Helpful Score: 2
This is an excellent biography of Harper Lee, the author of "To Kill a Mockingbird." I picked this up through a book club because I really did not know much about Harper Lee aside from "Mockingbird." I learned a lot about her from reading this, such as the fact that she and Truman Capote met when they were children and became lifelong friends. In fact, he was the model for the character of Dill in "Mockingbird." Lee also helped Capote out with research for his book "In Cold Blood," traveling with him to the small town where the crime occured and helping him interview residents for information for the book.
Overall, this was an excellent profile of a very private woman, and after reading this book, I find myself seeing her as more than the author of "Mockingbird" and admiring her for everything else that she accomplished in her life.
Overall, this was an excellent profile of a very private woman, and after reading this book, I find myself seeing her as more than the author of "Mockingbird" and admiring her for everything else that she accomplished in her life.
Helpful Score: 1
This is a true insight into the life of Nelle Harper Lee who most everone knows wrote, To Kill A Mockingbird. This story captures Nelle's life and all that she has accomplished. She was a very strong woman who never really wanted to be famous. Her life is so interesting that this story just flowed and the desire to keep flipping pages is strong. There are pictures that i loved seeing beacuse i like to put names to faces. This was a very worthwhile read. If you have read To Kill A Mockingbird, which is a treasure of itself, you will enjoy this read, finding out where that beautiful book came from.
Helpful Score: 1
An interesting biography of Harper Lee. It provides insight as to why she never wrote a second novel. It also provides information on her relationship with childhood friend Truman Capote. Since Ms. Lee is so reclusive, it is as close as you are going to get to her. She leaves no breadcrumbs, gives no interviews and walks away when people try to talk to her about Mockingbird or anything really. An interesting read.
Helpful Score: 1
This book would have made a good magazine article for a monthly but had much that was more relevant to Truman Capote and Harper's father rather than her. It's sources are primarily secondary and it offered far less illumination into Harper Lee than I had hoped.
Interesting history of "To Kill A Mockingbird," but a bit disappointing portrait of Nelle Harper Lee, because the author was unable to interview her.
I almost hate to post this book because I enjoyed it so much and I hate to see it go. However, since I now know why Harper Lee didn't write another book and I now know what her contribution to "In Cold Blood" was and I understand her relationship to Truman Capote, I'm content to let it go so that someone else can enjoy Charles Shields' telling of the Harper Lee story. I so enjoyed this book that I found myself limiting how much I read each day so that I could prolong the story. It is a good book because Harper Lee is such an interesting person. If you were enthralled with "To Kill a Mockingbird" you've got to read this book.
Good book!
Reading this book gave me insight into Nelle Harper Lee's life as was intended by the book. I enjoyed the parallels with her own life and that of the character Scout in her novel. I enjoyed the friendship she maintained with Truman Capote. She was clearly a very loyal person to her family and friends. A wonderful book.
This is a hardcover book.
