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To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee

The Winner of the Pulitzer Prize, 1961

Author: Harper Lee

Publisher: J. B. Lippincott & Co.

Genre: Bildungsroman, Historical Fiction

First Publication: 1960

Language: English

Major Characters: Scout Finch, Atticus Finch, Jem Finch, Arthur Radley, Mayella Ewell, Aunt Alexandra, Bob Ewell, Calpurnia (housekeeper), Tom Robinson, Miss Maudie Atkinson, Judge John Taylor, Dill Harris, Heck Tate, Stephanie Crawford

Setting Place: The fictional town of Maycomb, Alabama during the Great Depression

Theme: Community and Convention, Female Sexuality and Friendship, Faith, Suffering, and God’s Will, Science and Superstition, Justice and Judgment

Narrator: First person

Book Summary: To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee

The unforgettable novel of a childhood in a sleepy Southern town and the crisis of conscience that rocked it, To Kill A Mockingbird became both an instant bestseller and a critical success when it was first published in 1960. It went on to win the Pulitzer Prize in 1961 and was later made into an Academy Award-winning film, also a classic.

Compassionate, dramatic, and deeply moving, To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee takes readers to the roots of human behavior – to innocence and experience, kindness and cruelty, love and hatred, humor and pathos.

Now with over 18 million copies in print and translated into forty languages, this regional story by a young Alabama woman claims universal appeal. Harper Lee always considered her book to be a simple love story. Today it is regarded as a masterpiece of American literature.

Book Review: To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee

With endless books and infinitely more to be written in the future, it is rare occasion that I take the time to reread a novel. And this time it’s To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee, a timeless classic. The first time I read this I was much, much younger and I remember loving it then. Over fifteen years later, it still held so much for me – wonderful language and characters that I never forgot about, profound themes explored , and relevancy even so many years later. Harper Lee is one of the best female authors.

The story in To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee is told from the point of view of Scout (Jean-Louise Finch), a six year old girl , through various events that happen in the town of Maycomb and in particular, the court case of Tom Robinson as her father Atticus Finch acts as Tom’s defence lawyer. Tom, a black man who has been accused of raping a young white woman, has to endure multiple racial attacks. Atticus, widely described as the “most enduring fictional image of racial heroism”, describes the events to Scout so that she sees that all people should be treated equally.

“You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view… Until you climb inside of his skin and walk around in it.”

The narrator of this story is young tomboy Jean Louise (Scout), and her observations of Maycomb and people’s behavior are simple, honest, and visually very rich. I had no problem picturing Scout, Jem and Dill’s childish efforts to draw Boo Radley out of his house, or Calpurnia taking the kids to a colored church.

But when, after 128 pages, the court case begins and the plot really becomes intriguing, you immediately feel a rise in tension and excitement. Here Jem and Atticus become the main characters instead of Scout because they are more aware of the risks and importance of the case, although Scout’s moment with the mob was heartwrenchingly beautiful in it’s innocence.

“People generally see what they look for, and hear what they listen for.”

The last part of the book was less tense but never dull: it was important to show the aftermath and the effects of the case on different class – and races – of people to convey the impact of Atticus’ actions. Because back in 1935 and even now, in our current political situation, standing up for what’s right while the majority is against you, is an incredible brave and difficult thing to do.

One thing especially about this story that stood out to me, are the interesting gender roles in this book. We have Atticus who isn’t only presented as an amazing father but also as a great male character, because he’s patient, courteous, clever…but not traditionally masculine. In contrast with Bob Ewell, the main antagonist, Atticus isn’t physically strong, doesn’t use strong language, and hates violence (example: he keeps his shooting skills a secret from his children).

“The one thing that doesn’t abide by majority rule is a person’s conscience.”

His sister, aunt Alexandra, is a very traditional female figure who wants Scout to behave more ‘lady like’, and because Scout doesn’t like her (at first), we as readers dislike her too. Acting as her opposites are Calpurnia and Miss Maudie, who neither show traditional feminine characteristics like politeness and charm, but both are presented as good and right.

To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee is a well-loved book for many good reasons, but I was very surprised by its diverse male and female characters, who make this story even richer than it already is.

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To Kill a Mockingbird: Book Review, Summary & Analysis

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Introduction: To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee - Book Review, Summary & Analysis

Book: to kill a mockingbird.

Author: Harper Lee
Publisher: Harper Collins
Publication Year: 1960
Binding: Paperback

book-review-to-kill-mockingbird-by-harper-lee

About the Author: Harper Lee

Excerpts from the original text

There is no need to say everything you know. That's not a lady-besides, people don't like people around them who know more than they do. That will annoy them. No matter how correct you are, you can't change these people. Unless they want to learn, there is no way. You either close your mouth or use their language. —— Quoted from page 153.

Short Comment

Book Summary

Book review & analysis.

"The life that has not read this book is really different from the life after reading it."

How to get along with others?
How to handle complex interpersonal relationships in an honest manner?
How to be a friendly but self-persistent person?

Main Storyline

How to get along with others?

The reason why we don't get along well with a certain person (or a certain type of person) is that we disagree with this person's behavior style, and thus produce an overall negation of this person.
If we always look at others from our own perspective, it is difficult to understand why others have such "weird" behavior;
"Standing from the point of view of others": It is not simply imagining yourself as the other party, and guessing based on your own experience. It is to "get into someone else's body and wander around", which means that you have to really understand the person's past background and experience. If you still use your own experience to judge what this person is doing, you will not be able to achieve true transposition.
If you have not been able to "get into someone else's body and wander around", at least, you should have such a belief in others: "After you finally understand them, you will find that most people are good people. ". This sentence is the last sentence that Father Atticus told Scott in the book. I think it is simply a well-known saying. Before we did not understand other people, at least we can first understand that "other people's actions are justified".

How to deal with dissent?

"Even if you didn't do those pranks, I would still let you read to Mrs. Du Boss to accompany her because I want you to take a good look at her. This is the bravest person I have ever seen. What did she explain? called the real courage. courage gas on hand is not a man with a gun. courage is when you embark on the field before you know you will be Tongzou meal, but you still on the field, and no matter what happens, you Persevere till the end. Most of the time you will fail, but sometimes, you will also succeed."

How to stick to yourself?

"Sometimes, I feel that I am a failure to be a parent, but I am everything they have. When Jim looks up to others, he looks up first. It’s me, I want to live upright so that I can face him calmly..."

"You may hear some bad comments in school, but please do one thing for me: raise your head and lower your fists. No matter what others say to you, don't get angry. Try to fight with your head. Don't because We had already failed for a hundred years before that, and though we had no reason to fight for victory."

"Be sensible about despicable things, and when things pass, you can look back with sympathy and understanding, and be grateful for not disappointing people at the time. When most people think they are right and you are wrong Of course, they have the right to think so, and their views are also entitled to be fully respected. But before they can get along with others, they must first get along. There is one thing that cannot follow the principle of conformity, and that is the conscience of people."

Self-photography in the mirror

"Uh, coming out of the court that night, Miss Gates-she walked in front of us when she descended the steps, you must have not seen her-she was talking to Miss Stephenson. I heard her say: It's time to teach them. They are becoming less and less aware of their identities. Will they think that they can marry us in the next step. Jim, a man who hates Hitler so much, is so vicious to the people of his hometown when he turns his face?"

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To kill a mockingbird.

Common Sense Says
Parents Say 27 Reviews
Kids Say 169 Reviews

Common Sense Media Review

Classic novel examines American racism and justice.

Parents Need to Know

Why Age 12+?

A drunk breaks a kid's arm. A man is killed with a knife. Atticus and his childr

Frequent use of "damn," one "bastard," and one "son-of-a-bitch." The "N" word an

Mr. Raymond drinks Coke (though others think it's liquor) and gives some to Dill

Mrs. Dubose is secretly addicted to morphine. A man named Dolphus Raymond is bel

Any Positive Content?

Atticus Finch tells Scout, "You never really understand a person until you consi

Author Harper Lee offers a snapshot of small-town life in Alabama during the 193

Atticus Finch, Jem and Scout's father, courageously defends Tom Robinson in a to

Violence & Scariness

A drunk breaks a kid's arm. A man is killed with a knife. Atticus and his children face down a lynch mob in the middle of the night. Town gossip includes a story about a man stabbing a family member with scissors. A rabid dog is shot in the street. The trial at the center of the story involves a man accused of raping and beating a woman. A prisoner is shot trying to escape.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Violence & Scariness in your kid's entertainment guide.

Frequent use of "damn," one "bastard," and one "son-of-a-bitch." The "N" word and "('N'-word)-lover" is used liberally by some residents of Maycomb as if it's perfectly commonplace, and by others as a weapon.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Language in your kid's entertainment guide.

Products & Purchases

Mr. Raymond drinks Coke (though others think it's liquor) and gives some to Dill. Jem eats a Tootsie Roll.

Drinking, Drugs & Smoking

Mrs. Dubose is secretly addicted to morphine. A man named Dolphus Raymond is believed to be the town drunk, because he drinks something hidden in a paper bag, but it turns out to be a bottle of Coca-Cola. Bob Ewell is said to spend his relief checks on green whiskey, letting his children go hungry. Scout smells stale whiskey on a man's breath.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Drinking, Drugs & Smoking in your kid's entertainment guide.

Positive Messages

Atticus Finch tells Scout, "You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view -- until you climb into his skin and walk around in it."

Educational Value

Author Harper Lee offers a snapshot of small-town life in Alabama during the 1930s, including views about race and some information about events taking place in Europe leading up to world War II. Readers will also learn about 1930s gender roles, education, and divisions created by economic status.

Positive Role Models

Atticus Finch, Jem and Scout's father, courageously defends Tom Robinson in a town where racial prejudice is firmly entrenched. He risks not only public disapproval but also his own safety to make sure Tom receives as fair a trial as possible. He imparts many lessons to his children verbally, but his actions speak loudest, teaching them empathy, and to judge people by their actions rather than by the color of their skin.

Parents need to know that Harper Lee 's 1960 novel To Kill a Mockingbird addresses the terrible impact of racism in America through a little girl's point of view. The story takes place in Depression-era Alabama, in the fictional town of Maycomb, which Lee patterned after her own hometown of Monroeville. The narrator, 6-year-old Scout Finch, and her brother Jem and their friend Dill play children's games, but they also have a clear view of the adults in their world. Their youth and innocence contrasts with the prejudice, cruelty, and poverty they often observe. There's some threatened and real violence in this Pulitzer Prize winner: A man breaks a child's arm; a rabid dog is shot and killed; there is a stabbing death; the children and their father, Atticus Finch, confront a lynch mob; and the court case at the center of the novel involves a Black man who's been accused of raping and beating a white woman. Some of this violence is whiskey-fueled, as well. Profanity includes "damn," "bastard," and "son-of-a-bitch." The "N" word and "('N'-word)-lover" is used liberally by some residents of Maycomb as if it's perfectly commonplace, and by others as a weapon. The children in the novel learn powerful lessons about the impact of poverty and prejudice, and the importance of empathy, and so will those who read this classic. The 1962 film version starring Gregory Peck is one of those rare films that truly does justice to the original book. The audiobook read by Sissy Spacek is also note-perfect.

Where to Read

Parent and kid reviews.

Parents say (27)
Kids say (169)

Based on 27 parent reviews

So many levels to enjoy this book

What's the story.

Growing up in the small town of Maycomb, Alabama, during the Great Depression, Scout Finch -- the narrator of TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD -- and her brother, Jem, are being raised by their widowed father, Atticus. Some interesting characters live on their street, both seen and unseen. Dill Harris comes to stay with Scout and Jem's next-door neighbor Rachel Haverford every summer, and the three children develop a close friendship. Elderly Mrs. Dubose shouts insults at the neighbors from her porch. Miss Maudie offers the children friendly advice and baked goods. The young Finches are scared of the Radleys' house, as creepy stories are circulated about Mr. Radley and his sons, especially Arthur, also known as Boo. The children enjoy re-enacting make-believe versions of the stories they've heard about Boo. Scout goes through some growing pains in the story, as her first day of school goes poorly and Jem becomes less willing to play with his little sister. Atticus encourages his daughter to exhibit empathy and patience with others, and he warns both his children that tough times may be coming to their little family; they may hear things that upset them, and he wants them to keep cool. The children learn that Atticus, an attorney, has taken the case of a Black man who has been accused of raping and beating a White woman. The events that unfold surrounding the trial and its aftermath teach the children a lot about their father's inner strength and wisdom, and the effects of racism and poverty on their community.

Is It Any Good?

Told through the eyes of a child, Harper Lee's magnum opus may seem to take a simplistic point of view, but Scout's world is rich and complex. And the author doesn't stint when it comes to the realities Black people face in a racist society -- and the pressures that poverty puts on the Maycomb community. All of that said, Lee's story is about a White family and is told from a White perspective. The reader learns much about the history of the Finch family and very little about Tom Robinson's life other than what's revealed through Scout and her father. This is a beautifully written book, with important lessons to teach, but readers should also be encouraged to read great writing by Black Americans, such as Richard Wright and Toni Morrison .

Talk to Your Kids About ...

Families can talk about the prejudice exhibited by some characters in To Kill a Mockingbird . Could this story take place today? How have American attitudes about race changed since the 1930s? How have they remained the same?

This story is told through the eyes of a little girl. What does the author achieve by making Scout the narrator? How does this affect the way the story unfolds?

What does Boo Radley represent in the story? Why do you think the children enjoy re-creating stories they've heard about him?

Book Details

Author : Harper Lee
Genre : Literary Fiction
Topics : Activism , Brothers and Sisters , Friendship , Great Boy Role Models , Great Girl Role Models
Book type : Fiction
Publisher : Time Warner Books
Publication date : July 11, 1960
Publisher's recommended age(s) : 11 - 18
Number of pages : 281
Available on : Paperback, Nook, Audiobook (unabridged), Hardback, iBooks, Kindle
Last updated : August 11, 2020

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TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD

by Harper Lee ‧ RELEASE DATE: July 11, 1960

A first novel, this is also a first person account of Scout's (Jean Louise) recall of the years that led to the ending of a mystery, the breaking of her brother Jem's elbow, the death of her father's enemy — and the close of childhood years. A widower, Atticus raises his children with legal dispassion and paternal intelligence, and is ably abetted by Calpurnia, the colored cook, while the Alabama town of Maycomb, in the 1930's, remains aloof to their divergence from its tribal patterns. Scout and Jem, with their summer-time companion, Dill, find their paths free from interference — but not from dangers; their curiosity about the imprisoned Boo, whose miserable past is incorporated in their play, results in a tentative friendliness; their fears of Atticus' lack of distinction is dissipated when he shoots a mad dog; his defense of a Negro accused of raping a white girl, Mayella Ewell, is followed with avid interest and turns the rabble whites against him. Scout is the means of averting an attack on Atticus but when he loses the case it is Boo who saves Jem and Scout by killing Mayella's father when he attempts to murder them. The shadows of a beginning for black-white understanding, the persistent fight that Scout carries on against school, Jem's emergence into adulthood, Calpurnia's quiet power, and all the incidents touching on the children's "growing outward" have an attractive starchiness that keeps this southern picture pert and provocative. There is much advance interest in this book; it has been selected by the Literary Guild and Reader's Digest; it should win many friends.

Pub Date: July 11, 1960

ISBN: 0060935464

Page Count: 323

Publisher: Lippincott

Review Posted Online: Oct. 7, 2011

Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 1, 1960

GENERAL FICTION

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A LITTLE LIFE

by Hanya Yanagihara ‧ RELEASE DATE: March 10, 2015

The phrase “tour de force” could have been invented for this audacious novel.

Four men who meet as college roommates move to New York and spend the next three decades gaining renown in their professions—as an architect, painter, actor and lawyer—and struggling with demons in their intertwined personal lives.

Yanagihara ( The People in the Trees , 2013) takes the still-bold leap of writing about characters who don’t share her background; in addition to being male, JB is African-American, Malcolm has a black father and white mother, Willem is white, and “Jude’s race was undetermined”—deserted at birth, he was raised in a monastery and had an unspeakably traumatic childhood that’s revealed slowly over the course of the book. Two of them are gay, one straight and one bisexual. There isn’t a single significant female character, and for a long novel, there isn’t much plot. There aren’t even many markers of what’s happening in the outside world; Jude moves to a loft in SoHo as a young man, but we don’t see the neighborhood change from gritty artists’ enclave to glitzy tourist destination. What we get instead is an intensely interior look at the friends’ psyches and relationships, and it’s utterly enthralling. The four men think about work and creativity and success and failure; they cook for each other, compete with each other and jostle for each other’s affection. JB bases his entire artistic career on painting portraits of his friends, while Malcolm takes care of them by designing their apartments and houses. When Jude, as an adult, is adopted by his favorite Harvard law professor, his friends join him for Thanksgiving in Cambridge every year. And when Willem becomes a movie star, they all bask in his glow. Eventually, the tone darkens and the story narrows to focus on Jude as the pain of his past cuts deep into his carefully constructed life.

Pub Date: March 10, 2015

ISBN: 978-0-385-53925-8

Page Count: 720

Publisher: Doubleday

Review Posted Online: Dec. 21, 2014

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 1, 2015

More by Hanya Yanagihara

by Hanya Yanagihara

PERSPECTIVES

THE CATCHER IN THE RYE

by J.D. Salinger ‧ RELEASE DATE: June 15, 1951

A strict report, worthy of sympathy.

A violent surfacing of adolescence (which has little in common with Tarkington's earlier, broadly comic, Seventeen ) has a compulsive impact.

"Nobody big except me" is the dream world of Holden Caulfield and his first person story is down to the basic, drab English of the pre-collegiate. For Holden is now being bounced from fancy prep, and, after a vicious evening with hall- and roommates, heads for New York to try to keep his latest failure from his parents. He tries to have a wild evening (all he does is pay the check), is terrorized by the hotel elevator man and his on-call whore, has a date with a girl he likes—and hates, sees his 10 year old sister, Phoebe. He also visits a sympathetic English teacher after trying on a drunken session, and when he keeps his date with Phoebe, who turns up with her suitcase to join him on his flight, he heads home to a hospital siege. This is tender and true, and impossible, in its picture of the old hells of young boys, the lonesomeness and tentative attempts to be mature and secure, the awful block between youth and being grown-up, the fright and sickness that humans and their behavior cause the challenging, the dramatization of the big bang. It is a sorry little worm's view of the off-beat of adult pressure, of contemporary strictures and conformity, of sentiment….

Pub Date: June 15, 1951

ISBN: 0316769177

Page Count: -

Publisher: Little, Brown

Review Posted Online: Nov. 2, 2011

Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 15, 1951

More by J.D. Salinger

RAISE HIGH THE ROOF BEAM, CARPENTERS AND SEYMOUR

by J.D. Salinger

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Read the very first reviews of To Kill a Mockingbird .

Sixty-three years ago today, a young Alabama writer by the name of Nelle Harper Lee published her debut novel: a Southern Gothic-adjacent bildungsroman about racial injustice and familial love in the American South.

In the months leading up to publication, Lee’s editors at Lippincott were keen to manage expectations, telling the author that her novel would probably sell only a few thousand copies.

Things, as we now know, played out a little differently.

Indisputably one of the best-loved American stories of all time, To Kill a Mockingbird has been translated into more than forty languages, sold more than forty million copies worldwide, served as the basis for an Oscar-winning film starring Gregory Peck, and consistently been voted one of the best novels of the twentieth century by librarians across the country. It has also become one of the country’s most frequently challenged and banned books .

To mark this publication anniversary, here’s a look back at the very first reviews of To Kill a Mockingbird .

You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view… Until you climb inside of his skin and walk around in it.

“In her first novel, Harper Lee writes with gentle affection, rich humor, and deep understanding of small-town family life in Alabama … Macomb has its share of eccentrics and evil-doers but Miss Lee has not tried to satisfy the current lust for morbid, grotesque tales of Southern depravity … The dialogue of Miss Lee’s refreshingly varied characters is a constant delight in its authenticity and swift revelation of personality. The events connecting the Finches with the Ewell-Robinson lawsuit develop quietly and logically, unifying the plot and dramatizing the author’s level-headed plea for interracial understanding … it is no disparagement of Miss Lee’s winning book to say that it could be the basis of an excellent film.”

–The New York Times Book Review , July 10, 1960

“All the magic and truth that might seem deceptive or exaggerated in a factual account of a small town unfold beautifully in a new first novel called To Kill a Mockingbird . At a time when so many machine-tooled novels are simply documentaries disguised behind a few fictional changes, it is pleasing to recommend a book that shows what a novelist can accomplish with quite familiar situations … To Kill A Mockingbird opens the chrysalis of childhood quietly and dramatically … Miss Lee’s characters are people to cherish in this winning first novel by a fresh writer with something significant to say, south and north.”

– The New York Times , July 13, 1960

“Clearly, Scout Finch is no ordinary five-year-old girl—and not only because she amuses herself by reading the financial columns of the Mobile Register , but because her nine-year-old brother Jem allows her to tag along when he and Dill Harris try to make Boo Radley come out.

Boo is the Radley son who has not shown his face outside the creaky old family house for 30 years and more, probably because he has ‘shy ways,’ but possibly—an explanation the children much prefer—because his relatives have chained him to his bed. Dill has the notion that Boo might be lured out if a trail of lemon drops were made to lead away from his doorstep. Scout and Jem try a midnight invasion instead, and this stirs up so much commotion that Jem loses his pants skittering back under the fence.

Scout and her brother live in Maycomb, Alabama, where every family that amounts to anything has a streak—a peculiar streak, or a morbid streak, or one involving a little ladylike tippling at Lydia Pinkham bottles filled with gin. The Finch family streak is a good deal more serious—it is an overpowering disposition toward sanity. This is the flaw that makes Jem interrupt the boasting of a lineage-proud dowager to ask ‘Is this the Cousin Joshua who was locked up for so long?’ And it is what compels Lawyer Atticus Finch, the children’s father, to defend a Negro who is charged with raping a white woman. The rape trial, Jem’s helling, and even Boo Radley are deeply involved in the irregular and very effective education of Scout Finch. By the time she ends her first-person account at the age of nine, she has learned that people must be judged, but only slowly and thoughtfully.

Author Lee, 34, an Alabaman, has written her first novel with all of the tactile brilliance and none of the preciosity generally supposed to be standard swamp-warfare issue for Southern writers. The novel is an account of an awakening to good and evil, and a faint catechistic flavor may have been inevitable. But it is faint indeed; novelist Lee’s prose has an edge that cuts through cant, and she teaches the reader an astonishing number of useful truths about little girls and about Southern life. (A notable one: ‘Naming people after Confederate generals makes slow steady drinkers.’) All in all, Scout Finch is fiction’s most appealing child since Carson McCullers’ Frankie got left behind at the wedding.”

– TIME , August 1, 1960

“Almost all the elements of the ‘southern’ novel are to be found somewhere or other in Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird, but they seem to wear a look of innocence, an aura of freshness, as if we were encountering them for the very first time … there are memorable moments in this story, some vivid and candid portraits in black and white, a gentle, persuasive humor, and a glowing goodness in the central figures. There is a timelessness about them and Miss Lee’s novel leaves one feeling that they will prevail in the difficult and painful adjustments the South must inevitably make. At least one has hope, and is grateful for it.”

–The Los Angeles Times , August 7, 1960

“Harper Lee’s To Kill A Mockingbird is sugar-water served with humor … It is frankly and completely impossible, being told in the first person by a six-year-old girl with the prose style of a well-educated adult. Miss Lee has, to be sure, made an attempt to confine the information in the text to what Scout would actually know, but it is no more than a casual gesture toward plausibility … A variety of adults, mostly eccentric in Scout’s judgment, and a continual bubble of incident make To Kill A Mockingbird pleasant, undemanding reading.”

–The Atlantic , August, 1960

“…a wonderfully absorbing story … [it] will come under some fire in the Deep South … The fact is simply that she has written a wonderfully absorbing story, unencumbered by either of the gimmicks—the bedroom or bestiality—which are supposed to be the only things that sell fiction today.”

–The Mobile Press-Register , 1960

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Comprehensive Review of “To Kill a Mockingbird” by Harper Lee

04 Mar Comprehensive Review of “To Kill a Mockingbird” by Harper Lee

Short Overview

Harper Lee’s “To Kill a Mockingbird,” published in 1960, remains an essential part of the American literary canon. This Pulitzer Prize-winning novel is not just a story; it’s a profound exploration of morality, racial injustice, and the loss of innocence. Set in the 1930s in the fictional town of Maycomb, Alabama, it’s narrated by a young girl named Scout Finch. The book brilliantly weaves a tale of her and her brother, Jem’s, coming of age against the backdrop of their father, Atticus Finch’s, defense of a black man, Tom Robinson, accused of raping a white woman.

Where to buy:

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Summary of the Plot

“To Kill a Mockingbird” opens with Scout recounting events leading up to her brother Jem’s injury. Scout and Jem live with their widowed father, Atticus, a respected lawyer. They befriend a boy named Dill, and the trio becomes fascinated with their reclusive neighbor, Boo Radley.

The heart of the story lies in Atticus’s moral stand. He takes up the case of Tom Robinson, who’s falsely accused of raping Mayella Ewell. The trial exposes the deep-seated racism of the town. Despite proving Tom’s innocence, the all-white jury convicts him. The verdict devastates the Finch family, highlighting the injustice of the legal system.

The novel also touches on themes of childhood and growing up. Scout and Jem’s perceptions of right and wrong evolve, especially after witnessing the trial’s outcome. The story culminates in a dramatic encounter where Boo Radley saves Scout and Jem from an attack by Bob Ewell, Mayella’s father, who sought revenge on Atticus.

Main Characters

Scout Finch : Jean Louise “Scout” Finch, the narrator, is a tomboyish, curious, and intelligent young girl. She grows significantly throughout the novel, moving from innocence to a deeper understanding of her community and the complexities of human nature.
Jem Finch : Jeremy “Jem” Finch, Scout’s older brother, is more idealistic and sensitive. His journey from childhood to adolescence is marked by his grappling with the harsh realities of the world, especially after witnessing the injustice of Tom Robinson’s trial.
Atticus Finch : Atticus Finch, the father of Scout and Jem, is a lawyer and a symbol of morality and justice. His commitment to equality and his belief in doing what is right, regardless of public opinion, make him one of literature’s most revered moral heroes.
Tom Robinson : Tom Robinson, a black man falsely accused of raping a white woman, is central to the novel’s exploration of racial injustice. His character and the trial he faces highlight the deep-rooted prejudices and moral failures of the society.
Boo Radley : Arthur “Boo” Radley, a reclusive neighbor, is shrouded in mystery and rumors. His character represents the unknown and the unfairly judged. The revelation of his true, kind nature underscores one of the novel’s key messages about empathy and understanding.

Boo Radley stands out as one of the most important characters in the story. More on Boo Radley:

Arthur “Boo” Radley serves several pivotal roles that are central to the novel’s themes and its overall narrative structure. Here’s an in-depth look at Boo Radley’s significance:

Boo Radley initially represents the unknown and the feared. He is a subject of local myths and children’s ghost stories, embodying the idea of the mysterious recluse. His character demonstrates how society fears and ostracizes what it does not understand.

Likeness of Arthur "Boo" Radley from To Kill A Mockingbird

The children’s fascination with Boo Radley and their subsequent discoveries about him serve as critical elements in their moral and emotional growth. Through Boo, they learn important lessons about kindness, courage, and the importance of judging people by their actions, not rumors or appearances.
Despite being an object of fear, Boo is one of the novel’s “mockingbirds,” a symbol of innocence and goodness. He leaves gifts for the children in the knothole of a tree, repairs Jem’s torn pants, and eventually saves Scout and Jem from Bob Ewell’s attack. These acts reveal his true nature as a kind-hearted and protective figure.
Boo’s intervention when Bob Ewell attacks Scout and Jem is crucial. He not only protects the children but also inadvertently brings about a form of justice. Boo, the feared and misunderstood recluse, emerges as an unlikely hero, turning the community’s perception of him upside down.
Through Boo, Lee conveys the importance of empathy. Scout’s final understanding and acceptance of Boo as a real person, not a mythical figure, signify her own maturation. When she stands on Boo’s porch and views the world from his perspective, it symbolizes her new ability to empathize and understand others’ experiences.
Boo Radley is a powerful commentary on human nature and societal tendencies to stigmatize and alienate those who are different. His character challenges readers to question their own prejudices and to recognize the dignity and humanity in everyone, even those who are marginalized or misunderstood.

In summary, Boo Radley’s role is multifaceted, enriching the novel’s exploration of themes such as innocence, justice, empathy, and the human tendency to fear what is not understood. He transforms from a mysterious figure into a symbol of goodness and an instrument for the children’s moral awakening, making him a crucial character in Harper Lee’s narrative.

In-Depth Analysis

“To Kill a Mockingbird” is renowned for its insightful portrayal of racial injustice, the innocence of childhood, and the moral growth of its characters. Lee’s use of a child narrator provides a unique perspective, offering both naivety and intuitive wisdom about the events unfolding. The narrative style is both straightforward and profound, with Scout’s innocence highlighting the complexities and hypocrisies of adult society.

The novel’s strengths lie in its vivid characters and the realistic portrayal of the Deep South during the Great Depression. Through Atticus Finch, Harper Lee presents an idealistic but not unrealistic beacon of morality. His character challenges readers to consider their own moral beliefs and their stands on issues of justice and equality.

However, the novel is not without its criticisms. Some argue that it presents a romanticized view of the white savior complex through Atticus Finch. Additionally, the African American characters, while pivotal to the story, are not as deeply developed as their white counterparts.

The novel also employs various literary devices, including symbolism and foreshadowing. The mockingbird, as a symbol of innocence and harmlessness, is central to the theme of moral wrongness in harming those who are innocent. The foreboding elements, like the children’s fascination with Boo Radley and the circumstances surrounding the trial, add depth to the narrative.

Lee’s work has a profound connection to broader societal issues, particularly in its examination of prejudice, moral courage, and the struggle for justice. It encourages readers to confront their own prejudices and understand the importance of empathy and moral courage in confronting societal ills.

Evaluation and Recommendations

“To Kill a Mockingbird” is essential reading for those interested in American literature, social justice, and moral philosophy. It’s particularly recommended for young adults and older, as it provides a crucial perspective on racial and ethical issues. While the novel is set in the 1930s, its themes remain relevant, making it a timeless piece.

This novel can be compared to other works like “The Help” by Kathryn Stockett and “The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn” by Mark Twain, which also explore themes

Possible High School Test Questions on “To Kill a Mockingbird”

1. what is the significance of the title “to kill a mockingbird”.

The title symbolizes the innocence and purity of characters like Tom Robinson and Boo Radley, who, like mockingbirds, only wish to do good. The novel suggests that killing a mockingbird is a sin because they cause no harm and bring only joy and music. This metaphor extends to the idea that judging or harming innocent people is morally wrong.

2. How does Harper Lee use the character of Atticus Finch to explore the theme of justice?

Atticus Finch represents the moral voice of the novel. He is a figure of integrity and justice, standing up against racial prejudice. His defense of Tom Robinson, an innocent black man, in a deeply racist society, and his teachings to his children about empathy and moral courage, highlight the theme of justice in the novel.

3. Describe Scout’s character development throughout the novel.

Scout begins as a naive and tomboyish girl, unaware of the deep-seated prejudices in her town. Throughout the novel, she matures and gains a deeper understanding of the complexities of human nature and society, especially through the events surrounding Tom Robinson’s trial and her interactions with Boo Radley. By the end, Scout develops a greater sense of empathy and moral insight.

4. What role does the setting play in “To Kill a Mockingbird”?

The setting in the fictional town of Maycomb, Alabama, during the 1930s is crucial. It provides a backdrop of racial tensions and societal norms of the Deep South during the Great Depression. This setting creates a realistic environment where the themes of racism, social inequality, and moral dilemmas are played out.

5. How does the novel address the theme of racial injustice?

Racial injustice is a central theme, depicted most prominently through the trial of Tom Robinson, a black man wrongfully accused of raping a white woman. The prejudice and bias of the legal system and the town’s residents, as well as the impact of these attitudes on individuals like Tom and the Finch family, highlight the deep-rooted issues of racial inequality.

Bibliographic Details:

How does it end – spoilers ahead.

The climax of “To Kill a Mockingbird” brings a blend of tragedy and a glimmer of hope. After the unjust conviction of Tom Robinson, he attempts to escape prison and is tragically shot dead. This event deeply impacts the Finch family and further exposes the profound racial injustices of the time.

The story takes a dramatic turn when Bob Ewell, seeking revenge for Atticus’s defense of Tom and the humiliation he faced in court, attacks Scout and Jem on their way home from a school event. In a surprising twist, Boo Radley, the mysterious neighbor who had been a source of fascination and fear for the children throughout the novel, emerges as the unlikely hero. He rescues Scout and Jem from Ewell’s attack, fatally wounding Ewell in the process.

The novel concludes with Scout finally meeting Boo Radley, not as the fearful figure of local myths, but as a real, kind-hearted individual who had been watching over her and Jem all along. This meeting signifies Scout’s growth in understanding and empathy, as she recognizes the good in Boo Radley, despite the rumors and fear surrounding him.

Sheriff Tate, understanding the situation, decides to report that Bob Ewell fell on his own knife, thus protecting Boo Radley from legal consequences and public attention. Scout walks Boo home, never to see him again. She stands on his porch, reflecting on the events that have unfolded and gaining a new perspective on her neighborhood and its inhabitants.

The novel closes with Atticus reading to Scout before she falls asleep, symbolizing a return to normalcy but with a newfound understanding and maturity in Scout’s outlook on life and humanity.

What to consider when writing an essay about To Kill A Mockingbird:

When writing a college-level essay on “To Kill a Mockingbird” by Harper Lee, it is crucial to delve into the more complex and nuanced aspects of the novel. Here are key elements that should be considered:

Examine the historical setting of the novel (the Great Depression, the South of the United States, and the Jim Crow era). Discuss how this context shapes the narrative and the characters’ experiences.
Explore the relevance of the novel in contemporary society, particularly in the context of ongoing discussions about racial inequality and justice.
Analyze the theme of racial injustice, particularly through the trial of Tom Robinson. Discuss how Lee portrays the systemic racism of the time and its impact on individual lives and the community.
Examine the moral and ethical growth of characters, especially Scout and Jem, as they confront harsh realities of their society.
Provide a detailed analysis of key characters, including their development and significance. Focus on Scout, Jem, Atticus Finch, Tom Robinson, and Boo Radley.
Discuss Atticus Finch’s role as a moral hero and a symbol of integrity, and critique any complexities or contradictions in his character.
Explore the significance of the narrative being told from the perspective of a child (Scout Finch). Discuss how this perspective adds depth to the portrayal of social issues and affects the reader’s engagement with the themes.
Analyze Lee’s storytelling techniques, including her use of language, symbolism, and foreshadowing.
Delve into key symbols such as the mockingbird, which represents innocence and harmlessness. Discuss how this symbolism extends to various characters and situations in the novel.
Explore other motifs such as childhood, empathy, and the concept of the “Other” (the mysterious and misunderstood Boo Radley).
Critically assess the novel’s portrayal of racial dynamics, including critiques of the “white savior” complex and the depth of African American characters.
Address counter-narratives or alternative interpretations of the novel’s themes and messages.
Place the novel within the broader context of American literature and its relation to movements such as Southern Gothic or Civil Rights literature.
Discuss how the novel has influenced or been in dialogue with other works of literature and cultural products.
Reflect on the personal impact of the novel and its relevance to modern issues of justice, morality, and social responsibility.
Analyze how the novel challenges or reinforces the reader’s perceptions of race, justice, and morality.

In a college-level essay, it’s important to not only summarize the book but to provide in-depth analysis and critical thinking, supported by evidence from the text. Engage with scholarly sources for a more robust discussion and to demonstrate a deeper understanding of the novel’s place in American literature and cultural history.

Book Review: To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee

When it comes to iconic literature, few books have permeated the global consciousness quite like Harper Lee ‘s 1961 masterpiece, “To Kill a Mockingbird”.

This Pulitzer Prize -winning novel, which offers an unflinching child’s view of race and justice during the Depression-era South, had me riveted from the moment I picked it up. Its unique blend of raw storytelling, cultural commentary, and compelling characters continues to resonate with readers around the world, making it a must-read for anyone with an appreciation for powerful prose.

Book Summary of To Kill a Mockingbird

Set in the fictional town of Maycomb, Alabama, during the Great Depression, “To Kill a Mockingbird” is narrated by the intelligent and unconventional Scout Finch, who grows from six to nine years old in the course of the novel. Scout and her brother, Jem, are raised by their widowed father, Atticus Finch, a prominent lawyer who instills in them values of empathy and justice.

“To Kill a Mockingbird” is renowned for its sensitive exploration of a child’s awakening to the racism and prejudice prevalent in the American South. It’s a powerful narrative that elegantly captures the complexities of morality, innocence, and the loss thereof, set against the backdrop of a deeply flawed society.

Book Review of To Kill a Mockingbird

“To Kill a Mockingbird” is more than just a book—it’s a cultural milestone. Its gritty depiction of racial prejudice and injustice in the American South offers a poignant commentary on the societal norms of its time. The characters are relatable and real, their struggles a mirror of the greater issues plaguing society.

Through the eyes of Scout, we see the world in its raw, unfiltered form, a world that is as beautiful as it is brutal. The courage of Atticus Finch, who fights against the tide of public opinion to stand up for justice, is inspiring and a timely reminder of the power of conviction and empathy.

To Kill a Mockingbird Rating

Amazon Rating : 4.7/5

About the Author: Harper Lee

Harper Lee , born in Monroeville, Alabama in 1926, is best known for her Pulitzer Prize-winning novel “To Kill a Mockingbird”. Her early years were steeped in the rhythms of small-town life, which she later drew upon in her writings. She attended Huntingdon College and later studied law at the University of Alabama. However, her passion for writing led her to move to New York in 1949, where she would write one of the most influential books of the 20th century.

“To Kill a Mockingbird” was her first and, for a long time, her only book. Despite its immediate success, Lee shied away from the limelight and led a largely private life. In 2015, a second novel, “ Go Set a Watchman “, was published, stirring controversy due to its portrayal of an older, more racially bigoted Atticus Finch.

Harper Lee passed away in 2016, but her legacy lives on in the pages of “To Kill a Mockingbird”—a testament to the enduring power of literature to shed light on the darkest aspects of human nature and society.

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About The Author

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Lots of People Love ‘To Kill a Mockingbird.’ Roxane Gay Isn’t One of Them.

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By Roxane Gay

June 18, 2018

WHY ‘TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD’ MATTERS What Harper Lee’s Book and the Iconic American Film Mean to Us Today By Tom Santopietro 305 pp. St. Martin’s Press. $26.99.

“To Kill a Mockingbird” is a book for which a great many people harbor reverence and nostalgia. I am not one of those people. Jean Louise “Scout” Finch, the narrator of Harper Lee’s coming-of-age novel set in the Depression-era South, tells the story of how her lawyer father, Atticus, defended Tom Robinson, a black man who has been falsely accused of raping a white woman in the fictional Alabama town of Maycomb. By the end of the novel, Robinson has been murdered while trying to escape prison. Scout has lost her innocence; for the first time, she truly understands the racial dynamics of her environment.

I don’t find “To Kill a Mockingbird” to be particularly engaging. There are moments throughout the narrative that are exquisitely drawn, and I appreciate Lee’s dry wit and intelligence. On the novel’s first page, she writes, “Being Southerners, it was a source of shame to some members of the family that we had no recorded ancestors on either side of the Battle of Hastings.” That one line says so much about the Finch family, the South and its ongoing relationship to the past. Scout is a memorable character, but such depth rarely extends to the others. Atticus is written as the platonic ideal of a father and crusader for justice. The black characters — Robinson and the family’s housekeeper, Calpurnia — are mostly there as figures onto which the white people around them can project various thoughts and feelings. They are narrative devices, not fully realized human beings.

The “n word” is used liberally throughout and there are some breathtaking instances of both casual and outright racism. The book is a “product of its time,” sure, so let me just say that said time and the people who lived in it were plain terrible. As for the story, I can take it or leave it. Perhaps I am ambivalent because I am black. I am not the target audience. I don’t need to read about a young white girl understanding the perniciousness of racism to actually understand the perniciousness of racism. I have ample firsthand experience.

Which brings us to “Why ‘To Kill a Mockingbird’ Matters,” by Tom Santopietro, whose title makes the bold claim that Lee’s classic has endured over the past 58 years because it offers a message that stands the test of time. The book’s continued popularity, and the success of the author’s only other published work, “Go Set a Watchman,” certainly support this claim. Santopietro’s book, however, does not.

The title is misleading. I expected this text to offer a complex and sustained argument about the merits of the novel itself . Instead, much of the book is given over to a biography of Nelle Harper Lee and an extremely detailed history of the making of the 1962 movie. Some light literary analysis is thrown in for good measure. Never does this book take chances or make a persuasive argument for why “To Kill a Mockingbird” matters to anyone but white people who inexplicably still do not understand the ills of racism, and seemingly need this book to show them the light.

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Audiobooks » Great Actors Read Great Books

To kill a mockingbird, by harper lee.

🏆 Winner of the 1961 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction

To Kill a Mockingbird was, for a long time, the only novel Harper Lee ever published. It won the Pulitzer Prize in 1961. It depicts the racism she observed as a child in her hometown in Alabama and was first published in November 1960. Subsequently, an early 1957 version was published in 2015 under the title Go Set A Watchman, initially marketed as a sequel, but most likely more of a first draft. Harper Lee died in 2016 at the age of 89, and it remains unclear how she felt about the publication of her second book.

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The audiobook of To Kill a Mockingbird is read by Academy Award-winning actress Sissy Spacek. Performed in her southern accent (Spacek is from Texas), she gives a warm and emotionally nuanced reading of this poignant American classic.

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'To Kill a Mockingbird' Overview

B.A., English, Rutgers University

To Kill a Mockingbird is a searing portrayal of racial prejudice, justice, and innocence lost in a complex mixture of childish naiveté and mature observation. The novel explores the meaning of justice, the loss of innocence, and the realization that a place can be both a beloved childhood home and a source of evil.

Fast Facts: To Kill a Mockingbird

Author : Harper Lee
Publisher : J.B. Lippincott & Co.
Year Published : 1960
Genre : Fiction
Type of Work : Novel
Original Language : English
Themes : Prejudice, justice, innocence
Characters : Scout Finch, Atticus Finch, Jem Finch, Tom Robinson, Calpurnia
Notable Adaptation : 1962 film adaptation starring Gregory Peck as Atticus Finch

Plot Summary

Scout Finch lives with her father, a lawyer and widower by the name of Atticus, and her brother, a young boy named Jem. The first part of To Kill a Mockingbird tells of one summer. Jem and Scout play, make new friends, and first learn of a shadowy figure by the name of Boo Radley, who lives in a neighboring house yet is never seen.

A young Black man named Tom Robinson is accused of raping a white woman. Atticus takes on the case, despite the vitriol this arouses in the largely white, racist townsfolk. When the time of the trial comes around, Atticus proves that the girl that Tom Robinson is accused of raping actually seduced him, and that the injuries to her face were caused by her father, angry that she had tried to sleep with a Black man. The all-white jury nevertheless convicts Robinson and he is later killed by a mob while trying to escape from jail.

The girl's father, who holds a grudge against Atticus because of some of the things he said in court, waylays Scout and Jem as they walk home one night. They are saved by the mysterious Boo, who disarms their attacker and kills him.

Major Characters

Scout Finch. Jean Louise "Scout" Finch is the narrator and main character of the novel. Scout is a "tomboy" who rejects traditional feminine roles and trappings. Scout initially believes that there is always a clear right and wrong in every situation; as she grows older, she begins to understand more about the world around her and begins to value reading and education more.

Atticus Finch. Scout’s widower father is an attorney. Atticus is a bit of an iconoclast. He values education and indulges his children, trusting their judgment despite their young age. He is an intelligent, moral man who believes strongly in the rule of law and the necessity of blind justice.

Jem Finch. Jeremy Atticus "Jem" Finch is Scout’s older brother. He is protective of his status and often uses his superior age to force Scout to do things his way. He has a rich imagination and an energetic approach to life, but displays difficulty dealing with other people who do not rise to his standard.

Boo Radley. A troubled recluse who lives next door to the Finches (but never leaves the house), Boo Radley is the subject of many rumors. Boo naturally fascinates the Finch children, and displays affection and kindness towards them, ultimately rescuing them from danger.

Tom Robinson. Tom Robinson is a Black man who supports his family by working as a field hand despite having a crippled left arm. He is charged with the rape of a white woman, and Atticus defends him.

Major Themes

Maturation. Scout and Jem are frequently confused about the motivations and reasoning of the adults around them. Lee explores the way that growing up and maturing into adults makes the world clearer while also less magical and more difficult, ultimately connecting racism with childish fears that adults ought not to experience.

Prejudice. Lee explores the effects of prejudice of all kinds—racism, classism, and sexism. Lee makes it clear that racism is inextricably linked to economics, politics, and self-image. Sexism is explored in the novel through Scout and her constant battle to engage in behaviors she finds interesting instead of "appropriate" behaviors for a girl.

Justice and Morality. In the earlier parts of the novel, Scout believes that morality and justice are the same thing. Tom Robinson’s trial and her observation of her father’s experiences teach her that there is often a stark difference between what is right and what is legal.

Literary Style

The novel utilizes subtly layered narration; it can be easy to forget that the story is actually being told by the adult Jenna Louise and not the 6-year old Scout. Lee also restricts the point-of-view to Scout's direct observations, creating an air of mystery for the reader that mimics the childish sense of not quite understanding what all the adults are up to.

About the Author

Harper Lee was born in 1926 in Monroeville, Alabama. She published To Kill a Mockingbird in 1960 to instant acclaim, winning the Pulitzer Prize for fiction. She then worked with her friend Truman Capote on what would become Capote’s "nonfiction novel," In Cold Blood . Lee retreated from public life afterwards, granting few interviews and making almost no public appearances—and publishing almost no new material. She passed away in 2016 at the age of 89.

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Plot summary

Analysis, adaptations, and Go Set a Watchman

What is To Kill a Mockingbird about?

What inspired harper lee to write to kill a mockingbird , how did people respond to to kill a mockingbird , why is to kill a mockingbird a significant text, is there a sequel to to kill a mockingbird .

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To Kill a Mockingbird

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Table Of Contents

To Kill a Mockingbird is set in the fictional town of Maycomb, Alabama, during the Great Depression (1929–39). The story centres on Jean Louise (“Scout”) Finch, an unusually intelligent girl who ages from six to nine years old during the novel. She and her brother, Jeremy Atticus (“Jem”), are raised by their widowed father, Atticus Finch. Atticus is a well-known and respected lawyer. He teaches his children to be empathetic and just, always leading by example.

When Tom Robinson, one of the town’s Black residents, is falsely accused of raping Mayella Ewell, a young white woman, Atticus agrees to defend him despite threats from the community. Although Atticus presents a defense that gives a more plausible interpretation of the evidence—that Mayella was attacked by her father, Bob Ewell—Tom is convicted. He is later killed while trying to escape custody. The children, meanwhile, play out their own miniaturized drama. Scout and Jem become especially interested in the town recluse, Arthur (“Boo”) Radley, who interacts with them by leaving them small gifts in a tree. On Halloween, when Bob Ewell tries to attack Scout and Jem, Boo intervenes and saves them. Boo ultimately kills Ewell. The sheriff, however, decides to tell the community that Ewell’s death was an accident.

It is widely believed that Harper Lee based the character of Atticus Finch on her father, Amasa Coleman Lee, a compassionate and dedicated lawyer. The plot of To Kill a Mockingbird was reportedly inspired in part by his unsuccessful defense of two African American men—a father and a son—accused of murdering a white storekeeper. The fictional character of Charles Baker (“Dill”) Harris also has a real-life counterpart. Dill is based on the author Truman Capote , Lee’s childhood friend and next-door neighbour in Monroeville, Alabama. (After the spectacular success of To Kill a Mockingbird , some speculated that Capote was the actual author of Lee’s work. This rumour was not put to rest until 2006.) There is some anecdotal evidence that the town recluse, Arthur (“Boo”) Radley, was based on Lee and Capote’s childhood neighbour, Son Boulware. According to Capote, Boo “was a real man, and he lived just down the road from us.…Everything [Lee] wrote about it is absolutely true.”

Harper Lee began writing To Kill a Mockingbird in the mid-1950s. It was published in 1960, just before the peak of the American civil rights movement . Initial critical responses to the novel were mixed. Many critics praised Lee for her sensitive treatment of a child’s awakening to racism and prejudice. Others, however, criticized the novel’s tendency to sermonize. Some reviewers argued that the narrative voice was unconvincing. The novel was nonetheless enormously popular with contemporary audiences. To Kill a Mockingbird flourished in the racially charged environment of the United States in the early 1960s. In its first year it sold about 500,000 copies. A year after the publication of the novel, Lee was awarded a Pulitzer Prize for fiction.

Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird is one of the best-known and most widely read books in the United States. Since its publication in 1960, the novel has been translated into some 40 languages and has sold more than 40 million copies worldwide. A staple on American high- school reading lists, the novel has inspired numerous stage and film adaptations, the most notable of which was the 1962 film starring Gregory Peck as Atticus Finch. Lee’s novel continues to resonate with audiences today; in 2018 a stage adaptation of the novel debuted to rave reviews on Broadway.

In 2015 Harper Lee published a second novel titled Go Set a Watchman . Although it was technically written before To Kill a Mockingbird , the novel is essentially a sequel. Go Set a Watchman is set 20 years after the events of To Kill a Mockingbird . In the novel, Jean Louise (”Scout”) Finch—now a grown woman living in New York City—returns to her childhood home in Alabama to visit her aging father, who has embraced racist views. Despite the controversy surrounding its publication (some believe the novel is actually an early draft of To Kill a Mockingbird ), the novel reportedly sold 1.1 million copies in its first week.

To Kill a Mockingbird , novel by American author Harper Lee , published in 1960. Enormously popular, it was translated into some 40 languages, sold more than 40 million copies worldwide , and is one of the most-assigned novels in American schools. In 1961 it won a Pulitzer Prize . The novel was praised for its sensitive treatment of a child’s awakening to racism and prejudice in the American South .

To Kill a Mockingbird takes place in the fictional town of Maycomb, Alabama, during the Great Depression . The protagonist is Jean Louise (“Scout”) Finch, an intelligent though unconventional girl who ages from six to nine years old during the course of the novel. She is raised with her brother, Jeremy Atticus (“Jem”), by their widowed father, Atticus Finch . He is a prominent lawyer who encourages his children to be empathetic and just. He notably tells them that it is “a sin to kill a mockingbird ,” alluding to the fact that the birds are innocent and harmless.

When Tom Robinson, one of the town’s Black residents, is falsely accused of raping Mayella Ewell, a white woman, Atticus agrees to defend him despite threats from the community . At one point he faces a mob intent on lynching his client but refuses to abandon him. Scout unwittingly diffuses the situation. Although Atticus presents a defense that gives a more plausible interpretation of the evidence—that Mayella was attacked by her father, Bob Ewell—Tom is convicted, and he is later killed while trying to escape custody. A character compares his death to “the senseless slaughter of songbirds,” paralleling Atticus’s saying about the mockingbird.

The children, meanwhile, play out their own miniaturized drama of prejudice and superstition as they become interested in Arthur (“Boo”) Radley , a reclusive neighbour who is a local legend . They have their own ideas about him and cannot resist the allure of trespassing on the Radley property. Their speculations thrive on the dehumanization perpetuated by their elders. Atticus, however, reprimands them and tries to encourage a more sensitive attitude. Boo makes his presence felt indirectly through a series of benevolent acts, finally intervening when Bob Ewell attacks Jem and Scout. Boo kills Ewell, but Heck Tate, the sheriff, believes it is better to say that Ewell’s death occurred when he fell on his own knife, sparing the shy Boo from unwanted attention. Scout agrees, noting that to do otherwise would be “sort of like shootin’ a mockingbird.”

To Kill a Mockingbird

By harper lee.

'To Kill A Mockingbird' is a 1960 novel by American writer Harper Lee. It is a classic that exposes the folly and injustice of racism in the Deep South through the lens of childhood innocence.

About the Book

Article written by Onyekachi Osuji

B.A. in Public Administration and certified in Creative Writing (Fiction and Non-Fiction)

To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee begins with Scout Finch, who reminisces on events that took place in her hometown from when she was six years to nine years old. Scout, with her brother Jem, and their friend Dill undertake many childish ventures in a bid to unravel the phantom of a reclusive neighbor known as Boo Radley. As she grows older, Scout begins to see the sheer injustice of racial discrimination and prejudice in her society when her father Atticus Finch, who is a lawyer, defends a black man falsely accused of raping a white woman. Having seen what an unjust society they live in, the children begin to reason that perhaps Boo is right in shutting himself away from the world.

Key Facts about To Kill a Mockingbird

Title : To Kill a Mockingbird
Publication Year : 1960
Number of Pages : 273
Literary Period : Modern
Genre : Bildungsroman
Point of View : First-person Narration
Setting : 1930s Alabama, USA
Climax : Boo Radley fends off Bob Ewell as he attacks Jem and Scout
Protagonists : Scout; Atticus Finch
Antagonists : Bob Ewell; the racist people of Maycomb County

Harper Lee and To Kill a Mockingbird

To Kill a Mockingbird is the centerpiece of Harper Lee’s career as a novelist . It was her first novel, published in July 1960 when she was thirty-four years old, and was her only published novel for most of her life until July 2015, when she published a second novel at eighty-nine years old. The second novel was titled Go Set a Watchman and was an earlier draft of To Kill a Mockingbird, with some chapters of the two novels being the same.

Harper Lee was pursuing a Law degree at the University of Alabama but dropped out without obtaining the degree and moved to New York in 1949 to pursue a career as a writer. However, her move to New York was not without challenges, as she had to work to make ends meet and could only write in her spare time. For many years, Lee worked as a ticket reservation agent for an airline, which dampened her productivity as a writer. Then on the Christmas of 1956, Lee’s friends, Micheal Martin Brown, who was a Broadway composer and lyricist, and his wife Joy Brown gave Harper Lee a year’s worth of her wages as a Christmas gift with a note that read: ”You have one year off from your job to write whatever you please. Merry Christmas”.

Harper Lee promptly focused on her writing after receiving the gift, and by the spring of 1957, she had produced a manuscript that was sent to various publishers. J.B Lippincott Company bought the manuscript, and a member of the company, Tay Hohoff began to work on the script as editor. In Hoff’s opinion, the script was more of a series of anecdotes than a fully conceived novel, and it took both author and editor about three years of dedicated hard work to restructure the script and produce the finished work that the world now knows as To Kill a Mockingbird . Within those years, Lee had despaired and almost given up on the script. It is said that she had once tossed the script out of the window on a winter night and had called her editor in tears. It is a good thing that Harper Lee did not give up on the script at the end because the novel became a gift to many readers and the world at large.

To Kill a Mockingbird earned its author Harper Lee the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction in 1961 and many other awards and recognition, including the Medal of Freedom from two presidents of the United States and appointment to the National Council on the Arts.

Harper Lee included numerous autobiographical details in To Kill a Mockingbird . The narrator Scout Finch had many similarities with Harper Lee as a child, the character Dill was based on Harper’s childhood friend Truman Capote, the morally upright lawyer Atticus Finch was based on Harper Lee’s father Amasa Coleman Lee, and many other characters in the To Kill a Mockingbird were based on real-life family, friends, and neighbors of Harper Lee. The fictional location of Maycomb County in To Kill a Mockingbird is based on Lee’s hometown of Monroeville, Alabama.

Although To Kill a Mockingbird was a bestseller that garnered public attention to the author, Harper Lee was reclusive and did not bask in the public attention. Asides from some interviews in the first few years after the publication, she turned down many requests to grant interviews and make public appearances and lived a relatively private life, shuttling between Manhattan New York, and her hometown of Monroeville, Alabama.

To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee Digital Art

Books Related to To Kill a Mockingbird

To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee is a novel that showcases many aspects of the culture of the Deep South in the United States—small-town lifestyle where everyone knows everyone else, men with an exaggerated sense of gallantry towards their women, social class distinctions and racial discrimination. Below are some other novels with similar qualities.

Gone with the Wind by Margaret Mitchell (1936). This historical novel by Margaret Mitchell narrates the struggles of a sheltered white girl Scarlett O’Hara as she witnesses the ordeals of the American Civil War and the new age of the Reconstruction Era in the southern state of Georgia, USA. It is similar to To Kill a Mockingbird in being a classic storytelling from a Southerner that depicts the class, gender, and racial discrimination in the South.
Other Voices, Other Rooms by Truman Capote (1948). This Gothic novel was written by Truman Capote, who was Harper Lee’s close childhood friend . The protagonist of the novel is a 13-year-old boy named Joel Harrison Knox, whose life takes a new turn after the death of his mother. Joel moves to a new home rife with decay and strange appearances but finds friendship with a tomboy around his age called Idabel.

Other Voices, Other Rooms, and To Kill a Mockingbird both have children as major characters and are similar in addressing themes of childhood, coming of age, and parental dynamics, along with issues of gender and race. Both authors also modeled a character after each other in the two respective novels— Truman Capote modeled the character Idabel in Other Voices, Other Rooms after memories of Harper Lee as a child, and Harper Lee modeled the character Dill in To Kill a Mockingbird after Truman Capote as a child.

Go Set A Watchman by Harper Lee (2015). This is Harper Lee’s only published novel besides To Kill a Mockingbird. Go Set a Watchman is an earlier draft of To Kill a Mockingbird submitted to publishers in 1957 but was published fifty-eight years later in 2015. Go Set A Watchman follows the later lives of characters in To Kill a Mockingbird as the South continues to face tensions around the issue of race and discrimination. Go Set a Watchman places controversies around the morally upright Atticus Finch of To Kill a Mockingbird . Scout Finch as a single lady in her twenties becomes disillusioned with her idolization of her father as she senses that like many other Southern men, her father might also have racial prejudice.

Lasting Impact of To Kill a Mockingbird

To Kill a Mockingbird caused a sensation from the moment it was published in July 1960. It quickly became a bestseller and was translated to ten languages just within the first year of its publication. And in 1961, it won Harper Lee the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction.

To Kill a Mockingbird was adapted into a film of the same title in 1962. The film adaptation, directed by Robert Mulligan with a screenplay by Horton Foote, also got a successful reception, grossing over 20 million US dollars from a 2 million dollar budget and getting numerous Academy awards and nominations. The film got eight Oscar nominations and won three out of them, including Best Actor for Gregory Peck, who played the character Atticus Finch.

Since 1990, a play based on the novel has been performed annually in Harper Lee’s hometown of Monroeville, Alabama.

In a 1999 poll by the Library Journal, To Kill a Mockingbird was voted the Best Novel of the Century.

In 2006, it ranked ahead of the Bible in Britain in a poll of ”books an adult must read before they die”.

In 2008, the novel emerged in a US survey as the most widely read novel by students in grades 9-12 in the United States.

The novel has currently sold over 30 million copies in hardcover and paperback and has been translated to over 40 languages. Many consider To Kill a Mockingbird as the Great American Novel, and it continues to be a sensation and a topic of both academic and socio-political conversations in the US and across the globe.

To Kill a Mockingbird Review ⭐

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Confessions of a Book Geek

Review: to kill a mockingbird.

To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee, (my edition) published June 2010 by Arrow Books.

Read: April 2015 Genre: Young Adult/Classics/Historical Source: Purchased #Pages: 309 Get It Now: Wordery

Goodreads Synopsis: ‘Shoot all the bluejays you want, if you can hit ’em, but remember it’s a sin to kill a mockingbird.’ A lawyer’s advice to his children as he defends the real mockingbird of Harper Lee’s classic novel – a black man charged with the rape of a white girl. Through the young eyes of Scout and Jem Finch, Harper Lee explores with exuberant humour the irrationality of adult attitudes to race and class in the Deep South of the thirties. The conscience of a town steeped in prejudice, violence and hypocrisy is pricked by the stamina of one man’s struggle for justice. But the weight of history will only tolerate so much.

Ugh. This book was SO good . I’d always considered To Kill A Mockingbird a classic, and because of my general aversion for classics, I stayed away from it. It wasn’t part of my curriculum when I studied English Literature at school, but when I started my blog I wanted to get to grips with more classics , to at least try them and see if there were any I enjoyed. This book hit the jackpot for me and I’m unbelievably chuffed to have discovered it! A witty and thought-provoking anti-racism novel, with wonderful characters , which I would call ahead of its time .

It took me a little while to get accustomed to the style of this book, even though it is described as being “young adult”, I don’t think the writing is comparable to a modern YA novel. However, once I got used to the writing style, I was sold – hook, line and sinker. I felt like I flew through this novel, I was so engrossed with the characters and their lives, and I absolutely adore Scout and Atticus. A-DORE. Lee is just such a fantastic storyteller , and I’m sad this is the only book she has released (we’ll discuss the sequel to To Kill A Mockingbird later…).

Racial prejudice is clearly paramount to the story, but while reading the book, I was often made to feel uncomfortable by the language used, and by some of the events of the novel. Which, I suppose is a good thing, when you think about it – and most likely the very point Lee is trying to make. I love that along with the hard-hitting message of the book, Lee also manages to weave mystery , nostalgia , childhood innocence , and emotionally hard-hitting events throughout. It really was perfection , and such a surprisingly accessible read for a classic. I’d also like to add that the cover of my edition definitely encapsulates Scout!

Although there is controversy surrounding the release of the sequel (I do plan to do a full discussion on this later), I will be reading it. Not because I agree with the methods used to publish it (which I need to investigate further for my discussion), but because with writing as good as this, it would be a crime to miss out on more of it.

Have you read To Kill A Mockingbird? Is it worth seeing the movie? What other classics would you recommend I read based on this review? Let me know in the comments. Happy reading, Book Geeks!

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About Rachel

36 responses.

Kudos to you for reading a classic and enjoying it so much! I’m just not there yet, but maybe someday I’ll have the urge. I have a copy on my bookshelf, in case that need ever presents itself. Or in case my daughter is forced to read it in school. 😉

Thanks! 😀 I’m rather proud of myself! I would highly recommend this one! If you ever take the notion, just go for it! R x

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I just finished a re-read via audiobook. Sissy Spacek was a great narrator! I wish my grandparents were still alive so I could discuss it with them, because this is the world they grew up in (my paternal grandparents were the same ages as Jem and Scout in 1935 rural South Carolina). I really felt like I was learning about their childhoods. It’s been years since I watched the film, but I remember it being excellent. Gregory Peck as Atticus won an Oscar (back when that actually meant something) and has always been one of my favorite actors.

Great narrator! How amazing would it be to have a conversation with someone who lived through it! What do you think their opinions would have been like?? I can’t really comment, because I’ve no idea, but to me it felt very authentic. Ahhh, Gregory Peck, I know of him. That’s it, movie night this weekend! R x

This is one of those books that everyone has read but me. I really need to read this so I can at least share the enthusiasm over the accompanying novel.

Ohhhh, I think you should read this one! Not sure if it will be your cup of tea, but I’d love to find out! 😀 R x

I’ll have to give this one another go someday, it was required for me so I think that’s why I didn’t enjoy it as much as you did. Still, classics are no easy feat, glad you liked this!

Yea, I can imagine that the required reading part, and no doubt the over-analysis of text, was off-putting! Classics feel like a mini-achievement for me, and if I can love it – even better! I hope you try it again and connect with it! R x

Please, please, PLEASE go watch the movie! ‘Cause even though they cut Aunt Alexandra, I think the film adaptation is also PERFECTION in its own rights.

Okay. So now the book. I’m glad it resonated with you! Because this is the novel that made me the bookworm that I am today and it makes me happy knowing fellow readers had a positive experience with it too. I just think there’s something about it that reached out deep inside me. And I don’t reread, but I’ve read this one 3 times now. It’s becoming a yearly tradition, I guess. Another thing, I don’t agree that it should be labeled as YA. It’s a coming-of-age, yes, but it’s clearly not YA. And as for the sequel, I sure am stoked for it!

THEY CUT AUNT ALEXANDRA?! But I loved to hate her! And then I warmed to her! Le sigh. I’ve heard good things about the movie, so I really will add it to my must-watch list!

This book just evoked so many emotions in me, and I really wasn’t expecting that. I definitely fell in love with so many of the characters, and it felt horribly real, it wasn’t so long ago this kind of thing was happening! It was very… subtly moving. I could definitely reread this. I didn’t think it was YA particularly, to me it was more of an adult read but with YA characters. I’m looking forward to the sequel, but I’m cautious too, partly because of how it was published, and partly because I think this will be difficult to top. If it was just another Lee book, but not with these characters, it would be different, but I have such a connection to these characters now that I’m not sure how I’ll feel if it falls short of my expectations. Scout as an adult though, it will be nice to see that! R x

Yes, I totally get what you mean. And TKAM is such a beloved classic, too. I think what’s really a shocker in this whole sequel news is that nobody saw it coming. I mean, it’s been a long long long time since TKAM came out. I also understand the reservation to go pick up the sequel; TKAM is such a class act. But I guess I’ve reached the point where no matter how Go Set a Watchman turns out to be, I’m secured with how I feel towards TKAM and Harper Lee that it, the sequel, wouldn’t ruin anything. Although, of course, I’m hoping that GSAW is great, as well.

I looked into it a little, and I do think the circumstances surrounding publication are a little dodgy to say the least, but I will read the sequel. I loved TKAMB so much, and it’s such a shame Lee didn’t write more. I’m hoping for good things from the sequel, and if for any reason it’s a dud, I’m hoping it won’t taint my view of the first. It’ll be like Sex and The City 2, I’ll just pretend it never happened. R x

Now I feel almost ashamed I’ve not read this book. I’ve alway heard such positive things, even from friends who read it for their GCSEs and so I’ve always felt a bit embarrassed I’ve not read it. Especially after I loathed the book I read for my English GCSE, but that’s a whole other story.

I think I’m like you, the classic label is really offputting to me, I’ve not always had the best experience with classics, so I’ve never motivated myself to buy or read this book. I really want to read it before the next book comes out, though. Next time I see it in a shop I may have to sneakily add it to my shopping basket.

Aw, don’t feel ashamed! I’m glad I didn’t have to study this one though, I can see how studying a text in-depth can negatively affect your enjoyment of it sometimes. To me, classic usually equals; “old” style writing; words and phrases, or pacing, I can’t follow; the need to do contextual research (which makes me feel like I’m studying, and reading for pleasure is different for me than studying); and the idea of a “classic” to me equals intellectual reading for some reason, and I can find that off-putting. That lovely cover I got was in Tesco, in the 2 for £7 offer. So you’d have to buy two new books. So, yea, do that 😉 R x

Just re-read it and it’s a wonderful today as it was when I first read it. I swear this book ruins other books because it’s just so doggone good!

As for seeing the movie, I say it’s one that should be seen with the caveat that the books is ALWAYS better. They don’t include everything but they get the essence of the book onto the screen and they have some good child actors in the roles of Jem, Scout and Dill. And while I may not have seen Gregory Peck as Atticus when I first read it, he does a great job in the film and totally deserved the Academy Award.

If you like stories of small towns, I can’t recommend Garrison Keillor’s Lake Wobegon Days enough. Another favorite I may have to re-read.

It IS so good, right?! I picked up The Secret Life of Bees because of my love for TKAMB. I’m not sure how similar it will be, but it’s set in South Carolina and features racial prejudice, so I’m giving it a go.

I’ve been told to watch the movie. I’ve rarely seen a movie better than the book (The DUFF?), but I’ve been told it’s a great adaptation, and I need to see my characters as real people!

Thanks for the rec, I’ll check it out! R x

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The movie is certainly worth watching (one of Gregory Peck’s best), though I liked the book more.

Nice review.

Hi! Thanks for commenting! I did watch the movie after, and I thought it was OK. I enjoyed Peck, but I felt the movie was very, very long. I definitely enjoyed the book more, but then I usually do! R xx

[…] very entertaining or humorous, it counts as one of the BEST search phrases of the year. I adore To Kill A Mockingbird, and I read and reviewed Go Set A Watchman. However, I also wrote a post about the controversy […]

[…] Check out my review of To Kill A Mockingbird. […]

To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee – Book Review

Rating: 5/5.

Make a Google search for the greatest novels ever written. To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee will likely be on every page that pops up. So, when I picked up the novel, my expectations were too high. And by the time I read the last sentence, I was convinced. To Kill a Mockingbird is one of the best novels ever – certainly, the greatest by an American female. Here’s my review of Harper Lee’s magnum opus.

Summary of To Kill a Mockingbird

To Kill a Mockingbird was published in 1961 and became an American classic within no time. In appearance, To Kill a Mockingbird is a children’s story. It’s a story of two siblings, Jean Louise, aka Scout Finch, and Jem Finch, and their little adventures with their friend Dill Harris. Scout and Jem meet Dill, a boy who’s on vacation at his aunt’s and visits them every summer.

The trio gets obsessed with the Radley mansion, a house with weird inhabitants seldom seen talking to anyone in the neighbourhood. They get specifically interested in Arthur Radley, aka Boo, the mysterious boy no one has seen in years. Jem, Scout, and Dill try various tactics to contact Boo, even though they’re monumentally scared of him and the Radley house.

Scout has a tough time at school as her teacher doesn’t like her knowing stuff levels above her current class. Atticus, her father, and Calpurnia, their house help, spend a good time teaching her important stuff like reading and writing, which not many school kids knew in Maycomb County in the 1940s.

The Tom Robinson Case

The story is narrated from Scout’s point of view, but the novel’s true protagonist, in my opinion, is Atticus Finch. Atticus is a widower doing his best to raise his children after his wife’s death, along with Calpurnia. While the children are busy with their little adventures, Atticus, an attorney by profession, is dealing with the toughest challenge of his career. And that’s saving the life of Tom Robinson, an African-American field worker accused of raping a white teenager.

Things get gloomier as the Tom Robinson case progresses, especially since most white males want the black field worker dead. Atticus, however, is determined to get his client a fair trial and is ready to stand adversity and insults from his fellow townsmen in the process.

Meanwhile, Jem and Scout glimpse the African-American side of the town, especially when Calpurnia takes them to the Blacks’ church. They’re treated with love and affection and develop a sense of camaraderie with the black community. However, the insults get uglier by the day, and the kids feel the brunt of it in school and elsewhere.

From the old Mrs. Dubose to the poor Mr. Cunningham, almost everyone in the town considers Atticus mistaken for helping a black man over a white teenager. One night, Atticus has to leave for the town prison, where armed men with chilling intentions confront him. However, the kids follow their father that night and intervene in adult matters, saving the day for Atticus and Tom.

The Trial and the Verdict

Tom’s case, a black man raping a white girl, was unprecedented in Maycomb. The rarity, combined with the hidden prejudice against African-Americans among the white country folks, turns it into a widespread sensation. Almost every adult from the town and other parts of Maycomb County marks their presence at the court. It’s like a rare open theatre, except the story and the characters are real.

Atticus, the attorney for the defence, and the prosecutor have dramatic arguments in front of a judge and a jury. Witnesses take the box, examinations and cross-examinations occur, and the defendant and the complainant are grilled. A seemingly biased jury takes the most expected decision in a matter of hours. Jem, Scout, and Dill sit among the black folks on the balcony, witnessing every act of the play. And when the judgement’s pronounced, they’re left heartbroken.

Post Tom Robinson

After the Tom Robinson fiasco, the town returns to normal as if nothing happened. While Jem finds it hard to accept reality, things move steadily for the Finchs. However, Atticus’s decision to defend a black man accused of rape makes him enemies, putting his and the children’s lives in danger. This danger becomes more evident towards the end, when the kids have to bear the brunt. To Kill a Mockingbird ends most heartwarmingly, leaving behind a barrage of societal questions to ponder on.

What Makes To Kill a Mockingbird So Great

Connecting to the world through maycomb, alabama.

To Kill a Mockingbird explores daily life in Maycomb, Alabama. The pre-WWII era Harper Lee narrates is slow, ordinary, and remarkably simple. The story connects with audiences far and wide, giving the readers to replace characters with the ones they know. Discriminatory undertones, breakdown of the dominant civil society, and the helplessness of those struggling for a better world makes the novel universal.

Two Parallel Worlds – a Child and an Adult

While the author delivers a piercing message, the story maintains an air of thrill and excitement. Through the adventures of Scout, Jem, and Dill, the novel keeps the reader engrossed and anticipating. The kids’ side of the story is exciting and worthy on its own. But then there’s the world of Atticus, the warrior of a noble, yet losing cause. Through Atticus, Harper Lee pins the readers to the wall, forcing them to reflect on the society around us. Thus, you see the world through a Scout’s view, but live and feel through Atticus’s. A masterful move, Harper Lee!

Subtle and Not-So-Subtle Criticism of the Society

Harper Lee herself grew up in Monroeville, Alabama. So, most of what she’s noted in To Kill a Mockingbird stems from her childhood memories. The outrageous characters that irritate and enrage you while reading the novel are actually inspired by Lee’s neighbours growing up. Characters like Scout’s aunt Alexandra expose the discriminatory behaviour common in American households in the mid 1900s. Then the novel punches with heavy artillery. The Whole Tom Robinson saga is dark and brutal, but equally so is the cotton field ownership. Descendants of slaves brought from Africa still working in the cotton field. But the ‘daily wage labourer’ tag is a reminder of how the 20th century had a new name for slavery.

Simple and relatable characters

Almost every character in To Kill a Mockingbird is universal. From America to India, and Russia to England, the oppressive nature of the dominant class remains somewhat the same. Everybody knows a Tom Robinson, who was persecuted and punished for being who he was. Everybody knows the pain of witnessing an act of oppression and being helpless. Especially, Jem, from being Scout’s and Dill’s partner in crime to being broken inside following the court case, symbolises the angst inside millions who want the world to be just, but are shattered sooner or later.

Impact You Cannot Shrug

To Kill a Mockingbird is so great because it impacts the readers, surpassing social and cultural backgrounds. Scout, Jem, and Dill remain in your memory for years to come. And so will Atticus, Tom, Calpurnia, and Bob Ewell. Images of Jem and Scout visiting the Black Church, Dill running away from his new home, Atticus passionately defending human morals in the court, and Tom testifying his side in front of the jury will stay with you. No matter how much you shrug it off, these images will not leave you. Whenever you see or hear of an innocent man being penalised to satisfy the collective ego of the dominant class, you will remember Tom Robinson. To Kill a Mockingbird messes your mind and takes something away from you, like every great novel there’s even been.

Exquisite Literary Finesse

What makes a good story ? For me, the novel should be easy to read for everyone, should connect with people across cultures, and have a lasting impression on the readers. To Kill a Mockingbird ticks all these boxes, and some more. Harper Lee’s writing is flawless, fluid, and palatable even for beginners. The simplicity with which she portrays societal issues in the novel is remarkable. It’s a lesson for new writers, who sometimes focus more on the process rather than the content. On the other hand, literature enthusiasts will put this classical American text right up there with Twain, Fitzgerald, Balwin, and Hemingway.

About Harper Lee

Born, raised, and died in Monroeville Alabama, Harper Lee (1926-2016) was a rare literary giant. To Kill a Mockingbird was her first novel. The only other novel she wrote was its controversial sequel, Go Set a Watchman , published a year before her death. With one novel in almost her entire life, she won the biggest accolades there are and the most widespread recognition a contemporary writer can ever get. Harper Lee won the Pulitzer Prize in 1961 for the impact her novel had on American literature and culture. To see how great a novel she wrote, read about it here and here .

Noman Shaikh is the co-founder and editor-in-chief of Bombay Reads. He grew up in Mumbai, a city he loves more than any other, and currently works as a content consultant. His expertise lies in creating high-quality academic and marketing content in the form of blogs, articles, op-eds, etc. Noman has worked with reputed brands, including Economic Times (through Spiral Media), Coinbase (through MattsenKumar), AdEngage, Della Group, GBIM Technologies, VAP Group, etc. For his published portfolio, click here . Contact Noman on noman@bombayreads for engagement.

1 thought on “To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee – Book Review”

The second novel attributed to Ms. Lee is titled ‘Go Set a Watchman’. (Not ‘Go Get a Watchman ‘.) There has been much discussion on the verity of its authorship.

Book Review: To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee

To Kill A Mockingbird is up there with some of the all-time classic books recommended to anybody who wants to consider themself “well-read”. It’s a book that takes you through all the range of emotions, teaching you morality and pure kindness along the way.

Originally published in 1960, To Kill A Mockingbird was Harper Lee’s first of two books she ever wrote. It is set in Southern America, in Alabama and follows the lives of Jean Louise, the daughter of Atticus Finch and her family and friends. It discusses and covers prejudice in a very gritty and down-to-earth manner and takes you through a story that will see you experience all the emotions.

To Kill A Mockingbird follows the story of Jean Louise, a young girl who lives in sleepy Maycomb, Alabama from 1933-1935 during The Great Depression. We follow Jean Louise’s experiences as she learns about the world. She learns what’s expected of women, how certain families come from “good blood” and “bad blood”, how poverty or wealth can affect a family’s standing. She learns most importantly about morality, mostly via guidance from her father Atticus Finch, the town’s lawyer. Most of the story is set around Atticus Finch’s defence of a black man within the town who has been accused of raping one of the young women. From this one trial, Jean Louise learns so much about people’s beliefs at the time – a time when black people were wrongly seen as far inferior to white people and were supposed to work for white people.

I’ll be honest, I absolutely loved every single word written in this book. Harper Lee writes from the point of a child in such a pure and believable way. Jean Louise questions everything – she hasn’t been brought up to hate black people – their housemaid is black and she is one of the family, she’s loved equally to everyone as that’s how she’s been brought up. So when people show displeasure and prejudice, Jean Louise asks her father, she asks her older brother Jim and she questions everyone as she’s not sure why they do. With these questions, Atticus consistently gives her a balanced and morally right view of the situation. He tells her why, he tells her his views and he explains that she should develop her own views based on how people treat her, not the colour of their skin, their gender or anything otherwise.

It’s a story that will leave your heart feeling whole and pure. Atticus Finch is the perfect father figure and Jean Louise is the perfect blank canvas with Harper Lee uses to ask the real questions that would have been asked by so many young in the 1930s and prior. I could go on for many more paragraphs about how this book can teach children and those with prejudice views a smarter, more simple way to view everyone but I’ll stop here before this begins to become an ethics essay.

Characters – 5/5

Jean Louise is brilliant – she’s a young feisty girl who defies everything that society expects her to be. During the period, women were expected to behave like “women”. This meant wearing dresses, understanding your role as a man’s aid, speaking properly, curtsying to everybody etc. However, as I mentioned above, Jean Louise has been brought up by a man that’s never taught her what she should or shouldn’t be and so having an older brother has left her as a bit of a tom-boy. She loves to get muddy, she gets into fist-fights at school and she’s not afraid to answer back if she genuinely doesn’t believe what’s being asked of her is what she should do. She’s strong, incredibly intelligent and utterly lovable throughout – despite her quite obvious flaws as a child growing up in a fairly backwards society.

Atticus Finch is written as a true hero. He’s a well-educated, well-read white man who always says and does the right thing. He always knows the best way to phrase tricky topics and he never fights or argues, even in situations where he has every right to do so. There’s an element to Atticus of wanting so hard for his children to be genuinely good people that the choices he makes and things he says are possibly not what he’d always say or do out of the earshot of the children.

The supporting characters throughout the novel are all fantastic too. You have those who are racist, those who are sexist, those who come from more affluent backgrounds and those who come from poorer backgrounds. These all meld into creating such a broad stroke of different characters.

To Kill A Mockingbird summary – 5/5

I listened to To Kill a Mockingbird via audiobook and I read the kindle version too and whichever I was choosing to do, I found myself absolutely obsessed and invested by the story and the characters. When I pick up a classic, I always go into it with hesitancy as I worry I won’t grasp why it’s received the acclaim it has and to have endured for such a long time. But I can 100% see why To Kill A Mockingbird is considered one of the greatest novels ever written. It gives you an utterly pure look into prejudice and the beginnings of the questions of whether it’s right the way people of colour were treated back then and whilst doing so writes in some utterly loveable characters, a gripping story and the feeling of completion when finished.

If you’ve not read To Kill A Mockingbird , I would highly recommend it to absolutely everyone. Usually, I pick a genre so I can link it to those genre reviews on my blog but I have to recommend this book to everybody. It’s fantastic and possibly up there with one of my favourite novels I’ve ever read.

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Book Review: To Kill a Mockingbird

The novel “To Kill a Mockingbird,” by Harper Lee may strike your perception as a seemingly uninteresting story. The book tells the tale of two young children in a sleepy Alabama town, and at face-value, the plot does not garner much intrigue. However, I was in the same situation when I was required to read this book in the spring of my freshman year at high school. Indeed, while at first the story seemed boring, as I continued to carry on with reading, every turn of the page immersed me ever further into Lee’s timeless story.

As a reader, you share the emotions felt by Jem and Scout, two young siblings, as they learn the nuances of life in the prejudiced American South during the early 1900s. Not only was their community weakened by the economic collapse of the Great Depression, but also sickened by the bitter contempt felt among whites and blacks.

In the beginning of the novel, Jean Louise “Scout” Finch and her brother Jem innocently play games with their friend “Dill” and enjoy life in Maycomb with their father, Atticus. During this time, they have little to no apprehension of the racial tension hanging in their society, but when their father, Atticus Finch, who works as lawyer, openly chooses to defend an African American in court, trouble arises.

Jem and Scout undergo a number of personal developments during the course of the novel. While at first, they carry with them a genuine and child-like innocence, the court trial their father has taken on exposes them to the racist indignity felt by their fellow community members. Jem and Scout struggle to balance their conflict between the social norms of Maycomb and the morals their father has instilled in them. With the trial’s end, Jem and Scout are lead to discover the imperfections of their society, and the ways with which they are forced to deal with them. As the reader follows along, they not only watch Jem and Scout change, but they too themselves are shaped through Lee’s captivating story.

Overall, I enjoyed most aspects of the book. Although some scenes I felt were a bit plain and unprogressive, these minor flaws were overshadowed by the powerful themes Lee expresses through the story. If you haven’t already read To Kill a Mockingbird, I would certainly give the novel a try. If not for the genuine enjoyment of reading the story, try this novel to feel the powerful emotions stirred from Lee’s literary masterpiece.

Reviewer Grade: 10

Literature & Fiction
Genre Fiction

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To Kill a Mockingbird Paperback – March 1, 2002

Voted America's Best-Loved Novel in PBS's The Great American Read

Harper Lee's Pulitzer Prize-winning masterwork of honor and injustice in the deep South—and the heroism of one man in the face of blind and violent hatred

One of the most cherished stories of all time, To Kill a Mockingbird has been translated into more than forty languages, sold more than forty million copies worldwide, served as the basis for an enormously popular motion picture, and was voted one of the best novels of the twentieth century by librarians across the country. A gripping, heart-wrenching, and wholly remarkable tale of coming-of-age in a South poisoned by virulent prejudice, it views a world of great beauty and savage inequities through the eyes of a young girl, as her father—a crusading local lawyer—risks everything to defend a black man unjustly accused of a terrible crime.

Part of series To Kill a Mockingbird
Print length 336 pages
Language English
Lexile measure 790L
Dimensions 7.9 x 5.3 x 0.9 inches
Publisher Harper Perennial Modern Classics
Publication date March 1, 2002
ISBN-10 0060935464
ISBN-13 978-0060935467
See all details

From the Publisher

Editorial Reviews

“A first novel of such rare excellence that it will no doubt make a great many readers slow down to relish more fully its simple distinction. . . . A novel of strong contemporary national significance.” — Chicago Tribune

From the Back Cover

Harper Lee's Pulitzer prize-winning masterwork of honor and injustice in the deep south—and the heroism of one man in the face of blind and violent hatred

One of the best-loved stories of all time, To Kill a Mockingbird has been translated into more than forty languages, sold more than forty million copies worldwide, served as the basis for an enormously popular motion picture, and was voted one of the best novels of the twentieth century by librarians across the country. A gripping, heart-wrenching, and wholly remarkable tale of coming-of-age in a South poisoned by virulent prejudice, it views a world of great beauty and savage inequities through the eyes of a young girl, as her father—a crusading local lawyer—risks everything to defend a black man unjustly accused of a terrible crime.

About the Author

Harper Lee was born in 1926 in Monroeville, Alabama. She is the author of the acclaimed To Kill a Mockingbird and Go Set a Watchman , which became a phenomenal #1 New York Times bestseller when it was published in July 2015. Ms. Lee received the Pulitzer Prize, the Presidential Medal of Freedom, and numerous other literary awards and honors. She died on February 19, 2016.

To kill a mockingbird, chapter one.

Maycomb was an old town, but it was a tired old town when I first knew it. In rainy weather the streets turned to red slop; grass grew on the sidewalks, the courthouse sagged in the square. Somehow, it was hotter then: a black dog suffered on a summer's day; bony mules hitched to Hoover carts flicked flies in the sweltering shade of the live oaks on the square. Men's stiff collars wilted by nine in the morning. Ladies bathed before noon, after their three-o'clock...

Product details

Publisher ‏ : ‎ Harper Perennial Modern Classics (March 1, 2002)
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Paperback ‏ : ‎ 336 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0060935464
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0060935467
Reading age ‏ : ‎ 14+ years, from customers
Lexile measure ‏ : ‎ 790L
Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 2.31 pounds
Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 7.9 x 5.3 x 0.9 inches
#2 in Classic American Literature
#5 in Classic Literature & Fiction
#19 in Literary Fiction (Books)

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About the author.

Harper Lee was born in 1926 in Monroeville, Alabama. She attended Huntingdon College and studied law at the University of Alabama. She is the author of the acclaimed To Kill a Mockingbird, and was awarded the Pulitzer Prize, the Presidential Medal of Freedom and numerous other literary awards and honours. She died on 19 February 2016.

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Customers find the literary merit amazing, powerful, timeless, and good depiction of the South. They also appreciate the wonderful characters and interesting view of women. Readers describe the themes as meaningful, disturbing, and incontrovertible. They describe the plot as moving, insightful, descriptive, and thought-provoking. They praise the writing style as delightful, outstanding, and has a message of acceptance. Opinions differ on entertainment value, with some finding it hilarious and touching, while others find it boring for the first half.

AI-generated from the text of customer reviews

Customers find the book amazing, brilliant, and suspenseful. They also say it's complex with multiple themes and a very good depiction of the South at this time in history.

"...The scenes leading up to and within the courthouse during the trial are brilliant and evoke so much emotion as you "climb into another's skin and..." Read more

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Customers find the writing style delightful, sweet, and imaginative. They also say the book is one of the most critically acclaimed novels of all time. Customers also mention that the book has very little foul language and has a message of acceptance that we all need to hear.

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Customers find the themes in the book meaningful, intriguing, and good. They say the book creates a world that brings back memories of childhood. They also say the cast of characters reflects the time with stark honesty. Customers also say that the book has better lessons than the Bible, a timeless message of love that permeates through the novel, and enduring relevance.

"...and within the courthouse during the trial are brilliant and evoke so much emotion as you "climb into another's skin and walk around in it"...." Read more

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"...Its enduring relevance and impact lie in its ability to engage readers across generations, inviting contemplation on timeless themes such as justice..." Read more

"...Though it is not without its flaws, there is a timeless message of love that permeates through the novel...." Read more

Customers find the plot moving, inviting contemplation on timeless themes, and hardbreakingly humane. They say it shows the true meaning of family and bravery. Readers also say the book is a study of human nature, insightful criticism of morality in America, and realistic. They mention the confrontation is realistic and that Atticus has such strength and peace. Overall, customers say the story is good history, sociology, and story-telling.

"...in its ability to engage readers across generations, inviting contemplation on timeless themes such as justice, empathy, and the struggle between..." Read more

"...Setting is from years ago, but the theme is still relevant !" Read more

"...Harper Lee created a wonderful work that incorporated a wide range of potent themes , wrapping class systems, gender roles, Southern manners and..." Read more

"...She sees Atticus as a racist and feels deceived. The confrontation is realistic ...." Read more

Customers find the characters wonderful and interesting.

"...The writing is so vivid and the characters really come alive . Your heart wants one verdict even though your head knows it's going to be another...." Read more

"...the coming-of-age narrative of Scout, and has a knack for creating exquisite characters that have left their immortal mark in the halls of..." Read more

"...This book is very good and you end up getting very fond of the characters it almost seems that your growing up with them...." Read more

"...Scout and her older brother Jem are completely natural characters , recognizable to all of us who remember our own childhoods...." Read more

Customers find the pacing of the book profoundly moving, engaging, and thoughtful. They also say it's a fast read that maintains s wonderful flow.

"...Just know that it is a gripping story with a conclusion that keeps you on the edge of your seat before Lee allows you to take a breath in the final..." Read more

"...Harper Lee's storytelling is at once compassionate, dramatic, and deeply moving ...." Read more

"..."us" as a society (not just in the 1930s but even today), moves me , inspires me,Possibly the best novel ever written." Read more

"I’ve read this book several times and it’s always so timely . It never disappoints." Read more

Customers find the book compelling for all ages, with racism and prejudice. They also say the character of Atticus is a fine example in parenting. Readers also mention that the book spans the gap of generations and looks into our soul.

"...It spans the gap of generations , and through Scout’s eyes, looks into our soul." Read more

" Best book for teen or adult . The movie is also well done. Setting is from years ago, but the theme is still relevant!" Read more

"...This book is just an amazing book that I think anybody can enjoy at any age ...." Read more

"... Using children is powerful because in many ways, they are a tabula rosa...." Read more

Customers are mixed about the entertainment value of the book. Some mention that the string of captivating, hilarious, and touching stories always gives them joy. However, others say that it was boring for the first half and not very impressive in contrast with picture books of travel and adventure.

"...sense of all the hustle and bustle around her, and this creates an incredible ironic effect where there are large events going on that the reader..." Read more

"...for an actor like Lincolnesque Gregory Peck, but not so compelling on the printed page ...." Read more

"...There's a lot of funny stuff about education and John Dewey...." Read more

"...The string of captivating, hilarious and touching, stories/encounters which are lived-out by the three main characters..." Read more

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To Kill a Mockingbird: An Overview
≫ To Kill a Mockingbird Book Review Free Essay Sample on Samploon.com
Book Review : To Kill a Mockingbird
To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee
To Kill A Mockingbird
The First Reviews of To Kill a Mockingbird Book Marks

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To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee
Genre: Bildungsroman. "It is a well-loved book for many good reasons, but I was very surprised by its diverse male and female characters, who make this story even richer than it already is." Title: To Kill a Mockingbird. Author: Harper Lee. Publisher: J. B. Lippincott & Co. Genre: Bildungsroman, Historical Fiction. First Publication: 1960.
To Kill a Mockingbird: Book Review, Summary & Analysis
Introduction: To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee - Book Review, Summary & Analysis. "Shoot all the bluejays you want, if you can hit'em, but remember it's a sin to kill a mockingbird ." A lawyer's advice to his children as he defends the real mockingbird of Harper Lee's classic novel—a black man charged with the rape of a white girl.
To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee
Nelle Harper Lee was an American novelist whose 1960 novel To Kill a Mockingbird won the 1961 Pulitzer Prize and became a classic of modern American literature. She assisted her close friend Truman Capote in his research for the book In Cold Blood (1966). Her second and final novel, Go Set a Watchman, was an earlier draft of Mockingbird, set at ...
To Kill a Mockingbird Book Review
Parents Need to Know. Parents need to know that Harper Lee's 1960 novel To Kill a Mockingbird addresses the terrible impact of racism in America through a little girl's point of view. The story takes place in Depression-era Alabama, in the fictional town of Maycomb, which Lee patterned after her own hometown of Monroeville.
TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD
A strict report, worthy of sympathy. Share your opinion of this book. A first novel, this is also a first person account of Scout's (Jean Louise) recall of the years that led to the ending of a mystery, the breaking of her brother Jem's elbow, the death of her father's enemy — and the close of childhood years.
Read the very first reviews of To Kill a Mockingbird
-The New York Times Book Review, July 10, 1960 "All the magic and truth that might seem deceptive or exaggerated in a factual account of a small town unfold beautifully in a new first novel called To Kill a Mockingbird. At a time when so many machine-tooled novels are simply documentaries disguised behind a few fictional changes, it is ...
To Kill a Mockingbird: A Laudable Literary Piece
Book Title: To Kill a Mockingbird Book Description: 'To Kill a Mockingbird' by Harper Lee combines a deep moral message with a vivid portrayal of 20th-century Southern life. Book Author: Harper Lee Book Edition: First Edition Book Format: Hardcover Publisher - Organization: J.B. Lippincott Company Date published: July 1, 1960 ISBN: 978--451-52641- Number Of Pages: 324
Comprehensive Review of "To Kill a Mockingbird" by Harper Lee
Short Overview. Harper Lee's "To Kill a Mockingbird," published in 1960, remains an essential part of the American literary canon. This Pulitzer Prize-winning novel is not just a story; it's a profound exploration of morality, racial injustice, and the loss of innocence. Set in the 1930s in the fictional town of Maycomb, Alabama, it's ...
Book Review: To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee
Book Review of To Kill a Mockingbird. "To Kill a Mockingbird" is more than just a book—it's a cultural milestone. Its gritty depiction of racial prejudice and injustice in the American South offers a poignant commentary on the societal norms of its time. The characters are relatable and real, their struggles a mirror of the greater ...
Lots of People Love 'To Kill a Mockingbird.' Roxane Gay Isn't One of
305 pp. St. Martin's Press. $26.99. "To Kill a Mockingbird" is a book for which a great many people harbor reverence and nostalgia. I am not one of those people. Jean Louise "Scout ...
To Kill a Mockingbird
To Kill a Mockingbird was, for a long time, the only novel Harper Lee ever published. It won the Pulitzer Prize in 1961. It depicts the racism she observed as a child in her hometown in Alabama and was first published in November 1960. Subsequently, an early 1957 version was published in 2015 under the title Go Set A Watchman, initially marketed as a sequel, but most likely more of a first draft.
'To Kill a Mockingbird' Study Guide
The first part of To Kill a Mockingbird tells of one summer. Jem and Scout play, make new friends, and first learn of a shadowy figure by the name of Boo Radley, who lives in a neighboring house yet is never seen. A young Black man named Tom Robinson is accused of raping a white woman. Atticus takes on the case, despite the vitriol this arouses ...
To Kill a Mockingbird
Plot summary. (From left) Estelle Evans, Phillip Alford, and Mary Badham in To Kill a Mockingbird (1962), directed by Robert Mulligan. To Kill a Mockingbird takes place in the fictional town of Maycomb, Alabama, during the Great Depression. The protagonist is Jean Louise ("Scout") Finch, an intelligent though unconventional girl who ages ...
To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee
To Kill a Mockingbird is the centerpiece of Harper Lee's career as a novelist. It was her first novel, published in July 1960 when she was thirty-four years old, and was her only published novel for most of her life until July 2015, when she published a second novel at eighty-nine years old. The second novel was titled Go Set a Watchman and ...
Review: To Kill A Mockingbird
Goodreads Synopsis: 'Shoot all the bluejays you want, if you can hit 'em, but remember it's a sin to kill a mockingbird.'. A lawyer's advice to his children as he defends the real mockingbird of Harper Lee's classic novel - a black man charged with the rape of a white girl. Through the young eyes of Scout and Jem Finch, Harper Lee ...
To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee
To Kill a Mockingbird ticks all these boxes, and some more. Harper Lee's writing is flawless, fluid, and palatable even for beginners. The simplicity with which she portrays societal issues in the novel is remarkable. It's a lesson for new writers, who sometimes focus more on the process rather than the content.
Book Review: To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee
Plot - 5/5. To Kill A Mockingbird follows the story of Jean Louise, a young girl who lives in sleepy Maycomb, Alabama from 1933-1935 during The Great Depression. We follow Jean Louise's experiences as she learns about the world. She learns what's expected of women, how certain families come from "good blood" and "bad blood", how ...
To Kill a Mockingbird: To Kill a Mockingbird Book Summary & Study Guide
Use this CliffsNotes To Kill a Mockingbird Study Guide today to ace your next test! Get free homework help on Harper Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird: book summary, chapter summary and analysis, quotes, essays, and character analysis courtesy of CliffsNotes. In To Kill a Mockingbird , author Harper Lee uses memorable characters to explore Civil Rights and racism in the segregated southern United ...
Book Review: To Kill a Mockingbird
Review. Six year old Scout Finch is living in the small town of Maycomb, Alabama during the Great Depression. Raised by Atticus Finch, Scout and her brother, Jem, are very comfortable with Maycomb and understand the well being of their neighbors, except the house of the mysterious Arthur Radley, whom they obsess over.
To Kill a Mockingbird
281. To Kill a Mockingbird is a novel by the American author Harper Lee. It was published in July 1960 and became instantly successful. In the United States, it is widely read in high schools and middle schools. To Kill a Mockingbird has become a classic of modern American literature; a year after its release, it won the Pulitzer Prize.
Book Review: To Kill a Mockingbird
Review. The novel "To Kill a Mockingbird," by Harper Lee may strike your perception as a seemingly uninteresting story. The book tells the tale of two young children in a sleepy Alabama town, and at face-value, the plot does not garner much intrigue. However, I was in the same situation when I was required to read this book in the spring of ...
Amazon.com: To Kill a Mockingbird: 9780060935467: Lee, Harper: Books
One of the best-loved stories of all time, To Kill a Mockingbird has been translated into more than forty languages, sold more than forty million copies worldwide, served as the basis for an enormously popular motion picture, and was voted one of the best novels of the twentieth century by librarians across the country. A gripping, heart ...

To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee

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Book Review: To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee

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Read the very first reviews of To Kill a Mockingbird .