We can only imagine how many millions of American high school students have read Harper Lee's To Kill A Mockingbird since its publication on this day in 1960. 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.
The author, Harper Lee, died in 2016. I doubt her hometown, Monroeville, Alabama, hasn't been the same without her. She spent her entire life there living a rather reclusive existence with the help of locals who spent a half century sending curious fans everywhere but to Miss Nelle's place. On the other hand , she did venture out and those who were at the right place at the right time were welcomed by her smile and polite conversation. Southern living magazine published an extensive article about the relationship between Lee and her town on the fiftieth anniversary of the publication of her world famous novel. You can read a short version of the article here.
There hasn't been much said about To Kill A Mockingbird since the hoopla surrounding its fiftieth anniversary and death of Lee the following year. I did find this article from the German news site, DW, exploring the books more more contemporary interpretation. For more details and references on the book and the author, go here and here.
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