Book Of The Month June, 2010
To Kill A Mockingbird: 50th…Harper Lee
‘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-
What We Think
To celebrate the 50th anniversary of Harper Lee’s To Kill A Mocking Bird, this month we are publishing special editions in hardback and paperback. For the very first time in the UK Random House Audio also publishes the audiobook read by the Oscar winning actress Sissy Spacek.
Watch this space for reviews from our reading groups.
‘Someone rare has written this very fine novel, a writer with the liveliest sense of life and the warmest, most authentic humour. A touching book; and so funny, so likeable’
Truman Capote
Brilliant! Inspiring!
Posted by Margaret Parsons on 2010-09-07
Enjoyed, but thought there would be more to it.
Posted by P.Hemmans on 2010-08-17
Everyone should read. Common sense and infinite wisdom. Big topic.
Posted by . on 2010-08-02
Loved it. 9/10 but would never give 10 for anything horrific.
First reading and hadn’t seen film.
Interesting.
Well drawn characters/
Posted by Pat on 2010-08-02
9/10.
A bit dated now. Didn’t like southern dialect printed.
Has things to say – racism/class/discrimination.
Posted by Pat on 2010-08-02
Had read condensed version in past and found full verion harder to follow. Slow read. Didn’t like scout’s responsibility aged 7 and a half. Found ‘too old’.
5/10
Posted by Pat on 2010-08-02
One of my favourites of all time.
Surprised at the humour and respect children had for adults. Wonderfully simply written. 10/10
Posted by Pat on 2010-08-02
Censored in the south at some point.
Posted by . on 2010-08-02
A adore this book. It would definately be in my all time top 5 favourites.
There is a simplicity and honesty about it.
Together with the believable, well-drawn characters and the absorbing parallel stories of domesticity and racial drama there is humour and pathos, never overdone or contrived.
This was the author’s first and only book that it is still going strong after 50 years is alone a testament to her writing.
Possibly she also thought she could not better it.
Posted by Pat Olner on 2010-08-02
I had not read this book or seen the film. Such a serious subject yet in parts quite funny – the children were so interesting and Atticus almost too good.
Posted by … on 2010-08-02
A book that deserves its status as a classic – and one of the few written by a woman. Perhaps it needs reading with the knowledge that it is a historical novel of its time/context. Published in the 60’s and based on a real life incident from 30’s but it still deserves to be read for what it says about racism/discrimination/class. It shows what it is like to cope with people who are different/outsiders and how the innocence of childhood can be destroyed.
9/10. Excellent.
Posted by … on 2010-08-02
Good read – 50 years this year. Right and wrong very clear cut.
Humorous in parts. Remember film – Gregory Peck.
Posted by … on 2010-08-02