IN MEMORY OF HARPER LEE, APRIL 28, 1926 – FEBRUARY 19, 2016

                                                                      

          Harper Lee, the writer from Monroeville, Alabama, best known for writing To Kill a Mockingbird, died on Thursday, February 19, in her hometown, at the age of 89.  Her novel became a classic when it was published in 1960, and received the Pulitzer Prize in fiction in 1961.  Many Americans  have read her novel during their years in high school.  Actor Gregory Peck made the novel  unforgettable, when he played Atticus Finch in the film version, released in 1962. 
       Harper Lee lived most of her life in Monroeville, Alabama.  One of her childhood friends was Truman Capote, on whom she based the character of Dill.  She later helped him with his research for In Cold Blood.  Harper Lee’s father was an attorney, and she grew up watching him defend his clients in the Monroeville courtroom, just as her character, Scout, does, in the fictional town of Maycomb.  Scout’s father, Atticus Finch,  defends a black man, Tom Robinson, who is accused of raping a white woman, Mayella Ewell.  Even though the evidence strongly suggests he is innocent, Tom is convicted.  Scout admires her father for defending a black man, and fighting for the truth.
        A year ago, Harper Collins announced that Harper Lee’s first book, Go Set a Watchman, would be published in July 2015.  Anticipation mounted as various literary experts tried to anticipate what the newly published novel would reveal.  The author originally wrote this novel in the mid-1950’s, and was told to rewrite the novel  from the point of view of Jean Louise (Scout) as a child.  She then wrote To Kill a Mockingbird.  Go Set a Watchman is set in the mid-1950’s, when Jean Louise is in her 20’s, and returns to Maycomb to visit her father.  Atticus Finch is shown as a man struggling with a changing society, and civil rights in her original book.
         For more information on both books, and my review of Go Set A Watchman, please see  earlier posts on this blog.  August 6, 2015 – “Harper Lee – from To Kill a Mockingbird to Go Set a Watchman,” and August 17, 2015 – “Go Set A Watchman – a Review.
        Harper Lee became famous immediately after To Kill a Mockingbird  was published.  Initially, she gave interviews and traveled to promote her book.  She spent time on the set of the movie, and became life-long friends with Gregory Peck and his family.  However, she was uncomfortable with her fame and chose to lead a private life in Monroeville, Alabama.  If you would like to learn more about Harper Lee, two biographies have been published in the last ten years

1.  Mockingbird; a portrait of Harper Lee, by Charles Shields, 2006
2. The Mockingbird Next Door; life with Harper Lee, by Marja Mills, 2014.

The Northfield Public Library has copies of both books.
        The literary world mourns the loss of a great American writer, who provided a thought provoking classic novel read in most high schools for many decades.  She will live on through her two novels.  Thank you and goodbye, Harper Lee.  You will be missed.