Open Floor > Books and Authors

To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee

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Snowbird:
I am beginning this board with one of my favorite books. 
I would like to request that a new topic be used for each book instead of going from one book to another, or one author to another, on the same topic.  This will allow members to search the topics to see which book/author they would like to discuss.

Snowbird:
I know that I have read To Kill A Mockingbird at least 20 times, more than any other book ever written.  The main reason for this is that I read it to all of my Language classes that I taught the last four years before I retired.  We also watched the video. 

In my opinion, it is one book that is hard to put down, and although it is easy reading, it is also a well written book.  Being a Southerner I can relate to the plot, and being an old Southerner I can relate to that time period. 

The thing many people wonder about it why Harper Lee never wrote another book.  Was she afraid that another book would not be as good and would disappoint her fans, was it that she didn't have the imagination for another book, or was it just too much work?
 

Merry Prankster:
Thanks for answering my question about Harper Lee.  I was going to ask whether she had written anything else.  Pure speculation, but could she have tried and just given up in frustration that she couldn't approach Mockingbird?  Reminds me of a legend/story about Olivier.  One night, he gave what those who saw it considered it to be the perfect performance of Lear.  After giving his final bows, he came off of the stage and was absolutely furious, storming into his dressing room.  His assistant supposedly entered his dressing room timidly and asked why Olivier was so angry.  Olivier said, "did you see my performance?" His assistant replied "yes, and it was the greatest performance of Lear I've ever seen.  Why are so you angry?"  Olivier is said to have responded "because I don't know whether I'll ever be able to do it again."  Once you've been to the top of the mountain can you ever settle for less of a view?

Snowbird:
I read in the book Mockingbird that was written about Harper Lee that she was reclusive and regretted losing her privacy.  It said she did work on a second book but has never finished it.  She was also friends with Truman Capote and helped him research the book In Cold Blood.  Then he dedicated it to her but gave her little credit for all she did to help him with it.

Her life was much like Scout in the book as far as how she grew up.  Atticus was very much like her father who was a lawyer.

Prairie Dawn:
One of my favorite books.  Like MP, I wondered why she did not write another book.  I was thrilled when my daughter had to read it in high school.  We read it together and had many amazing discussions about the book.  Reading it again was like visiting an old friend.  It was so much fun to see my daughter get excited about a book (at the time her life revolved around horses, nothing else).  Lol, I would not let her see the movie until she read the book. 

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