To Kill A Mockingbird Turns Fifty

We can only imagine how many millions of American high school students have read Harper Lee's To Kill A Mockingbird since its publication fifty years ago this summer. I graduated from high school in 1964 and don't recall if the book was required reading; however, it did make the list in college. In fact, I still have my paperback edition, scuffed, tattered, dog-eared, and browned by age after several readings by me and my children.

A tip to Glenn Reynolds (Instapundit) for bringing this anniversary to our attention. There isn't much at his post, but his link to the story in The Huffington Post has four defenses of this enduring work. There's also a link to a more critical review by Allen Barra that appeared late last month in The Wall Street Journal. Barra's observations are brief and well worth reading.

Earlier this month, I found an unusually good article in Southern Living magazine on Lee and her hometown, Monroeville, Alabama. Lee published a few essays after her bestseller and nothing more, choosing instead to lead a reclusive life with the help of locals when in Monroeville. Apparently she's there often and you could encounter her if you're at the right place at the right time. You can read a short version of the article here at the Southern Living website. Better yet, pick up a copy of the July issue and enjoy the whole story.