To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee - May 2016

[Kristie, Moderator (Retired)]

Our themed BOTM for May is To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee. Please discuss here and remember to use spoiler tags as needed, as everyone may start at different times and reads at different speeds.

Also, the theme this month was books made into movies. If you watch the movie, please tell us what you think of that to! Any comparison? Did you like the way the book was represented? How was the casting? Would you have done something differently?



The unforgettable novel of a childhood in a sleepy Southern town and the crisis of conscience that rocked it, To Kill A Mockingbird became both an instant bestseller and a critical success when it was first published in 1960. It went on to win the Pulitzer Prize in 1961 and was later made into an Academy Award-winning film, also a classic.

Compassionate, dramatic, and deeply moving, To Kill A Mockingbird takes readers to the roots of human behavior—to innocence and experience, kindness and cruelty, love and hatred, humor and pathos. Now with over 18 million copies in print and translated into forty languages, this regional story by a young Alabama woman claims universal appeal. Harper Lee always considered her book to be a simple love story. Today it is regarded as a masterpiece of American literature.

[Kristie, Moderator (Retired)]

I don't recall ever reading this book in school, so this will be a first read for me! I am really looking forward it.

I have also never seen the movie, so I may have to see if I can get it since that is the theme for the month. :)

[Shannon]

its been years since i read this so i am going to re read it again

[Kristie, Moderator (Retired)]

I just started this one. I'm looking forward to it. I hope I love it, since so many people seem to, but I don't usually enjoy classics. I certainly feel like I should have read it by now anyway. I'm only at 8% and like it so far, so that's a good sign.

[Cindy]

Good night everyone, just got a PDF copy of this book, never read it before, so I'm looking forward to it. I'll start when I've finished the book I'm reading now. Good reading everyone.

[Kristie, Moderator (Retired)]

I know I'm a bit early, but I'm going to put my thoughts down now and join the discussion later. :)

35% (view spoiler)[ I have a feeling something bad is going to happen with Atticus because he is defending that man to the best of his ability even though he knows he can't win. It is definitely the right thing to do, but I'm worried about his safety and his kids too, but mostly him. (hide spoiler)]

[Laura]

I'm going to read this one - it's been a long time since I've read it.

[Kristie, Moderator (Retired)]

I just finished. I thought it was a great book. I can't believe I didn't read it before now.

Spoiler is for the end of the book. (view spoiler)[ I was so sad when Tom was convicted. I kind of knew he would be, but it still made me sad. I was even more sad when he was killed. Heartbreaking. Thank God for good people giving his wife a job and taking care of her.

I was also surprised that Ewell went after the kids! I was worried for Atticus. I was afraid that someone (or a group of people) was going to kill him for represented Tom. Thank goodness for Scout talking those men down at the jail!

Oh and Boo Radley <3 Thank you for being amazing. (hide spoiler)]

I'm ready to discuss with anyone that is reading it. :) There are so many characters, situations, events, and themes to discuss.

my short review

[Emma]

I've read this book so many times before, and I'm always happy to read it at least twice a year.

[Debra]

I've read this twice and I loved it each time. I think I enjoyed it even more the last time I read it!

[Barbara]

I liked it so much!!!

[Silvia]

I read this one a couple of years ago and loved it! I decided to read it because I found many references of TKAM in other books and I was curious :-D it was awesome!!!

[Sarah]

I just read this book for my english class and it was amazing. There's so many interesting things in there and the style is really cool! I appreciated it a lot!

[Esther]

This Book is amazing! So glad it was required reading in school!

[Rene]

Good read and I also read her new book.

[Fathleen]

I read this book my freshman year of high school. Now that I'm a senior and will be graduating in ten days, I am excited to reread it and see how I interpret it now and what I think about it, especially since I'm older and ready to begin my life as an adult.

[Barb]

I believe this will be the third time I have read it, and it has been years since I have read it. This book really does not get old.

[Kim]

An absolute lifetime favorite, have read it so many times. I read it once a year while teaching at the Naval Academy Prep School, which was 4 times, and had read it at least 3 times previous to that. I can hear the narrator's voice talking about talcum powder building up like layers of sugar...I saw the movie before I ever read the book, it was when it first came out and my parents took me. I was maybe 6 or 7, Bob Ewell terrified me. Scout and Jem felt like friends, Atticus was my hero. It has been a major influence on me all my life, a very positive one.

[Marylene]

I read this book in high school and I remember thinking it was just ok, but this time around I really liked it. It's funny how we look at things at different points in your life. I guess I really didn't like being told to read it back then and that also had something to do with it.

[Kristie, Moderator (Retired)]

Marylene - I have the same issue with being told to read books. They're never as good as what you choose to read on your own.

[Laura]

Read it as a student = hated it. Read it as an adult = LOVED IT! Gave it 5 stars - listened to the audio book - beautifully written story, loved the characters and absolute loved Sissy Spacek as the narrator.

[Paan]

I read this book since high school and didn't quite understand the whole story much. I wasn't paying attention to the details and characters too. Guess it's time to reread the book then. :-D

[Marie]

i currently read ths book.For now, I do not know how many stars I'll put it because I'm a bit critical of this book. Indeed, I absolutely love the characters and the writing of Harper LeeApart from them, I do not really like the book. I like being in the head of Scout ( this is an adorable girl ) and I find it very original from the author choose to have it as the main character rather Atticus . Sometimes it makes me laugh and I think I prefer Scout and the other characters than the story

[Ashley Dorendorf]

I love To Kill A Mockingbird! It's been my favorite book since high school. I just watched the movie a few months ago on Netflix and it's wonderful as well, highly suggest it

[Kristie, Moderator (Retired)]

Thanks, Ashley. I plan to watch it at some point.

[Elinaly]

One of the best books I have read!

Wonderfully clear and simple writing, but oh how much wisdom and truth is hidden between the lines.
Ingenious!

Can you believe that I found myself giggling all the time while reading it and that despite the fact that the book had such a serious theme. Just brilliant book, I tell'ya!

[Laura]

I read this book earlier in the year and think it's absolutely amazing. I love that is is narrated through a child as oppose to an adult. It gives the storytelling a touch of innocence.

[Wyna]

Is this really good?. I try to read this but I got bored in the first page. I'm very picky

[Rori]

It's a great classic but it kind of depends on individual taste. It has an important underlying message and the characters are really endearing:)

[Allyson]

I've never really liked how they decide the mockingbird's innocence though. I get the message, I just thought it was a bad example. But otherwise, very interesting

[Maggie the Muskoka Library Mouse]

I need to revisit this one. I remember reading it in school and thinking it was good enough to buy a copy of my own, but I have not tried it as an adult. I should see if it's still as good as I remember.

[Kristie, Moderator (Retired)]

I really enjoyed it, Maggie. I don't typically love classics, but this one was good.