts of prejudice and the theme of coming to age. I felt that this book was rather slow in its portrayal of events and i thought that this book was not much of a good read for me due to the style it was written in.
posted 12 months ago.
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Scott Skipper
Does anyone know if To Kill a Mockingbird has been digitized? I've been looking for it in electronic format with no results.
posted 8 months ago.
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Tyler Graumann
In my opinion, this is a tremendous book. I read this book as a sophomore in high school, and as many of you know reading a book during class in high school is the last thing many of us want to do. However, this book was so entertaining that it kept my full and undivided attention at all times. This is a book I would recommend for anyone to read and in my opinion is an all-time classic.
posted 2 months ago.
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Ross R
What fascinates me the most about this book is not only does it show what African Americans went thought in the early 1900's but also shows the turmoil and hardships a Caucasian man defending an African American could have been going through during this period. A subject that I've yet to find in any other book, or film for that matter. Very enlightening, and a must read for anyone. Nonetheless a coming of age story in the harsh world that we live in.
posted 2 months ago.
