Like millions of people, To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee is one of my all time favorite reads. I usually re-read it once a year - in summer because it's one of those hot climate books. I don't know why I love it so much; so many themes, so many remarkable characters - the book just seemed to seep into my life and never really left.
I'm often suspicious of unauthorized biographies but couldn't help but get excited when I saw a copy of Mockingbird: A Portrait of Harper Lee by Charles J. Shields
I'm only about fifty pages in but I'm really enjoying it. He's done a lovely job of describing Lee's early life growing up in Monroeville, Alabama. There's always been a rumour that Lee's childhood friend, Truman Capote - helped her write TKAMB and then later, Lee helped Truman write In Cold Blood...so looking forward to what he has to say about that.
I nearly fell off my perch when I saw the July edition of Oprah - inside is a letter written by Miss Lee to Oprah - talking about where her love of words and books came from. It's only about 500 words but it has that same wonderful cadence that's in her book.
I love the film too - I think it's one of the best book to screen adaptations ever done.
Here's a comprehensive site about Harper Lee, the book and her life.
If you haven't read To Kill A Mockingbird - I envy you.
4 comments:
Guess what I'll be reading after Madame Bovary...
LOL I haven't read it yet. Keep meaning to but it keeps dropping off the radar...
Thanks for the Harper Lee links, I listened to an interesting radio discussion about the Harper Lee/Truman Capote thing recently. I read that book when I was about 15, re-read it almost imediately and it still haunts me, I think maybe it is time to read it again.
Have you tried "I Capture the Castle" by Dodie Smith? A different sort of book but one that also stayed with me. A lovely book for summer.
You know what? I have never read it. It's one of those books that I've always meant to read but never have. I only read 'Catcher in the Rye' recently. I should write a list of 'to reads' I think!
Post a Comment