To Kill a Mockingbird

[Krey20]

I'm not going to outline this book very thoroughly, if you've read it you might know why. If you haven't read it I don't want to spoil it.
I just want to see how people respond to this thread and hopefully the discussion will roll. There is so much to talk about.

I managed to avoid this as a school text, it's been sitting on Mt. TBR for over a year, it was my loss that I let it lay there for so long.

I think I've got a better understanding of human nature from this book.

If there was a required reading list for the human race this should be near the top.

Edit: Couldn't find a thread on this, might have been lost in the crash.

[Jen]

If there was a required reading list for the human race this should be near the top.
It certainly should, no-one would dispute its classic status. Have you seen the film with Gregory Peck, Krey? One of the few that does a book service IMO (I know there's a whole thread on that topic!). Just thinking of the end of the courtroom scene makes me fill up.

[Hazel]

I read this book years ago, and recently updated my tattered old paperback with a lovely new hardback. I really must read this again. The film is great Jen, an excellent adaptation.

[megustaleer]

I read this when my elder son had to 'do' it for GCSE. We both loved it, and the film too.
It was good to share something like that with him, there is little enough that a 15 yr old boy talks with his mother about ;)

I remember someone I worked with at one time saying that her daughter had to get a book for her exams called *How To Kill a Mocking Bird*

I know there was a thread on this book, as I recall posting that remark before. No doubt gone in The Crash, as you suggest Krey20.

[Opal]

I definately remember the thread... As I'm sure I said previously I loved this when I first read it but it was a book that GCSE English ruined for me. Thankfully last year I went to see it performed at the theatre in Nottingham with 3 English teachers and loved it. The story was still great and I got caught up in it enough that all the overanalysing was long forgotten! might have to read it again someday... It might be a good book in my mind again!

[annajane]

It's a wonderful book, just delightful from beginning to end. As Hazel says, the film is also great - it features a very young Robert Duvall as Boo Radley (I think it was his first film role, but I could be wrong).

[lipstick_librarian]

If I had to pick an all-time favourite book, this would undoubtedly be it. I studied it for O-Level English and have read it at least another 3 times since then. I love absolutely everything about it and even named my pet rabbit Atticus!

[chuntzy]

I saw the great film version with Gregory Peck before I read the book (yes, giving away my age, I know). It made me more thoughtful and pained about issues than campaigning and didactic works ever did. So beautifully written.

[Radders]

If I had to pick an all-time favourite book, this would undoubtedly be it.
I think it would be mine also :)

[David]

Thanks for starting a new thread on this, Krey, because I'm also sure there was one before.

It's a remarkable book, to be sure, and a firm favourite of mine. It melds important issues about race and humanity so beautifully into a touching story about people for whom we come to care. The viewing of these events through the naively-wise eyes of Scout is subtle and draws us in very effectively and I love the way that through this process Atticus steadily grows from the slightly unfashionable father into a towering figure of moral strength.

It's beautifully structured; perfectly pitched and skillfully written. A delight in every way.

[gg106]

Atticus - what a man! I have read this book so many times and it never ceases to delight. I vivdly remember reading it for the first time - I was in tears, and it still brings a tear to my eye now. I love the section where Jem has to read to Mrs Dubose, and Scout's narrative with it's childish misunderstandings that have an innocent maturity...
In my opinion, a required read.

[Krey20]

The Mr. Dubose portion of the book was one of the best for me, it explored the complexity of what defines a person as good or bad.
As the youngest of three children I also thought the way scout witnessed the growth and increasing distance between herself and her older brother was handled beautifully.

[FirelightSpirit]

I had a copy of this for years before I got round to reading it a few years ago. I was impressed by its lessons on humanity and Atticus is a great character. There's a lot I don't remember, so it might be time for a re-read.

[GERBAM]

this is a terrific thread and honors one of the best books ever written ... that aside ... have any of you searched out the symbolism of some of the important names in TKM? You might find even more insight from understanding
what some of them mean ... especially Atticus Finch.

ENJOY
GERBAM

[Viccie]

I read this when I was 15 and would probably have never read it again if it wasn't for my book group. It's a shining example of why I belong, yes I have to read a whole lot of books that aren't to my taste but every so often we have something like To Kill a Mockingbird that makes ploughing through the dross worthwhile - the literary equivalent of kissing a lot of frogs I suppose.

A wonderful book - but can anyone tell me where Scout got her nickname from?

[nickhoonaloon]

I studied this for `o` level many years ago.

Since then I`ve seen the film and seen it three different theatre productions.

You could say I`m a fan !

I remember once reading a review in New Internationalist (I wonder if that still exists ?) that found it patronising and dated. I find that incomprehensible. Trendy southern posturing, no doubt.

[Cootisms]

I read this when I was 15 or so, thinking we'd study it for GCSE, but we got to do Of Mice & Men instead! In a way I'm glad though, as analysing books kills them for me-I couldn't look at Captain Corelli's Mandolin for years after doing it as an A-Level text!
I love Scout's narrative, and how the tone changes as she idolises her brother less/accepts that he's growing up, they're growing apart and as she grows up. I love Atticus, for the way he tries to be mother & father to his children, that he tries to protect them but also let them know that the world (& he) isn't perfect.
It would definitely be in my top 5 Desert Island books!
Did anyone else take ages to find out that Harper Lee was (is?) a woman?

[Colin Phillips]

Excellent book and film.

[Radders]

This book is on my list of all time favourites :D

[MarkC]

it was a book that GCSE English ruined for me.

Or O level in my case, I'm old :p. It just sort of bounced off me at school without being absorbed, like every other book we were taught. I could remember very little other than Jem reading to Mrs Dubose, not even the main thrust of the story.

Anyway, as with the other book I recently returned to after studying at school, I'm once again very sorry I waited so long. Without talking about the story it's wonderful in so many ways, how events are made to fit the world view and understanding of an young girl, how she changes and her relationship with her father and brother changes as she and they get older, the myth that builds up around Boo Radley and the little exchanges that give insights into the real character of some of the adults, like that between Maudie and Alexandra in the kitchen during the Ladies tea party near the end of the book, suddenly Alexandra is painted in an entirely different, more sympathetic light which we only see then because it is the fist time that Scout hears them talk in that way.

In Atticus I think I've found a new favourite character in fiction, his dry humour, innate morality and way of lookng at things from the other person's point of view make him both very likeable and an inspirational figure.

I understand why this book is taught in schools, there's so much to consider in it. I just wish that I had been able to engage with Eng Lit at all rather than it driving me away from that being studied.

[mac]

I have to agree with all of the above.
I have just re-read this book and it is just as good, if not better, the second time around.

[angel]

I know that having to read and over-analyse a book at school can put teenagers off it, but I’ve also come across many for whom it was pivotal event, a time when their eyes were opened a little perhaps. This particularly applies to ‘To Kill a Mockingbird’ and ‘Of Mice and Men’: they have almost become rites of passage. It would be good to read these in school, without them being exam texts, but alas there is not enough time.

Seventeen and eighteen year olds love to relate the tale to me, not realising how well known it is. Interestingly, many of them wear ‘Atticus’ clothing but haven’t related it to the book – for those of you who haven’t come across this it’s a surfy/skaty brand that says it bases it’s clothing on a passion for music (punk, I think) and it’s logo is what I take to be a dead mockingbird, although I think it is known as ‘the resting bird’. I’ve managed to entice a couple of youngsters to read the book through the ‘Atticus’ label.

And then, of course there was ‘The Boo Radleys’, an 80s/90s band. Can anybody think of any other ‘To Kill a Mockingbird’ Tributes? I feel sure there must be many more.

[David]

Can anybody think of any other ‘To Kill a Mockingbird’ Tributes?
Bruce Willis and Demi Moore named one of their kids Scout! I'll bet Harper Lee had difficulty holding back the tears at that...

[angel]

. . . and of course tears well from all sorts of emotions.

I didn't know about that - in England most people would probably still relate 'Scout' more to Boy Scouts than to TKAMb so I can't see it catching on.

It reminded me that the Atticus girls' clothing is labelled 'Atticus Scout'.

[lauren]

I remember reading this freshman year. I thought I would dread it like I did other required books, but I absolutely loved this. I've actually read it a few more times since then. It's such an important book that no one should miss out on.

[Keenomanjaro]

I thankfully avioded this at school (being part of the 'Of Mice and Men' generation), but still didn't get round to reading it for some time, probably due to the stigma of it being a GCSE text.
Anyway, I finally got round to it whilst backpacking in Australia and found it a very enjoyable read. It's obviously a good choice for a school text due to the many moral dilemas it introduces. I remember reading that a lot of American schools tried to get it banned (possibly back in the 60's?) due to the fact that the central plot revolved around a rape case.
I'm surprised to read that the scenes where Jem reads to Mrs Dubose are the ones that stuck in many peoples minds, as I have very little recollection of this. The courtroom scenes seem to have made more of an impression on me for some reason.

Bruce Willis and Demi Moore named one of their kids Scout! I'll bet Harper Lee had difficulty holding back the tears at that...

I always asumed Bruce Willis named his daughter 'Scout' because he was in the movie 'The Last Boy Scout'!!!

With regards other TKM 'tributes, there was an episode of the Simpsons where Homer said:
""I'll have to read Marge's book and I swore never to read again after "To Kill a Mockingbird" gave me no useful advice on killing Mockingbirds! It did teach me not to judge a man by the color of his skin, but what good does that do me?"
which seems like a fair synopsis!!

[kelby_lake]

I read it before I had to do it for GCSE- it was so boring! The good bits near the end got cut off by annoying up-herself Scout and her buddy. She was so annoying that when she got attacked by (....) I was quite amused, which i doubt was the point.
Why it is no.6 in Top Read lists I have no idea.

[Squirls]

I loved To Kill a Mockingbird Too - awesome. Last year I read online that there were rumours that this was actually written by Truman Capote a close friend of Harper Lee, presumably precipitated by the fact she never wrote another novel. Has anyone else ever heard of this and what do you think?

[kelby_lake]

I've heard it, yes. I reckon she probably did write it but recieved a lot of help. She hasn't written another volume since, which leads me to believe that she received a lot of help.

[Hazel]

There are quite a few authors who only ever wrote one book - hardly evidence that Capote helped with Mockingbird. Maybe she just thought it couldn't be bettered. Or more likely and actually true, she didn't like the attention it brought her. It's hard to believe in these days of celeb/misery memoirs that there are some people left who value(d) their privacy.

[Squirls]

I've never read anything by Capote, so not sure if there are any similarities in writing style. I don't know how the rumour started - does anyone else?

[gg106]

Mainly because they were friends and he wrote more prolifically than she I suppose.

I'm with Hazel on this one. Look at Margaret Mitchell and 'Gone withe the Wind', Emily Bronte and 'Wuthering Heights'.

At the end of the day one great novel that is read by many is better than 20 mediocre novels that are read by few.

[Squirls]

I'm sure you're both right - odd how these rumours get started though.

Apparently the character Dill was based on Capote.

[Calliope]

The autobiographical elements of To Kill a Mockingbird (her Wikipedia article spells them out - basically, Lee lived alone with her southern attorney father, and her older brother, after her mother died, her father defended two black men accused of murder during her childhood) suggest to me that Harper Lee was one of those authors who only have one book in them. Not that this is a criticism - better one truly great novel than twenty mediocre ones, and TKAM is absolutely one of the greats.

Truman Capote made it fairly clear in his own correspondence that Lee wrote the novel. Perhaps as a childhood friend, he was an influence - there's nothing wrong with that. I think it's more interesting to learn that Capote was probably the model for the character of Dill.

[Squirls]

When I read the book I was struck by how much the culture has changed compared to modern times.

I'm sure we have modern prejudices were not aware of, but prejudices from other times seem amazing. Particularly the black characters view of themselves.

We also live in an age of such high technology now, that reading this book seems like real "olden days" stuff, rather than set in a time still within living memory for older people.

[lucyb]

I think I'm going to have to go and dig this one out of the bookshelf. We did it at school but I don't remember us tearing it apart the way everyone else seems to have done. Of course, I may just have not been paying attention.

I'll come back and comment on it more once I've re read it- glad I found this thread!

[aquablue]

I once read, I forget where, that Capote is the true writer of Mockingbird and not Lee. Is there any truth to this? Can we ever know for certain...I wonder. :confused:.

http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/images/n0/n773.jpg

[megustaleer]

I once read, I forget where, that Capote is the true writer of MockingbirdThis has been discussed, briefly, earlier in the thread.

[David]

This has been discussed, briefly, earlier in the thread.
Aquablue orginally posted this in Central Library and I merged it with the Mockingbird thread. I've sent a PM.

[kelby_lake]

I imagine she wanted to write a book and he helped her a great deal, because he was her friend.

You would've thought she'd rope someone a bit better in then.

Seriously, how could anyone be fooled by this dross? It points out the bleeding obvious and implies that everyone in the South is thick.
It is actually a boring self-indulgent autobiography about a lovely little girl who everyone likes (and I hated) with a bit of racism and prejudice thrown in. And we have to have the idea of the mockingbird metaphor explained in no uncertain terms to us because it doesn't really make much sense. :mad: :mad: :mad:

[chuntzy]

On BBC4 tonight a programme celebrating the 50th anniversary of this novel.

[Tay]

On BBC4 tonight a programme celebrating the 50th anniversary of this novel.


Thanks Chuntzy, Sky Box primed and ready to record that.

[lunababymoonchild]

I noticed that it was the 50th anniversary but didn't buy the book. I read it at school - we did both TKaM and Of Mice and Men, both strong and powerful books, although I don't remember much about TKaM. Loved the film with Gregory Peck and reckon it's time for a reread, when I can fit it in!

Further to speculation, I heard Oprah Winfrey - many years ago now - say that when she asked Harper Lee (a close personal friend) why she had only written one book the reply was : "That was all I had to say".

[Binker]

I have read the book several times, although it has been a long time at this point. I guess I'm due for a re-read. One of the TV stations keeps playing the movie and now I know why--it's probably related to the 50th anniversary.

One of the things I like about the book/movie is that it makes it clear that the relationship between the races was infinitely more complicated than we think it was. I just watched the movie last night, so I hope what I'm remembering is also in the book. In any event, the range between Atticus Finch and Bob Ewell is pretty broad and many of the townspeople probably fall someplace in between. The judge comes and asks Atticus to defend Tom Robinson probably because the judge thinks he didn't do it and wants him to have the best defense possible. But he doesn't say that and gives Atticus a few outs ("your practice is busy/you are raising your kids alone"). In the movie, Sheriff Tate, who is probably not incredibly open-minded on race, says, "A black man is dead for no reason and now the man responsible is dead. Let the dead bury the dead. I may not be much, Mr. Finch, but I'm the sheriff of Maycomb County and Bob Ewell fell on his knife." The movie makes it mostly a class issue, but in the book I think it wasn't that clear--I think that it's Mrs. Dubose who calls Atticus a "-----lover."

The Known World by Edward P. Jones is the best exploration of the complexity of the relationship between the races that I've ever read. If I get a chance, I will post on a separate thread. It has been a while since I read the book, but I think I can still do it justice.

[Hazel]

On BBC4 tonight a programme celebrating the 50th anniversary of this novel.I don't think kelby_lake will be tuning in.

[Tay]

I don't think kelby_lake will be tuning in.

:D

[Grammath]

"To Kill A Mockingbird" is a book which I'm sure I've read but it is so long ago now that I couldn't tell you anything about it. I do have a copy on the shelves and have recorded the BBC4 documentary.

[Radders]

One of my all time favourite books but I've not read it for a long time now.

I recorded both the documentary and the film and I think I'm going to indulge in both tomorrow on my day off. I will watch the film for a slightly different reason as I have before - MOH is convinced I would have been exactly like Scout when I was younger!

[lunababymoonchild]

I watched the documentary and won't spoil it for those who haven't yet but I'm disappointed insofaras I didn't bother to record the film, so convinced was I that we had a copy (confirmed by my brother, I hasten to add) and only today find that we don't. However, I see that it's available on the iPlayer so will have to content myself with that.

[Jez]

I'm not going to outline this book very thoroughly, if you've read it you might know why. If you haven't read it I don't want to spoil it.
I just want to see how people respond to this thread and hopefully the discussion will roll. There is so much to talk about.

I managed to avoid this as a school text, it's been sitting on Mt. TBR for over a year, it was my loss that I let it lay there for so long.

I think I've got a better understanding of human nature from this book.

If there was a required reading list for the human race this should be near the top.

Edit: Couldn't find a thread on this, might have been lost in the crash.

I'm glad you chose to include this in a thread the book still has the same signifcance as it did when it was written so many years ago . We too studied the text for literary critique and I remember thinking how unfair and unjust it was that people should be judged purely on the colour of their skin and what that must mean for those affected by racial discrimination.

This book is a gem and should feature on all English core curriculums especially in society now which is fractured by class and race .

[MaxMorgan28]

It's a wonderful book, just delightful from beginning to end. As Hazel says, the film is also great - it features a very young Robert Duvall as Boo Radley (I think it was his first film role, but I could be wrong).

Best book I ever read. I read it first time when I was in school and read it again almost every second year after it.

[Binker]

I just finished re-reading this book. This is one of the few books I have read more than once, but the last time was at least 30 years ago. The impetus for reading it now is that my son is reading it in school and asked me to read it at the same time (I usually try to read the books he's reading in school, so this request wasn't just out of the blue).

I knew this was a great book, but I had forgotten how exquisitely great it was. Lee perfectly captures the exact nature of race, class, and community relationships in that part of the Deep South at that point in time. Of course, she was there, but I also think she must have been amazingly observant to have captured all that nuance. I'm happy that she never wrote another book. It could not possibly have been as good as this book.

There are spoilers in my discussion even though I doubt there's anyone who doesn't know the story, which is why I haven't hidden them.

A few things caught my attention this time that I probably missed before. First, the mad dog is such an important symbol. He's a dog that belongs to someone in the community; everyone knows him and knows how sweet he can be. But he's gone mad and he needs to be shot and the only person in the community who can shoot him is Atticus Finch. He symbolizes the madness of racism which is part of their community--it's not an outside influence--and again, the only person who can do away with this madness is Atticus Finch.

Second, even those who try to do the right thing are hampered in their ability to do so because the racism is just part of the system and way of life. Judge Taylor knows that Tom Robinson is innocent, but has to live with the decision of the jury. Link Deas's treatment and defense of Helen Robinson was about as good as could be done at the time, but she still was getting a servant's wages and had to leave her children in the care of someone else.

Third, while Scout was very affected by all that happened, I think Jem was much more affected and we see that from Scout's descriptions of him. This makes sense to me because Jem was on the cusp of adulthood and understood and had to come to grips with it in a much more adult way.

Fourth, I think the class issues were much better explored than I had remembered. There's the town and country division, which shows up in the school and which the teachers seem unusually (almost unbelievably) oblivious to. But even within the country, there are two classes of white people, both of whom are poor, but who are very different in all other ways. One group is represented by the Cunninghams and the other by the Ewells. The Ewells are what is referred to as "white trash" (a term that has its own issues that I won't get into here) and the Cunninghams are not. But what are we to make of the fact that Mayella kept a corner of her yard pretty with red geraniums (a flower Miss Maudie would have scorned and I'm not sure why) and at least tried to keep herself clean? Was she trying to rise above being white trash, but was dragged back down by her father? It's easy to hate Mayella, but I think those images of her are designed to make us see that she had some redeeming features, unlike her father, who had none.

Finally, Boo Radley's role in the story is interesting to me. I have always thought that it was odd that Scout never saw him again and I think it's even odder this time around. He was clearly reaching out to the children with the little gifts that he gave. He saved their lives. And he petted Jem, sat with Scout, and then asked her to walk him home. I didn't expect that he would suddenly rejoin the community, but I did think it likely that someone--especially Scout, who was always so determined and had poor impulse control--would have checked in with him every now and then. So I think he's almost a mythical figure who appeared once to save the children and the town from the malign presence of Bob Ewell and was never seen again. I loved Heck Tate's speech at the end, "To my way of thinkin', Mr. Finch, taking the one man who's done you and this town a great service an' draggin' him with his shy ways into the limelight--to me, that's a sin. It's a sin and I'm not about to have it on my head....I may not be much, Mr. Finch, but I'm still sheriff of Maycomb County and Bob Ewell fell on his knife."

I have seen the movie many times in the intervening years and I have to say that it is one of the best adaptations of a book that I have ever seen. And the performances were perfect. Since that speech by Heck Tate is one of my favorites, I do have to mention that I thought the actor who played him was perfect and handled that speech perfectly. I think my son's class is going to watch the movie after they are finished with the book, but he's said he'll watch it with me, too. I can't wait.

[Momo]

I read this book for the first time last year. Absolutely loved it. I suggested it to my RL book club and everyone said the same. We had a wonderful meeting with lots of topics to discuss. This is not just a story of one little girl and her family, it brings up so much more.

[woofwoof]

On BBC4 tonight a programme celebrating the 50th anniversary of this novel.

They repeated the documentary last night on BBC4 (I missed it last year) so it should be on iplayer for a week if anyone missed it then (or now)

http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b00szxxk/To_Kill_a_Mockingbird_at_50/

The KKK guy that he interviews is unbelievable...

I watched the film for the first time in over 30 years a week ago but haven't actually read the book. Binker, your analysis is very interesting

[Binker]

Thank you, woofwoof. Because of the ice storm here two weeks ago, my son ended up watching the movie at home with me first (the watched it later at school). He has found the book and the movie both extremely touching and thought-provoking and wrote a very good paper about the Jem's ranking of groups of people in the town. We've also discussed "innocence" in the book--both Tom's innocence of crime and Jem's loss of innocence that summer. I have to say that it's a wonderful book that can engage a 13-year old boy that much.

[ottilie]

Thanks from me too!
I was gutted that I'd missed this documentary and will be watching with my thirteen year old daughter who has also recently read (and absolutely loved) To Kill a Mockingbird. :)

[Momo]

Yes, even my sixteen year old son (!) loved it!

[Wormyx]

I read this about 4 years ago and absolutely loved it! What a brilliant book, can recommend to all literature fans who haven´t yet gotten around to reading this classic. A book that has stayed with me ever since I read it. i can also recommend reading the biography of isabella blow, which is a wonderful read for all fashion lovers. it explaines the drama behind all the crazy fashion, all the wonderful shoes (http://www.zalando.co.uk/) and hats, and it speaks of isabella's secrets and obsessions.

[chuntzy]

I read this about 4 years ago and absolutely loved it! What a brilliant book, can recommend to all literature fans who haven´t yet gotten around to reading this classic. A book that has stayed with me ever since I read it.

It must be reviews like this that influenced the Beckhams' choice of name for their latest baby. Now, now, don't be cynical.

[Hazel]

It must be reviews like this that influenced the Beckhams' choice of name for their latest baby. Now, now, don't be cynical.:D Apparently it is after a character in a Disney kids' show that the boys like. Regardless, my bearded dragon, Harper Jax, is touched.

[Tay]

A couple of weeks ago I had to make a trip down to Cornwall (approx 6 hours driving from my home) so I checked on Amazon (through the link of course) for a book to help the hours and the miles pass and found a relatively new audio version of this book, it was released to coincide with the 50th anniversary.

It is read by Sissy Spacek ( star of Carrie and Coal Miner's Daughter), her rendition was wonderful, really brought the book to life. This wasn't a reading but a performance in the truest sense of the word.

I had read the book a few years ago and enjoyed it but this time I felt immersed in the time and place. For those who read books on audio I'd highly recommend you give this a try.

My only gripe would be with the packaging. I bought it on CD and it contains 11 CD's but instead of giving them each an individual wallet to live in they are stacked up on top of each other on a spindle, like the old record players used to do so you could play 45's one after the other. ( I realise there will be a proportion of BGO population who won't remember these players but it's the best comparison I can make) This made it a faff as you listened to more and more of the CD's having to take multi CD's off the spindle to reach the number you wanted. But it was only £11.49 so I suppose I really shouldn't complain too much, but hey I'm good at it! :)