To Kill a Mockingbird

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Average customer rating 4.9 (40 comments)

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Loved this book, I read it in high school, and loved it. This is aa classic that will always be popular. Well written, and just a fun story to read. Everyone I know loves this book. I would recommend buying it so you'll always have it to read whenever you want.

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Harper Lee is a one-book wonder. Engaging plot, incredible characters, and great insight into American life and race relations. Truly, and American Literary Classic!

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Such a beautiful book. I wanted to read it again before I read the new Harper Lee novel. I hadn't read it since junior high school. The characters and the town were so vivid to me. I love the way Scout and Jem grow and change over the years. The story is told through the eyes of young Scout. It is a coming of age story but also a story about racism in the south in the 1930s. It is a timeless story and hasn't lost any of it's power even after 55 years.

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"I wanted you to see what real courage is,instead of getting the idea that courage is a man with a gun in his hand.It's when you know you're licked before you begin,but you begin anyway and see it through no matter what."~Atticus Finch from To Kill A Mockingbird To Kill A Mockingbird is a coming of age novel told from the young perspective of Scout Finch,a tomboy, growing up in the South during the time of The Great Depression. This story taught me about the importance of moral education,good vs evil and also a great chunk of American History as well.To Kill A Mockingbird is simply,a masterpiece,a great american novel,and a memorable historical novel that will benefit any reader's life. I pity the those who have not yet picked up this novel,I pity that they have not been able to meet such marvelous,enchanting characters like Atticus Finch,Scout and Jem,Boo Radley and Tom Robertson. This is the literary the perfect book.

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I watch the movie every few months as a sort of cleansing action for the soul, but there are scenes in the book that the movie leaves out that greatly enhance the reading experience. In the movie, for example, Reverend Sykes famously tells Scout to stand as Atticus leaves the courtroom because, "Your father's passing." In the book, Calipurnia actually takes Jem and Scout to attend services at her church, and we see Reverend Sykes in further action. He takes up a special collection for the Tom Robinson family, but won't allow his congregants to leave until they've ponied up $10. We also learn Mrs. Dubose's backstory and why she's so mean to Scout.

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Somehow, I was never assigned this brilliant novel in school and would have gladly taken it over "The Scarlet Letter" any day. It may have been written over fifty years ago, but the novel's themes of justice, compassion, and courage are every bit as relevant today. (Particularly in light of the Supreme Court's DOMA decision.) But these themes never feel heavy-handed or preachy, especially as explored by Scout Finch, one of the most delightfully stubborn yet true and honest narrators of all time. The way Lee is able to impart such wisdom through the thoughts and struggles of a young, innocent child is truly astonishing.

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I have watched the movie multiple times and finally decided to read the book. Definately one of the top 3 books I have ever read.

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Loved it! I feel in love with the father because his personality and morals. This is a book that will make you think; yet, still keep a little bit of naive thoughts from the perspective of a child.

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I loved this book. Both parts of the book are very well-done, and although each seems to be separate at first, Lee does a great job of weaving in themes from the first into the second. The children have very child-like perspectives. They do not seem adult beyond their years. Every character - particularly each of the Finches - is distinctive. I liked how Atticus shows depth. He is not heroic simply because of who he is defending as an attorney but his entire outlook on the case and its significance to his family and career. This book seems so simple, but it's about several things at once - racism, injustice, social status, innocence, accusation, and experience.

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It had been over ten years since the last time I read this book, and it is just as amazing as when I was a child reading it for the first time. Though I did not realize it then, this book, at the very least, set in stone certain ideals about fairness, understanding and advocacy. Atticus helped raise me.

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I loved this book. Both parts of the book are very well-done, and although each seems to be separate at first, Lee does a great job of weaving in themes from the first into the second. The children have very child-like perspectives. They do not seem adult beyond their years. Every character - particularly each of the Finches - is distinctive. I liked how Atticus shows depth. He is not heroic simply because of who he is defending as an attorney but his entire outlook on the case and its significance to his family and career. This book seems so simple, but it's about several things at once - racism, injustice, social status, innocence, accusation, and experience.

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To Kill A Mockingbird By: Harper Lee To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee is a fantastic novel, which takes place in the small town of Maycomb, Alabama. It covers two years in the life of Scout, the protagonist, and her brother Jem. It is based off of Scouts point of view, looking back at the summer of 1933. Atticus Finch, a lawyer and Jem and Scout’s father, defends a black man, sending the town into chaos. Scout is quickly shown the unfairness of the world as the town spreads rumors of her father. However, she tries to stay strong and make her father proud by not fighting back. One of the main themes of To Kill A Mockingbird is “You don’t have to be big to make a difference.” A quote that shows this is, “So it took an eight-year-old child to bring 'em to their senses, didn’t it?”-Atticus (Pg. 210) I think this is so true and applicable to life. Scout shows Maycomb that she can make a difference, even if it is just in her small town. Harper Lee is a terrific writer, and makes strong connections to real-world problems. As you read, you will experience compassion, drama, kindness, love, hatred, humor and chaos, all in Harper Lee’s To Kill A Mockingbird.

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One of the best and most important books ever written. It takes place in the south during the first half of the 1930's from the perspective of a young, curious and brave young girl. She learns some hard lessons about love, hate, loyalty, friendship and doing what is right. Read it. You will never forget it. It will change your heart/soul - or it should!

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This gets my vote for the best American novel of the 20th century. It is a true masterpiece of complexity while remaining accessible, dealing with multiple issues while clearly making its point on racism. I was out of high school when it came out and didn't get it assigned in college--it wasn't part of the canon yet. I saw the movie and only recently realized I'd never actually read the book. Slurped it up. Will read it regularly now.

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Fantastic book! Now my son is reading it and he's 14, just older than I was when I first read it. Thinking about getting him a 40th anniversary copy.

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This is a beautiful story about the racism and innocence. My favorite. I attempt to read it at least once a year :)

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“To Kill A Mockingbird” by Harper Lee is a southern drama about a child’s innocence and the truth about human nature. The story covers two years in the life of Scout, the protagonist, and her brother Jem. It takes place in a sleepy southern town in 1933. The story is told from Scout’s point of view, she is looking back at the summer when she turned six years old. Her father, Atticus Finch, who is a defense lawyer, is representing a black man accused of rape. As summer ends Scout starts school for the very first time. She is teased and bullied because her father is defending a black man. For the first time in her life Scout is exposed to the evil and unfairness of the world. Will Scout and Jem ever recover from the trauma of their childhood? The answer might be found in the song of a mockingbird. This is a very wonderful book that is hard to put down. If you like William Armstrong's “Sounder” you will like “To Kill A Mockingbird.”

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Sadly, I finally read this book at age 45 right after finishing a Master's Degree in Literature and Writing. It is what everyone said it is. Fabulous. Scout, and the men in her life were enchanting. The story is timeless. Ms. Lee was courageous to write this book and I hope that her work helped some folks to leave behind crippling attitudes and unfair bias.

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A timeless American classic about southern life in the 30's as seen through the eyes of a child.

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Read it for a school project and fell in love from the first page. I am Scout! Her fearless explorations of her surrounding world give us insights into the age she lived in, the good and the bad. A book about the wrongness of prejudice and the difference one good man can make. The movie is excellent too, Gregory Peck the perfect choice for Atticus. Highly recommended.

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I love this book. I really do. It touches so many important issues, love, social justice, innocence-- although at first when I started this (for school) I thought it was gonna be really dry, it was really amazing. I couldn't stop. If you're going to ever read one American novel, this could be the one you should pick.

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I had never read this classic, so last year when it's anniversary was publicized I decided I needed to read it. It was very good, a timeless lesson with heart. It does make you relect on the time when she wrote it and how it was ground breaking at that time.

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Harper Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird is a gem of a book and well-deserving of its status as one of the best of the 20th century. Lee masterfully weaves together stories of adolescent exuberance, mysterious events, and a rape trial set against the background of the segregated South. Atticus Finch, seen through the eyes of his daughter, stands as an example to the world of what fathers can be- gentle and strong, wise and loving. To Kill a Mockingbird is just as powerful now as it was when it was written and should be on the shelf of every book lover. A perfect book for young adults, fathers and justice-seekers everywhere.

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A beautifully written book, worth reading more than once.

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My favorite book. I re-read this every two or three years.

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I read Harper Lee's To Kill A Mockingbird many years ago, and although it may seem a book for adolescents, it most definitely is not. Then, while browsing a local book store last year, I found a hardcover 40th Anniversary Edition and bought it for my 13-year-old grandson. When he had completed reading it, I asked his thoughts. I was rewarded with the answer that it is now his favorite book (and at 13 he's a prolific reader). I hope he remembers those feelings well enough to recommend this book or present it to some future 13 year old. No one could ever be sorry for reading this book.

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I originally read this book for school a few years ago, but I was excited to read it, nevertheless, and I wasn't disappointed. It's a wonderful story that warms my heart every time I read it. This book embodies the phrase "curl up next to the fire with a good book". This book is perfect for every age.

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One of the great all time classics. A great book for young and old, and anyone in between !

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i loved the book. It was moving. Not a word misplaced and not a sentence extra. Harper Lee used great vocabulary but not at a difficult level. Easy and terrific read, catches readers from the first word.

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Defintely an amazing classic! Absoloutely loved it!

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A classic that always needs to be revisited.

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T o Kill a Mockingbird was, in short, a wonderful tale. Told through the eyes of 6/7/8 year-old Jean Louise Finch, it delves deep into: Small-town life, racism, child’s play, the strangeness of how women act around one another, kindness, and human nature, among other things. When Scout’s father, Atticus, quietly defies the town by defending a black man, Scout and her brother Jem are exposed to the new, ugly world that adults live in. I started reading To Kill a Mockingbird because I knew it was a classic for some reason. However, most of the non-Mark Twain “Classics” I have read turned out to be rather dry and full of the type of vernacular you might hear when somebody’s trying to act smart at a fancy dinner party. I encountered this: “If you just learn a single trick, Scout, you'll get along a lot better with all kinds of folks. You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view... Until you climb inside of his skin and walk around in it.” This book is amazing; in fact, amazing doesn’t seem to cut it. It’s dramatic; full of dry humor and deep emotions; it’s entertaining, which is what a book should be all about. For these reasons, I could not find any reviews with anything bad to say about it, even from people that sounded (at least online) like they needed to read a lot more books. It’s this kind of book that makes me want to read more; it’s this kind of book that also makes you want to go out and do something. The most important thing that this writer says is not to judge people by your preconceived judgments or other people’s judgments, preconceived or not. This is displayed in the book in two ways: Tom Robinson’s rape case and Boo Radley (I have a feeling that the reason for the book starting when it did is to build up Boo’s character). Both these men are quite different than what they seem. I learned something from this book, too: that most times the best way to communicate with people is to confront them with common sense and innocence, at Atticus said, “So it took ‘em an eight-year-old to bring ‘em to their senses, did it? Maybe we need a police force of children.”

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I have just read To Kill A Mocking Bird. This was a excellent book that catches you with every page you read. This book was a wonderful setting in the early 1920’s. To Kill a Mockingbird was an absolutely astounding book. It showed what segregation and prejudice was really like in the olden days. During the beginning of the book it pretty much told what happened so far thought their lives. Jem was the son of Atticus Finch. The story is basically about this family and the town “outcasts” The Radleys. They were suposively the weirdo’s of the town because of rumors that have spread about the father killing his own son, and how he never ever comes out of his house. In the end of this book a black man Tom Robinson got convicted of raping a white woman and had to go to court. The kind man Atticus became his lawyer. He went to trial with no given chance to win because of the segregation in those days. Everyone was against him. I am not going to reveal what happened but it is a MUST READ in my book. This book was extremely interesting, though I would advise you to have a dictionary next to you for a couple parts of the book (like the 1st chapter) but overall it was interesting thought the whole book. It is just one of those that keep you going.

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To Kill a Mockingbird was an absolutely astounding book. It showed what segregation and prejudice was really like in the olden days. During the beginning of the book it pretty much told what happened so far thought their lives. Jem was the son of Atticus Finch. The story is basically about this family and the town “outcasts” The Radleys. They were suposively the weirdo’s of the town because of rumors that have spread about the father killing his own son, and how he never ever comes out of his house. In the end of this book a black man Tom Robinson got convicted of raping a white woman and had to go to court. The kind man Atticus became his lawyer. He went to trial with no given chance to win because of the segregation in those days. Everyone was against him. I am not going to reveal what happened but it is a MUST READ in my book. This book was extremely interesting, though I would advise you to have a dictionary next to you for a couple parts of the book (like the 1st chapter) but overall it was interesting thought the whole book. It is just one of those that keep you going.

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I just got done reading To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee. I think Harper Le did an excellent job of writing the book. This book deserved to win the Pulitzer Prize! This book is excellent. If you have never read this book, you should! To Kill a Mockingbird is a story of two kids, Scout and Jem, in the small town of Maycomb. They spend their summers with a friend named, Dill, trying to get this mysterious man down the street to come out of his house. This man, Boo Radley, held the brunt of crazy rumors. Scout, Jem, and Dill try to uncover the true story behind Boo Radley by getting him to come out of his house. Scout gets in trouble many times because of the conflict within her about being a lady or wearing overalls and being a tomboy. Then one fall their life is shattered when their father, Atticus, who is a lawyer, is assigned a case defending a black man. This black man is charged of raping a white woman, Mayella Ewell. The fact that Atticus is defending a black man being charged by a white man, makes the small town very upset. Scout and Jem take the brunt of the ridicule, while trying to make their father proud by not fighting. When the trial finally comes, the kids witness this uneasy case. They also witness the unexpected ending. There are many strengths of the book. One of the great parts of the book is when the Negroes stand in respect as Atticus passes them. Another amazing thing is the ability Atticus has to parent his two kids by himself without the help of his dead wife. I am glad I read this book. This book is excellent. The author had many messages throughout his book. I think the main one is not to judge a man by the color of his skin. This message is portrayed excellently in this book. Harper Lee captures the heart and kind of puts you in the Negroes shoes. One important point I learned from this book is what Atticus Finch says, “If you just learn a single trick, Scout, you'll get along a lot better with all kinds of folks. You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view... Until you climb inside of his skin and walk around in it.”

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To kill a Mockingbird “You know, it’s a sin to kill a mockingbird, cause they don’t do nothing to no one and they just sing their little hearts out.”’ Is the line from the main character, Atticus, in the book To kill a Mockingbird. The overall book is about a lawyer named Atticus, who is a lawyer in the early 1930’s, which is the “white society” at that time. He is a good father to his two children, “Scout”, who is his little pride and joy, and “Jem”, his only son. He throughout the book constantly teaches his children important life lessons( and teaches Scout it’s not okay to hit boys.). However, one thing comes up that may destroy his reputation as a lawyer…Atticus has to defend a negro, which is unheard of in that time period. The negro, Tom Robinson, is accused of raping a white girl, is a very heavy case to be defended from. But even to the end of the trial, Atticus never gives up, because of his morals and him wanting to be a good example for his kids. Some of the greatest parts of this book are probably the parts where Atticus proves that he is more than just a dad, like when he has to defend his kids from a rabid dog, or during Tim Robinson’s trial. The main point of the book is to teach the lesson of not judging a book by it’s “cover”, and to not do bad to people who don’t deserve it. If there is anything from this book, it would have to be, this quote from Atticus, “If you just learn a single trick, Scout, you'll get along a lot better with all kinds of folks. You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view... Until you climb inside of his skin and walk around in it.”, which is a lesson well learned…

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All the lessons taught by this great novel - family values, compassion, justice, and not judging people by their color, race, or social strata - are still needed to be learned and practiced today. Hopefully, more of Atticus will rub off on all of us who read or reread this powerful book.

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To Kill a Mockingbird is a book that brings back memories or reminds you on how things are, but in my personal opinion, I don't think it is very interesting because when I read it, it didn't catch my attention, but maybe you will enjoy it. Never hurts to try.

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Did you read this in high school? If that's the last time you picked up Harper Lee's classic novel, treat yourself to a weekend with Scout. This book will have you laughing at the kids who just want to see their recluse neighbor, and cheering for Atticus as he fights for civil rights of a black man. Watching children mature and good vs. evil make this book a favorite of mine. You'll understand why Demi and Bruce named their daughter Scout.

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This story opens minds up to a world where racism was still thriving and showcased an innocent man is judge by his color of skin. Also, the main theme of the book is the coexistence of good and evil. There will always be good and always evil to corrupt it. The book puts an importance on the moral education of mainly children and what their parents teach them is the right way to act.