| The explosion of racial hate and violence in a
small Alabama town is viewed by a little girl whose
father defends a Black man accused of rape. One of the
best-loved classics of all time, To Kill a
Mockingbird is the Library's BIG READ in March
& April.
Charles Shields' book furnishes an in-depth,
meticulously researched portrait of the enigmatic
Harper Lee, describing her struggle to create her
famed novel, and her contributions to her lifelong
friend Truman Capote's novel In Cold Blood.
Editor's Notes:
Information about the
Big Read
Take the National Education Association Survey
A special note on Harper Lee - There is
much disagreement over whether Harper Lees family is
related to Robert E. Lee. I found many sites that say
yes and just as many that said no.
The
To Kill a Mockingbird student survival guide
has great annotations explaining some of the
allusions and idioms in the book these are not cliff
notes but helpful references to passages that may
include dated items and terms. These are actually
fascinating notes even if you understand the words
and allusions.
A Study Guide by David Claudon is a
fascinating site. Not all the links work but those
that do take the reader to places of imagination and
information Be careful if you click on the 1930s
prejudice link it is an uncomfortable look at what
Life magazine considered appropriate content at the
time. The commentary is a pointed but portrayal of the
accepted prejudice.
Read the August 1960 review from
Atlantic Monthly
Reader reviews at
AllReaders
The National Endowment for the Humanities
Profiles in Courage on Harper Lee and To Kill A
Mockingbird lots about the Scottsboro Trial and
very good links to other information in addition to
what is provided on the site.
The
WebEnglish Teacher site is a solid educational
link whether you are teaching or learning or perhaps
doing both. The site serves information and is a
portal to more information in many cases from other
teachers.
The Reading Group Guides site offers good
questions for discussion of the book.
Read a nice bio of Harper Lee @
Teenreads
The
Teenreads summary of the book with excerpt.
January 2006 New York Times article -
Harper Lee, Gregarious for a Day
A short bio of Harper Lee
Information on Harper Lee from the Big Read
This
StorySouth piece is finely written and really
should be read after you have finished the book and
been privy to the magnificence of it and the movie it
inspired. |
2008
Big Read
