- Hardcover: 224 pages
- Publisher: Viking Juvenile (Mar 24 2009)
- Language: English
- ISBN-10: 0670010952
- ISBN-13: 978-0670010950
- Product Dimensions: 18.3 x 13.9 x 2.3 cm
- Shipping Weight: 295 g
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Amazon Bestsellers Rank:
#617,708 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #67 in Books > Teens > Biographies & Memoirs > Historical
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Product Details |
Product Description
Review
Extensive source notes and an excellent bibliography round out this superb biography, one of the best in the Up Close series. -Kirkus Reviews, starred review
Book Description
Read Kerry Madden's posts on the Penguin Blog.
Nelle Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird was published in 1960 and became an instant bestseller. Two years later it was an Academy Award– winning film. Today, it remains standard—and beloved—reading in English classes. But Lee never wanted “the book” to define who she was, which explains her aversion to any kind of publicity. Kerry Madden conducted extensive research for this Up Close biography, which reveals Lee to be a down-to-earth Southern woman who enjoys baseball games and playing golf—and whose one and only published book happened to win the Pulitzer Prize.
Nelle Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird was published in 1960 and became an instant bestseller. Two years later it was an Academy Award– winning film. Today, it remains standard—and beloved—reading in English classes. But Lee never wanted “the book” to define who she was, which explains her aversion to any kind of publicity. Kerry Madden conducted extensive research for this Up Close biography, which reveals Lee to be a down-to-earth Southern woman who enjoys baseball games and playing golf—and whose one and only published book happened to win the Pulitzer Prize.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews on Amazon.com (beta)
Amazon.com:
4.6 out of 5 stars (5 customer reviews)
12 of 14 people found the following review helpful
3.0 out of 5 stars
Not much new here, Dec 30 2009
By Alicia A. Powers "avid reader" - Published on Amazon.com
This review is from: Harper Lee (Hardcover)
I just read "Mockingbird" by Shields and "Up Close" back to back. Shields book was done in 2006, "Up Close" in 2009. There was very little new in "Up Close" that wasn't covered much better and in more detail by Shields. In fact, a lot of the authors' comments seemed almost exact. It's quite amazing that most the citations used were exactly the same. The photo cover for "Up Close" is also the same photo on the back of "Mockingbird," just a mirror version. This version seems a summary of the earlier book. If one wants the shorter version, apparently geared to younger than adult readers, "Up Close" will do, but Shields has also done a "for young readers" version. "Up Close" does update Lee's status since 2006, but that's only 5 or 6 small pages in the last chapter. Madden acknowledges Shields' work as an "unofficial biography," but Harper Lee also declined to cooperate with Madden's work, only wished her "the best, whether [she] pursued the project or not." Regardless of which you read, so far, there are no definitive answers to readers' most often asked questions. Facts are provided as available; some suppositions are drawn. The conclusions are up to the reader.
6 of 7 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars
You'll love this endearing biography of one of American's best authors!, July 28 2009
By D. Fowler "Dragonfly77" - Published on Amazon.com
This review is from: Harper Lee (Hardcover)
Nelle Harper Lee is and was a very private person. "Nelle," pronounced "nail," in Monroeville was "just plain folks," according to the town librarian, Bunny Hines, but to the rest of the world she was quite something else altogether. She was the author of "To Kill A Mockingbird," and that set her forever apart from all the rest of the plain old folks in the world. In 1964 she became fed up with all the journalistic intrusions into her life and "called it quits on all formal interviews by 1964." She figured if anyone wanted to know anything about her "they should read the book." Millions have and millions more will.Born on April 28, 1926 into a very talented, loving family she soon became "Dody" to them. She was a rootin' tootin' tomboy who wouldn't quit. She loved to play football and if you didn't watch out she just might stiff-arm you and knock you into tomorrow. There was, in addition to her family, one other person she loved and that was her best friend, Truman Capote. Nelle and another friend, Big Boy swiped his Trimotor Ford Airplane when he wasn't home and decided to fly it off "the slanted roof of the Faulks' barn." Enough said on that one. When Truman left in 1932 their friendship not only survived, but flourished (in spite of her wrecking the Trimotor). Oddly enough the two young next door neighbors became two of the south's treasured authors. In this book you will get a glimpse of Harper Lee you may not have seen before from her childhood, to her life in Manhattan, to Hollywood and back home again. If you want to know, her perhaps you will come away with a "feel" for her that may have escaped you in "Mockingbird" or in classroom lectures.
I enjoyed this book tremendously and read many things about her I never knew before. There were a couple of facts about her mother I would rather not have read, but people need and want to know about Nelle. The book was very well written and reasearched and is far from a plodder. In fact, when I turned the last page I simply wanted it to go on and on. Many have tried to give Nelle's voice to their work, but only she can do that. In the meantime this book, for the young adult, is as good as it gets. The only thing missing was her authorization and in her words, "I may be old, but I'm still breathing."
6 of 7 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars
An exceptional survey perfect for readers assigned to TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD, May 8 2009
By Midwest Book Review - Published on Amazon.com
This review is from: Harper Lee (Hardcover)
Teens familiar with TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD will find essential this focus on its author, a reclusive figure who has receives relatively little attention despite her award-winning book. Kerry Madden conducted extensive research and personal interviews in Lee's hometown in Alabama for her biography, making for an exceptional survey perfect for readers assigned to TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD.
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