Re-read of To Kill A Mockingbird - July 2015

[Suzy]

I think typewriters were Underwood? But I agree with selection of names, including places in books. This one is full of interesting southern names.

One thing I've been reading lately is that Lee's intention was to portray life in a southern small town during the depression. I think she fulfilled that intention well. I grew up in a town of 2500, a county seat, in Illinois and while we did not have the racial component to that culture, I related to and could picture so much of this story.

I also think Lee nailed children. (I've not seen that discussed much given the other predominant themes.) Not just a child's point of view through Scout's narration, but also children in general. How they think, what they do, how they relate to adults, what they're spooked by, etc. An example that stood out to me was being scared of "haints" (is that the spelling?), the cold spots in the woods. I can remember these too and that there was lore associated with them.

[Tom, "Big Daddy"]

Suzy wrote: "I think typewriters were Underwood?"

I think you are right, now that you mention it. I'll fix that.

[Suzy]

Tom wrote: "Suzy wrote: "I think typewriters were Underwood?"

I think you are right, now that you mention it."

My Mom had one :). By the time I got to taking typing in school, we had electrics, but I originally learned on my Mom's manual. Those were the days. Clickety, click, click, click, ding . . . carriage return.

[Tom, "Big Daddy"]

Suzy wrote: "An example that stood out to me was being scared of "haints" (is that the spelling?), the cold spots in the woods. I can remember these too and that there was lore associated with them."

A book that I read recently that had everything you could possibly want to know about this subject (and more) is Ozark Magic and Folklore.

[Tom, "Big Daddy"]

I stayed up past my bedtime last night to finish Mockingbird and started reading Watchman this morning. She hasn't gotten off the train yet but I'm enjoying it.

Here's my review, such as it is. Impression may be a better word for it.

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Suzy]

You're all reminding me I need to write my review of Mockingbird!!

[Tom, "Big Daddy"]

When we were reading Tobacco Road there was a conversation regarding the Jeeters from TR and the Joads from The Grapes of Wrath and how the families both had nothing yet were still radically different. In TKaM, the same differences can be seen by comparing the Cunningham and the Ewell families. Both are dirt poor but one seems to have a sense of pride and honor that the other lacks.

[Beverly]

TKAM is my all time favorite book! I am currently listening to the audible version and it just confirms it is my favorite. Highly recommend listening to this.

[Suzy]

Beverly wrote: "TKAM is my all time favorite book! I am currently listening to the audible version and it just confirms it is my favorite. Highly recommend listening to this."

I loved Sissy Spacek's reading of this! I agree that listening was a great way to experience TKAM.

[John]

I had never heard of Stonewall Jackson being referred to as Ol Blue Light.

His men in the Stonewall Brigade say it came from a strange blue light that could be seen in the eyes of Jackson before a battle.

His final words were," 'Let us cross over the river, and rest under the shade of the trees' ". Died 8 days after being mistakenly shot by friendly fire.

[LA]

Stonewall and those blue eyes of his were ridiculously popular with the Confederate ladies of the time. Once, in a hotel lobby in 1862, he was accosted by a gaggle of women who not only ran up to him but ripped the buttons off his jacket. He made some sort of comment about it being the very first time he'd been totally surrounded by the enemy.

He is mentioned as an idol of Belle, one of the real-life females written about in the non=fiction book, Liar, Temptress, Soldier, Spy: Four Women Undercover in the Civil War.

[John]

"Miss Jean Louise, stand up. Your father's passin"

[Tom, "Big Daddy"]

John wrote: ""Miss Jean Louise, stand up. Your father's passin""

One of my all-time favorite movie lines.

[John]

what a story.

[penneminreads]

I'm joining the discussion rather late - anyway, of course I loved TKAM. I'm a slow reader when I enjoy a book this much, as a way of savoring, I guess, and this was one of the novels I read very intensively. I really took my time just diving into Lee's prose and all the wonderful imaginative episodes and characters.

[John]

today's NYT crossword clue. ps no fair looking, I could'a dun that. Memory only.

Bob Ewell's daughter in To Kill a Mockingbird. 7 leters
_a_____

[LA]

Crud. Marlene? I forget!

[John]

That's a good guess. It's on my short list. the short list of one! You had me at crud for a minute

[Karin]

John wrote: "today's NYT crossword clue. ps no fair looking, I could'a dun that. Memory only.

Bob Ewell's daughter in To Kill a Mockingbird. 7 leters
_a_____"
mayella

[John]

oo oo let me run and see if i have what it takes to make it work.

Well Done Karin, it fits with tulip, yet i have a fire and brimstone clue to work out. I'm going with Mayella since it rings a bell with me. Thanks to you and LuAnne..

and all along i thought this was the b-ball rehash room.
cheerio

[Tom, "Big Daddy"]

John wrote: "oo oo let me run and see if i have what it takes to make it work.

Well Done Karin, it fits with tulip, yet i have a fire and brimstone clue to work out. I'm going with Mayella since it rings a bel..."

That sounds like the crossword I had last week.

[John]

I have them going back 6 months or more. I'm a couple inches short of a mile.