The first time I read this book, I had to be ten years old. The message still holds true today: the color of one's skin does not proclaim the content of one's character. I knew even as a kid that what was happening was so unjust and cruel. Perhaps that is what makes this book so memorable, that it stays in your head. Overall, To Kill A Mockingbird is one of my absolute favorite books and one I would recommend to anyone of any age group. Harper Lee truly created a classic.
Helpful Score: 10
Required reading at the high school where I teach, and rightly so. Yes, the story starts slowly and never has the cymbal crashing climax that we expect these days, but it is still there, albeit more quiet and therefore more impactful.
This book is told through the eyes of Scout as an adult, reflecting on what happened when she was 8. Living in a small southern town during the Depression, Scout sees the injustice, prejudices, and triumphs that occur during the trial of a black man falsely accused of raping a white woman.
More than the trial, though, Scout sees her father, Atticus (one of the literary characters that I have a HUGE crush on!), in a new light as he not only defends the man in court, but also shows Scout his human side. More than a father to Scout, he becomes a hero.
If you only read the first chapter and the last, you may get a picture of the whole book, but you'll miss out on the delicious description of life during the 1930s in Alabama, from Scout's fights on the playground to the wonderful telling of summers in Maycomb.
Read it. You won't regret it.
This book is told through the eyes of Scout as an adult, reflecting on what happened when she was 8. Living in a small southern town during the Depression, Scout sees the injustice, prejudices, and triumphs that occur during the trial of a black man falsely accused of raping a white woman.
More than the trial, though, Scout sees her father, Atticus (one of the literary characters that I have a HUGE crush on!), in a new light as he not only defends the man in court, but also shows Scout his human side. More than a father to Scout, he becomes a hero.
If you only read the first chapter and the last, you may get a picture of the whole book, but you'll miss out on the delicious description of life during the 1930s in Alabama, from Scout's fights on the playground to the wonderful telling of summers in Maycomb.
Read it. You won't regret it.
Helpful Score: 6
My absolute favorite book. I read it for the first time this year and quite honestly fell in love. Great story with great characters.
Helpful Score: 5
Not much more can be said about this classic than to say it's one every person should read. With a sleepy southern town as its backdrop, this story brings to light the reality of prejudice in our not so distant past. Highly recommended read for both boys and girls.
Helpful Score: 5
Very memorable (why do kids not want to read this when they are in school??)story of a trial in a small town and the racism that comes up in its wake. What I liked best is that the message of tolerance exemplified by the main family was subtleand simplistic, and therefore very well done
Helpful Score: 3
One of those books I could pick up and reread and love every time. A classic for every generation, I highly recommend if it isn't required reading for your school it should be.
Helpful Score: 3
I just read this for the first time, and I have to say, it's a phenomenal childrens book. Being an adult while reading a kids book gives you an interesting insight, and To Kill a Mockingbird is filled with lines and concepts that are striking. If you know a child who you think should be a lawyer or already wants to be one, give him/her this book. Lee may embellish the legal system a bit (as much as say, law and order) but she gives a thorough explanation of every tough concept (prejudice of many kinds, revenge, growing up) that comes a long. It is written perfectly for a child and if you're reading it as an adult for the first time, you have to keep that in mind. The writing will seem over-simplistic and the events sometimes drawn out, but you have to understand that children's novels must explain everything as if it's being seen for the first time, and there is almost an art in that itself.
Supberb read, I'm not surprised it's a classic, definitely recommend it to any child aged 8-12 (depending on reading competence), or pick it up yourself for a quick read.
Supberb read, I'm not surprised it's a classic, definitely recommend it to any child aged 8-12 (depending on reading competence), or pick it up yourself for a quick read.
Helpful Score: 3
It's been a long time since I read this book, and the older I get, the more I appreciate it. In this story, it's the adults that make the real trouble and cover up their prejudices with hypocrisy ranging from white-lies to night-time terrorism. Even I found myself asking, Why do grown-ups complicate things so much? Between the simple pace, the Southern small-town setting, and the Scout's one-person narrative, I really slowed down to enjoy it this time around. And it's not the book that's changed; it's me.
Helpful Score: 3
Listened to this book as a part of "The Big Read". I had always shied away from it because I thought it was a boring "classic" work about some dreadfully boring woman. Was I wrong! Great book about morality, truth and doing the right thing even when it is the hardest choice. Lessons about kindness and friendship abound. A definate must read for all teenagers and all adults-even if it's for a second time. Scout, Jem & Dill will have you re-thinking what you thought you already knew about yourself.
Helpful Score: 2
I have read this book half a dozen times, and each time I fall even more in love with the story and the characters. A true classic and a must read for everyone!
Helpful Score: 2
Probably one of the few absolutely wonderful, gripping novels that schools require kids to read. I read it as an adult and was amazed.
Helpful Score: 2
I read this in 2010, 50 years since the original publication. This is a story that takes place on the brink of tumultuous social change and a great racial rift during the 1960's. Told from the viewpoint of a woman recalling her years from the age of 6 through 9, the dialog of the children in this story can be quite comical. Scout, the main character telling her story, has a father, an attorney who ends up defending a wrongly accused black man. Scout and her brother Jem learn quite a bit during that time. What stuck in my mind was the sadness as I relived those kinds of memories. I would have been around Scout's age during that time. The injustices made me cry back then; it did the same for the children in this story. As taken from the book, after the verdict's decision came back as guilty and Jem asks his father how they could do that, his father replies with, "I don't know, but they did it. They've done it before and they did it tonight and they'll do it again and when they do - seems that only children weep." What an excellent book. I loved it! Please take the time to read this wonderful classic.
Helpful Score: 2
Okay don't crucify me--but I found this story difficult to read. It is slow and takes forever to get to the real story. The main story is heartbreaking and must have been shocking when this was first released. I endured the long background with Scout and her brother because I know this is a classic and I wanted to read it all the way through. I prefer the movie with Gregory Peck. (I was told by a writing instructor that most of the classics probably wouldn't be published in today's market because they are considered too slow.) Still, it is a classic and as such--I think everyone should read it once.
Helpful Score: 1
Compassionate and moving classic
Helpful Score: 1
great book! A classic of race relations in the South.
Helpful Score: 1
I would give this book 10 stars. It is my favorite book of all times and I am 70 years old (maybe old enough to appreciate Harper Lee's writing). This classic should be required reading for High School age kids and their parents and grandparents.
Helpful Score: 1
My absolute favorite book when I was in 5th grade and it still is one of my all time favorites. I just discovered we have two copies though, so we certainly don't need this one too. :) Well written and very thought provoking.
Helpful Score: 1
This is one of my absolute favorite books. I really love how the whole thing is just Scout trying to explain how her brother broke his arm. The relationships that she has with all the others in the book are really interesting. This book definitely makes y ou reexamine your feelings and assumptions about people you don't really know.
Helpful Score: 1
It's a novel from the old movie itself. It comes with sweetness, humor,compassion and mystery carefully sustained.
Helpful Score: 1
An absolutely wonderful coming-of-age story. More than the story and the themes of this book, which are great, I loved the characters, most of all the Finch family: Atticus, Jem and Scout.
Helpful Score: 1
A must read! This well-written classic teaches us about friendship in unusual places as well as many aspects of human behavior.
Helpful Score: 1
A classic, very true to its period time.
Helpful Score: 1
Very good story . A classic
Helpful Score: 1
One of the best written books of all time. It's a classic. A must read even if it's just to get cultural references to "Boo" Radley.
Hands down one of the best books written. If you've never read it, you are missing out on both an amazing story, and a cultural phenomena.
Helpful Score: 1
i disliked this book so much that i couldnt finish it. sorry to those who liked this book, i hated it alot.
Helpful Score: 1
Harkens to an historic time in the rural South where one family's ability to see beyond what society sees and an attempt to right society's wrongs. Uplifting!
Helpful Score: 1
A must read! Being an immigrant, I didn't get the chance to read this book growing up. I picked it up simply out of curiosity, since it has been banned and challenged all over the country.
The story is a wonderful one, seen through the eyes of an innocent child. It is timeless, and one I cannot wait to share with my kids.
The story is a wonderful one, seen through the eyes of an innocent child. It is timeless, and one I cannot wait to share with my kids.
Helpful Score: 1
Absolute must read, an American classic, teaches us many things about life.
Helpful Score: 1
Love this book! Harper Lee does an incredible job of weaving together stories of individuals judged incorrectly by those around them. Such a reminder that things are not always as they seem. Love the flowing image of the South as it was long ago. A timeless classic.
Probably the best book I've ever read!
Helpful Score: 1
There's a reason this book is the number one most-read book by book clubs everywhere. It is so well-written, it goes by in a flash, presenting several themes at once, in prose we identify with no matter the reader's level of education.
If you want warmth, values, suspense, and a glimpse of a world gone past not long ago, you will love this book!!
If you want warmth, values, suspense, and a glimpse of a world gone past not long ago, you will love this book!!
Helpful Score: 1
Our bookclub chose this book for this month and I LOVED it. The book is so much better than the movie - couldn't put it down even though I knew the outcome. mkm
Helpful Score: 1
This is a beautifully written novel told from the point of view of a young girl growing up in the South. There are terrific themes of alienation, racism, tolerance and overcoming childhood fears.
Helpful Score: 1
A true classic.
Helpful Score: 1
Revisited an old friend and enjoyed the excellent story and writing as when I first read it in high school.
Helpful Score: 1
I think I read this book back in high school. I am now in my 50's and I was a little shocked at the use of the "N" word. I know that is how people talked then, but it has always been unacceptable to me. I enjoyed the trial description and marveled at how the children were able to attend the trial without their father knowing they were there. I grew up in a small mountain town so I could relate to some of the "mountain" talk. Great to read it with a new perspective!
A classic American story and the one and only novel written by Harper Lee. Somehow having escaped both reading the book in middle school, and seeing the classic movie version, I had been constantly running into references to the book I only partly understood. Eager to see what all the fuss was about, I finally sat down and read it. I'm glad I did, not only because I now understand the cultural context and references, but because it is a truly memorable book. Lee interweaves a child's perspective with the adults and other children around her without making her child characters less complex. Racial and class taboos in a small pre-Civil Rights southern town affect both white and black citizens. The pace of change is maddeningly and for one man fatally slow. Lee gets the southern culture right without making stereotypical or unsympathetic characters.
Helpful Score: 1
A classic about growing up in the south. This book is also winner of the Pulitzer prize after its debut in 1960
Helpful Score: 1
Wonderful classic!
Helpful Score: 1
this is a very important book in american society even today to remind us of what used to be
Helpful Score: 1
The unforgettable novel of a childhood in a sleepy Southern town and the crisis of conscience that rocked it. A very good book!
Helpful Score: 1
A classic. Very good story for all ages.
Helpful Score: 1
This, her only novel, made Harper Lee an icon of American literature. Set in Alabama in the 1930s, it depicts the lifestyle and prejudices of a small rural town. The central plot follows the attempt of a small town lawyer to defend a Negro who has been falsely accused of a sex crime by the resident white trash. The whole town knows what the accuser is, yet they cannot distance themselves from their inbred prejudices. The Negro is convicted. In the end, the accuser gets his just desserts after he attacks the lawyers children. Eventually, the town residents become somewhat aware of their biases, yet does anything really change?
Helpful Score: 1
My favorite book of all time, and the values and message is still relevant today. Amazing.
Helpful Score: 1
It is easy to see why "To Kill A Mockingbird" has become a classic and a winner of the Pulitzer Prize. After editorial reviews and 1535 readers' reviews, it is not necesaary to repeat an in-depth outline of the story for the 1536th time to get the message across - "To Kill a Mockingbird" is a one of a kind treasure.
The characters and plot are among the best developed in literary history. Set in the Depression Era, the plot revolves around the alleged rape of a white girl, Mayella Ewell. The story brings with it racial issues, tension, heartbreak and a search for justice. My favourite characters were Boo Radley, the town bogeyman, Tom Robinson, the accused, and of course, the hero in this story, Atticus, a man of honour and dignity who is not afraid to stand up for what he believes is right.
The characters and plot are among the best developed in literary history. Set in the Depression Era, the plot revolves around the alleged rape of a white girl, Mayella Ewell. The story brings with it racial issues, tension, heartbreak and a search for justice. My favourite characters were Boo Radley, the town bogeyman, Tom Robinson, the accused, and of course, the hero in this story, Atticus, a man of honour and dignity who is not afraid to stand up for what he believes is right.
Helpful Score: 1
This is a great classic, much better than the movie.
Helpful Score: 1
To Kill a Mockingbird is an American classic, beautifully written with vivid characters and compelling themes. Scout, Jem, and Atticus Finch come alive to us in the small town where they live and meet the challenges of southern racism and bigotry. Although the movie version with Gregory Peck as Atticus is outstanding, so much wonderful detail is omitted that reading the book is a must.
Helpful Score: 1
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 takes readers to the roots of human behavior- to innocence and experience, kindness and cruelty, love an hatred humor and pathos Now within 15 million copies in print and translated into ten languages, this regional story by 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 to American literature.
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 takes readers to the roots of human behavior- to innocence and experience, kindness and cruelty, love an hatred humor and pathos Now within 15 million copies in print and translated into ten languages, this regional story by 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 to American literature.
Helpful Score: 1
My favorite book of all time...loved it as a high school "required reading," and loved it as a pleasure read in my 40s.
Helpful Score: 1
one of my favorites...
Every bit as good as the movie.
Helpful Score: 1
This is a great book! It is an old story that is still good today! Also on oprahs book list!
Helpful Score: 1
This was required summer reading for my daughter this year. We watched the movie together last year and she liked it but she didn't think she'd enjoy the book for some reason. When she finished she agreed it was better than the movie.
Helpful Score: 1
If I was on a desert island and only had one book with me (plus my Bible, of course) I would choose this book. I have read it four times and will probably read it again someday. The telling of the story is as beautiful as the story itself. I'm only sad Harper Lee never wrote any other novels in her lifetime.
Helpful Score: 1
Wonderful book! The unforgettable novel of a childhood in a sleepy southern town and the crisis of conscience that rocked it.
Helpful Score: 1
What a great book...it's just a shame that it took me 30 freaking years to get around to reading it!
Having grown up in a small, virtually all White town in Northeastern Pennsylvania I wonder how profound of an impact this book would have had on me had I read it when I was a wee lad & saw the world in a completely different way than I do today. This is not to say that I did not find this book meaningful, but rather as you get older you'll most likely experience many of the life lessons that are captured within the book. With that said, I'll definitely make it a point to have my children read this book when they are growing up, whenever I decide it's time to take the terrifying plunge into fatherhood that is... ;)
Harper Lee does a spectacular job of telling the story through the innocent eyes of a young girl named Scout. Scout's unbridled curiosity, her naive view of the world around her, & her difficulty distinguishing good vs. bad takes me back to the days when I was young and had an untainted view of the world around me...When all I worried about was if it would be hot enough each day of summer to go swimming and whether or not my team would win each baseball game we played on the local firehouse's parking lot. Alas, we all grow up and while I did not experience anything nearly as dramatic as what Scout went through, her experiences definitely resonated within me.
TKAM is a story about growing up and seeing the world for what it truly is. It's about the evils of racism and the strong bonds of family & friends. It's about sticking odd little trinkets in trees for your curious neighbors to discover. And it's about scuppernong.
Mmm. Scuppernong.
Having grown up in a small, virtually all White town in Northeastern Pennsylvania I wonder how profound of an impact this book would have had on me had I read it when I was a wee lad & saw the world in a completely different way than I do today. This is not to say that I did not find this book meaningful, but rather as you get older you'll most likely experience many of the life lessons that are captured within the book. With that said, I'll definitely make it a point to have my children read this book when they are growing up, whenever I decide it's time to take the terrifying plunge into fatherhood that is... ;)
Harper Lee does a spectacular job of telling the story through the innocent eyes of a young girl named Scout. Scout's unbridled curiosity, her naive view of the world around her, & her difficulty distinguishing good vs. bad takes me back to the days when I was young and had an untainted view of the world around me...When all I worried about was if it would be hot enough each day of summer to go swimming and whether or not my team would win each baseball game we played on the local firehouse's parking lot. Alas, we all grow up and while I did not experience anything nearly as dramatic as what Scout went through, her experiences definitely resonated within me.
TKAM is a story about growing up and seeing the world for what it truly is. It's about the evils of racism and the strong bonds of family & friends. It's about sticking odd little trinkets in trees for your curious neighbors to discover. And it's about scuppernong.
Mmm. Scuppernong.
John A. and Marguerite E. W. (aliennightbird) reviewed To Kill a Mockingbird on + 40 more book reviews
This was a deep, richly detailed, thought-provoking, emotionally-satisfying story. The only problem that I had with it is that it read a bit too slowly for me.
It was exactly what I had heard it would be. Wonderful book.
This was the first great novel I ever tackled in middle school... I loved it from the first page and was depressed after coming to the last page... I wanted more! I have a literary crush on Atticus Finch.. but that's another story.. Haha..
Everyone should read this novel!
Everyone should read this novel!
Wow. I can't even count using all my fingers and toes the number of times i have read this one. Truly my favorite book of all times.
Who am I to citisize a P-winner? LOL, you can esily see why Lee is one of the original, the very best at southern dialogue--no one an write it like she did here--probably why she says she never wrote a sequel. Best read of the year for me nd I have read this back in my youth and yet--here--it ALWAYS has something I never saw in it before.
This book is a big metaphor for one thing everyone experiences: life. Certainly fits 'under the books to read before you die' tag. :)
This was an enjoyable, emotional read about a man, his two children and the difficulties they face while living in the South when white was supreme.
A unique perspective on a part of America's history. The social and racial interactions of one family as told from the perspective of a child. Many important messages are at the heart of this story.
Awesome book and story. When I read the back I didn't know if I really wanted to read it, but we needed something for my daughter's literature class. The book is written from the perspective of an eight-year-old, so even though the book is about some "adultish things" it is safe. I enjoyed the book very much and would read it again when my son gets to be a junior in high school. The vocabulary is challenging sometimes.
I have a new favorite fictional character: Atticus Finch. Boy, I sure do love a good coming of age stor
Why would Harper Lee even want to write another book?
Must read for all high school students (and their parents).
Excellent and thought-provoking.
I love the book. I was disapointed that it had so much high-lighting. I may get another copy for my library that isn't so marked up.
A wonderfully written book with messages on a level of a child's understanding and on an adult level as well. Everyone should read this book.
I thought this book was very easy to read and a great story about growig up.
Simply my favorite book of all time. Harper Lee draws a compelling picture of Alabama in the 1950s and characters that are perfect. I go back and read this one once a year, just because it's a work of art.
Great story! I never was made to read it in school so I willingly picked it up as an adult and very glad I did.
Timeless! An absolute MUST, everyone should read this book at least once.
Deserves every reward it has ever received. A great book for Book Club Discussion Groups.
Excellent book, great read!
I loved this story the first time I read it, and still love it today. Don't be surprised if I request it again in the future.
This is a book that everyone should read at least once in a lifetime.
Great piece of literature.
A timeless story of growing up and understanding the world around you
I thought the book was very slow moving. I was about 50 pages into the book and started skimming. I will stick to watching the movie or the play coming to my city.
Harper Lee has given us a wonderful story about the hardship and cost of loving all people; a brilliant message of hope and persistence to fight for justice.
I especially rejoyed reading about how the children grew up and how they came to understand what happened to their neighbor. It was good that they were able to see their father defend the black man who had done no harm. it gave them much insite into the black and white relationships of their time.
Excellent book! Even as required reading for a class, I loved it.
A classic! Everyone should read this book at least once.
The story was good, but it was hard to read at times.
Written many years ago, but still applicable today. Great read.
Great classic! It was required reading for my high schooler and he, and his class, really enjoyed it. It goes well with the movie which is available in most libraries.
Better the second time you read it.
truly a classic
This is my all-time favorite book. I read it in high school and have wanted to read it again. A timeless classic!
Quite simply one of the most beautiful books I've ever read.
1962 movie tie-in edition with cover photo of Gregory Peck in scene from movie (sitting in Jim's bedroom with Scout on his lap)on cover.
Harper Lee's only novel- telling the story of racial bigotry, a child's refusal to comply with accepted norms and her lawyer-father's integrity.
Great book! Scout is an interesting narrator.
This American classic is still an excellent, thought provoking, true-to-life novel for older elementary through adult readers
If you've never read this book, read it. If you haven't read this book in years, read it again. To have written one book of such timeless relevancy is a life's work well done. Thank you Harper Lee!
EVERYONE should read this story of a young girl coming of age as the town tom-boy!
A timeless classic by a masterful storyteller!
A revolutionary book that centered it's story around the racial taboo of the era.
A classic and a must read.
classic - read it in high school - everyone should read this book
I enjoyed reading this book is high school!
Set in the small Southern town of Maycomb, Alabama, during the Depression, To Kill a Mockingbird follows three years in the life of 8-year-old Scout Finch, her brother, Jem, and their father, Atticus--three years punctuated by the arrest and eventual trial of a young black man accused of raping a white woman. Though her story explores big themes, Harper Lee chooses to tell it through the eyes of a child. The result is a tough and tender novel of race, class, justice, and the pain of growing up.
Set in the small Southern town of Maycomb, Alabama, during the Depression, To Kill a Mockingbird follows three years in the life of 8-year-old Scout Finch, her brother, Jem, and their father, Atticus--three years punctuated by the arrest and eventual trial of a young black man accused of raping a white woman. Though her story explores big themes, Harper Lee chooses to tell it through the eyes of a child. The result is a tough and tender novel of race, class, justice, and the pain of growing up.
1 word EXCELLENT
"When he was nearly thirteen, my brother Jem got his arm badly broken at the elbow.... When enough years had gone by to enable us to look back on them, we sometimes discussed the events leading to his accident. I maintain that the Ewells started it all, but Jem, who was four years my senior, said it started long before that. He said it began the summer Dill came to us, when Dill first gave us the idea of making Boo Radley come out."
Set in the small Southern town of Maycomb, Alabama, during the Depression, To Kill a Mockingbird follows three years in the life of 8-year-old Scout Finch, her brother, Jem, and their father, Atticus--three years punctuated by the arrest and eventual trial of a young black man accused of raping a white woman. Though her story explores big themes, Harper Lee chooses to tell it through the eyes of a child. The result is a tough and tender novel of race, class, justice, and the pain of growing up.
Like the slow-moving occupants of her fictional town, Lee takes her time getting to the heart of her tale; we first meet the Finches the summer before Scout's first year at school. She, her brother, and Dill Harris, a boy who spends the summers with his aunt in Maycomb, while away the hours reenacting scenes from Dracula and plotting ways to get a peek at the town bogeyman, Boo Radley. At first the circumstances surrounding the alleged rape of Mayella Ewell, the daughter of a drunk and violent white farmer, barely penetrate the children's consciousness. Then Atticus is called on to defend the accused, Tom Robinson, and soon Scout and Jem find themselves caught up in events beyond their understanding. During the trial, the town exhibits its ugly side, but Lee offers plenty of counterbalance as well--in the struggle of an elderly woman to overcome her morphine habit before she dies; in the heroism of Atticus Finch, standing up for what he knows is right; and finally in Scout's hard-won understanding that most people are essentially kind "when you really see them." By turns funny, wise, and heartbreaking, To Kill a Mockingbird is one classic that continues to speak to new generations, and deserves to be reread often.
Set in the small Southern town of Maycomb, Alabama, during the Depression, To Kill a Mockingbird follows three years in the life of 8-year-old Scout Finch, her brother, Jem, and their father, Atticus--three years punctuated by the arrest and eventual trial of a young black man accused of raping a white woman. Though her story explores big themes, Harper Lee chooses to tell it through the eyes of a child. The result is a tough and tender novel of race, class, justice, and the pain of growing up.
Like the slow-moving occupants of her fictional town, Lee takes her time getting to the heart of her tale; we first meet the Finches the summer before Scout's first year at school. She, her brother, and Dill Harris, a boy who spends the summers with his aunt in Maycomb, while away the hours reenacting scenes from Dracula and plotting ways to get a peek at the town bogeyman, Boo Radley. At first the circumstances surrounding the alleged rape of Mayella Ewell, the daughter of a drunk and violent white farmer, barely penetrate the children's consciousness. Then Atticus is called on to defend the accused, Tom Robinson, and soon Scout and Jem find themselves caught up in events beyond their understanding. During the trial, the town exhibits its ugly side, but Lee offers plenty of counterbalance as well--in the struggle of an elderly woman to overcome her morphine habit before she dies; in the heroism of Atticus Finch, standing up for what he knows is right; and finally in Scout's hard-won understanding that most people are essentially kind "when you really see them." By turns funny, wise, and heartbreaking, To Kill a Mockingbird is one classic that continues to speak to new generations, and deserves to be reread often.
Classic, lovely book.
Although it has been more than 40 years since I last read this, it is still a most excellent story. Every character is sharp and believable,and the tension is carefully done. And fyi, it is the state read for Vermont this year.
One of the best books and movies ever! Pulitzer Prize winner. One of my favorite books of all time.
this was req. reading in my 12th grade ap lit class, but i loved it. it's a great story.
A classic. Everyone should read this book.
A wonderful, moving story. Everyone should read this at least once in their lifetime!
One of my All time favorites. Better than the movie.
The triumphant novel that The New York Times called "The best of the year...exciting...marvelous."
I loved this book as much as the first time I read it years ago. It is truly a classic.
This a book that might interest someone .
I read it again after 38 years. It really is a wonderful story.
Great classic about racial issues.
I loved this book when I first read it my freshman year in high school. Now my freshman daughter is reading it and enjoying it, too. She's not much of a reader either, so to me, that says a lot.
What a great classic. Wish this woman would write more.
This book has many good lessons about being kind and the gray areas of morality and ethics. It can be difficult to read because it was originally composed as separate stories for the newspapers, but it is very beautiful. There are a few scenes that just haunt me.
i love this book it is wonderful, could read it over and over. but want others to read it also
I was not required to read this while in high school but I'm glad I picked it up later and read it. It is a wonderful book; a must read for everyone!
A touching, heartfelt story that is ageless. Truly a classic!
I believe this book is one of the best I have ever read. It is simple and non-complicated. It shares truth of an era, a culture, a family and nation. I have read this a couple of times but believe this book will be able to bear the test of time and come up as still being a classic.
My ABSOLUTELY favorite book in the entire world...........ever!!! I have several copies!!
Set in the small Southern town of Maycomb, Alabama, during the Depression, To Kill a Mockingbird follows three years in the life of 8-year-old Scout Finch, her brother, Jem, and their father, Atticus--three years punctuated by the arrest and eventual trial of a young black man accused of raping a white woman. Though her story explores big themes, Harper Lee chooses to tell it through the eyes of a child. The result is a tough and tender novel of race, class, justice, and the pain of growing up.
I never read this book in high school, but it is one of the best.
Classic.
Really good book. Glad I read it in my late 30's after some life experience, and not in high school like so many people. I don't think I would've liked it as much back then....just wouldn't have been able to really appreciate it as a teenager.
EVERYONE should read this book!
A heart wrenching look at a single father raising his two children in the south. He is an attorney chosen to defend a black man and suffers tremendous backlash from the members of the community.
Very good read! Highly recommend!
This is a timeless classic. I have two copies or I wouldn't be parting with this one.
What more can be said...A true classic still today.
Very touching and a great read.
Phenomenal book. I can't believe I never read it before reaching adulthood, but I'm glad to say I've read it now. Harper Lee is an amazing writer.
My all time favorite book.
Very Very Good story, One of my favorite books.
This copy is solid but a bit old, the cover has some creasing. Good reading copy. If you order I expect a book credit.
standard high school reading
"To Kill a Mockingbird" is a well written story addressing racism and morality in the Deep South. Harper Lee takes a unique approach by telling the story through the eyes of Scout as she understands her environment. Lee develops the theme of the struggle between morality and the social values of the south before the Civil Rights Movement.
A timeless classic. Compassionate, dramatic and deeply moving.
Amazing. History. Life. Innocence. Heartwarming. Heartwrenching. A must read.
a great classic
The classic novel by Harper Lee tells the story of Scout, her brother Jem and their father, Atticus who live in a small Southern town during the Depression. Scout and Jem grow up in the midst of their father's defense of a black man accused of raping a white woman.
One of 3 books I have read more than once. I can't wait to read the sequal
This story is about eight-year-old Jean Louise "Scout" Finch, her brother Jem, and her father Atticus, who live in a small Alabama town in the 1930s. The story is told from Scout's point-of-view. Lawyer Atticus Finch is asked to defend a black man on the charges of beating and raping a white woman. Scout and Jem quickly learn that a fair trial for a black man in the 1930s south is nearly impossible. As the story unfolds, the children learn valuable lessons from their father about both the ugly side of humanity and the bravery of some who were thought to be damaged.
This is a beautifully written story that is a must-read. I thought the beginning of the story meandered from one event to another at the beginning, but it ties together beautifully by the end of the book. I am planning on seeing this play on Broadway next spring, so I decided to listen to the audiobook. It is narrated by Sissy Spacek who does an excellent job. My rating: 5 Stars.
This is a beautifully written story that is a must-read. I thought the beginning of the story meandered from one event to another at the beginning, but it ties together beautifully by the end of the book. I am planning on seeing this play on Broadway next spring, so I decided to listen to the audiobook. It is narrated by Sissy Spacek who does an excellent job. My rating: 5 Stars.
Read this one again in preparation for its sequel-prequel, and thought to myself: whether Go Set a Watchman turns out to be a hit or a flop, it will never take away from this amazing piece of literature. To Kill a Mockingbird will always stand alone as one of the greats.
Afterthought: Many find Atticus to be the hero of the book, however, my fondness for the sheriff grows with each read.
Afterthought: Many find Atticus to be the hero of the book, however, my fondness for the sheriff grows with each read.
A classic!
must read if you haven't.
Who would not love this book? It is an American classic. I hae read it numerous times.
A must-read classic.
Older classic book. I had to read for a class. Shows the roots of human behavior from all aspects.
I just couldn't finish this book, I have a hard time reading older authors that use a different type of grammar. It almost seemed like Old English or something from Hamlet - that type of writing. Then again, maybe I wasn't ready to read it - I did make it through 85 pages, but decided it was time to move on.
A little predictable and stretched out, but a good story nonetheless.
The classic.
Still a classic...my favorite fiction by far!
One of the true classics. A must read for everyone.
A classic. What can I say. If you were a student in 7th or 8th grade you read this book. It is excellent and a must for everyone.
I had read this because I had to as assigned reading in school.
Recently, as a member of a book club, we re-read it. It was wonderful!
I am sorry I didn't "get it" when I was younger, but I'm awfully glad I got a chance to read it again!
Recently, as a member of a book club, we re-read it. It was wonderful!
I am sorry I didn't "get it" when I was younger, but I'm awfully glad I got a chance to read it again!
It was not intersting at all.
I did enjoy this book. I read it when I was in high school and wanted to read it again. It's a great classic
Scout Finch grows up in 1940s while learning that the world is not as fair as she thinks it should be. As she is coming of age she deals with things like being lady, racial issues, and hate crimes. Although the last two usually come hand and hand. The book is mostly about Scout growing up and that there is a trial that is judge by the jury more by race the evidence. Scout her brother Jem separately deal with the outcome of the trial.
I was surprised at how much I did enjoy this. Years ago it was assigned to our English class and I hate reading for school. So I never read it then but watch the movie with Cary Grant in class. Now I havent seen the movies in years but I mostly remember it being on the trial. The trial is a part of the book but there is so much more to it.
I can not think of anything I did not like in this book. Love it and can see why it is a classic
I was surprised at how much I did enjoy this. Years ago it was assigned to our English class and I hate reading for school. So I never read it then but watch the movie with Cary Grant in class. Now I havent seen the movies in years but I mostly remember it being on the trial. The trial is a part of the book but there is so much more to it.
I can not think of anything I did not like in this book. Love it and can see why it is a classic
A very good book.
One of the best. Great teaching tool for Civil Rights Era.
This story of life in a small Alabama town in the 1930s is a classic. I read it in high school and recently decided to reread the novel about Scout, Jem and Atticus Finch. The tone of the book seems to capture beautifully the comings and goings of the citizens in this Smalltown America in the years after the Depression.
Atticus Finch
** To Kill a Mockingbird
Go Set a Watchman
Atticus Finch
** To Kill a Mockingbird
Go Set a Watchman
What a classic! Always a great read!
This book was okay for a book assigned for school.
definitely a favorite
love this book.
always a great read. I have read it twice and have found new and innovative ideas each and every time.
always a great read. I have read it twice and have found new and innovative ideas each and every time.
I have read this book three times now, each time a few years apart. Perhaps I'm getting older (and wiser) but I appreciate the literature more each time I read it. I love the style of writing. This is historical fiction at its finest, and it is a must read for everyone, in my opinion. A true classic. I am quite sure that I will read it, again!
This book is not in the greatest shape. However, it is intact. It has lots of underlining. It is a classic.
Still as fabulous today as when it was written. One of the best books of all time.
dynamic read
The unforgettable novel of a childhood ina 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.
Compassonate, dramatic, and deeply moving, TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD takes readers t the roots of human behavior-to innocence and experience, kindnessand cruelty, love and hatred, humor and pathos. Now withover 15 million copies in print and translated into forty languages, this regonal 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.
Compassonate, dramatic, and deeply moving, TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD takes readers t the roots of human behavior-to innocence and experience, kindnessand cruelty, love and hatred, humor and pathos. Now withover 15 million copies in print and translated into forty languages, this regonal 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.
One of my favorite books of all time. Everyone should read at least once in their lifetime. No matter how old I get this will always be a classic. My favorite literary characters
What can I say that hasn't already been said? Except that Atticus Finch is probably my favorite literary character of all time...
An absolute classic- a staple in any library!
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 takes readers to the roots of human behavior - to innocence and experience, kindness and cruelty, love and hatred, humor and pathos. Now with over 15 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.
Compassionate, dramatic, and deeply moving, To Kill a Mockingbird takes readers to the roots of human behavior - to innocence and experience, kindness and cruelty, love and hatred, humor and pathos. Now with over 15 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.
EVERYONE already knows this is a SPECTACULAR book --- why am I even bothering?
Read it, then watch the film. Enough said.
This is a timeless story that should be read by every teenager and reread many times. The movie of it is also excellent (they aren't usually). Wish Harper Lee had written more.
The unforgettable novel of a childhood in a sleepy southern town and the crisis of conscience that rocked it. This takes readers to the roots of human behavior-to innocence and experience, kindness and cruelty, love and hatred, humor and pathos. Now with over 15 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.
I just recently purchased this book. It has been read once and is in excellent condition.
