5.0 out of 5 stars
A Classic for a Reason, Mar 16 2008
To Kill a Mockingbird is a classic. I tend to read a lot of modern fiction and don't pick up a classic too often. But I discovered that there is a reason this book is considered a classic. It is an absolute masterpiece. I loved the writing style of Harper Lee - it was simple and easy to read and yet so very powerful in its message. The struggle life in the south with the prevalent prejudices of the time of the blacks and whites living together in a small town is shown through the eyes of a young girl named Scout. Life is straight forward and simple to her and there are clear lines between what is right and wrong. The life lessons provided by her father, Atticus, still ring true today, decades later. There are so many lines from this book that will stay with me. It was powerful and meaningful. I strongly recommend it to anyone. Especially those who think it will be an old book and, therefore, difficult to read. It's well worth a reader's time to check it out.
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5.0 out of 5 stars
Who could not like this book?, April 15 2007
Like many great novels, TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD is a book to die for... This fictional novel was written in the era of racism, the infamous 1960s. Though written when racial discrimination was commonly accepted, it radically imposes the thought of tolerance. Scout Finch is an aggressive, non-effeminate, little girl always looking for adventures that lurks throughout Maycomb County. Scout's curiosity leads her brother and herself into trying to catch a glimpse of the mysterious, Boo Radley. Being discreet as possible, Boo leaves subtle clues and gifts for the two within a log tree. Atticus Finch, Scout and Jem's father, forbids them to continue bothering poor Boo Radley. After being assigned the attorney for Tom Robinson, a persecuted African-American for rape, Atticus is tied up with a perilous task which burdens his family from the town. Sought as the "nigger-lovers", Atticus preserves his moral composure and does resists from violence, as the innocence of Scout and Jem slowly deteriorates. Atticus's unique personality understands the world's good and evil due to his experiences. As the novel progresses, Scout and Jem learn to appreciate the good in people and sympathize for the bad. TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD, is a Pulitzer-winning book-and why? It continues to be a classic because it not only displays to everyone the rational and compassionate side of human-nature, but teaches one to appreciate humans from all aspects. Given as a gift, assigned for a class, or bought, TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD is a piece of American history and should be read by anyone who enjoys literature at its finest. Of the three novels I've read for class lately (OF MICE AND MEN by Steinbeck and KATZENJAMMER by McCrae), this was my favorite. While I enjoyed the others, this one really has heart and will be around for a long time.
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