Book Reviews of To Kill a Mockingbird

The first time I read this book, I had to be ten years old. The message still holds true today: the color of one's skin does not proclaim the content of one's character. I knew even as a kid that what was happening was so unjust and cruel. Perhaps that is what makes this book so memorable, that it stays in your head. Overall, To Kill A Mockingbird is one of my absolute favorite books and one I would recommend to anyone of any age group. Harper Lee truly created a classic.

My absolute favorite book. I read it for the first time this year and quite honestly fell in love. Great story with great characters.

Required reading at the high school where I teach, and rightly so. Yes, the story starts slowly and never has the cymbal crashing climax that we expect these days, but it is still there, albeit more quiet and therefore more impactful.

This book is told through the eyes of Scout as an adult, reflecting on what happened when she was 8. Living in a small southern town during the Depression, Scout sees the injustice, prejudices, and triumphs that occur during the trial of a black man falsely accused of raping a white woman.

More than the trial, though, Scout sees her father, Atticus (one of the literary characters that I have a HUGE crush on!), in a new light as he not only defends the man in court, but also shows Scout his human side. More than a father to Scout, he becomes a hero.

If you only read the first chapter and the last, you may get a picture of the whole book, but you'll miss out on the delicious description of life during the 1930s in Alabama, from Scout's fights on the playground to the wonderful telling of summers in Maycomb.

Read it. You won't regret it.

Not much more can be said about this classic than to say it's one every person should read. With a sleepy southern town as its backdrop, this story brings to light the reality of prejudice in our not so distant past. Highly recommended read for both boys and girls.

One of those books I could pick up and reread and love every time. A classic for every generation, I highly recommend if it isn't required reading for your school it should be.

Very memorable (why do kids not want to read this when they are in school??)story of a trial in a small town and the racism that comes up in its wake. What I liked best is that the message of tolerance exemplified by the main family was subtleand simplistic, and therefore very well done

Okay don't crucify me--but I found this story difficult to read. It is slow and takes forever to get to the real story. The main story is heartbreaking and must have been shocking when this was first released. I endured the long background with Scout and her brother because I know this is a classic and I wanted to read it all the way through. I prefer the movie with Gregory Peck. (I was told by a writing instructor that most of the classics probably wouldn't be published in today's market because they are considered too slow.) Still, it is a classic and as such--I think everyone should read it once.

Set in the small Southern town of Maycomb, Alabama, during the Depression, To Kill a Mockingbird follows three years in the life of 8-year-old Scout Finch, her brother, Jem, and their father, Atticus--three years punctuated by the arrest and eventual trial of a young black man accused of raping a white woman. Though her story explores big themes, Harper Lee chooses to tell it through the eyes of a child. The result is a tough and tender novel of race, class, justice, and the pain of growing up.

I just read this for the first time, and I have to say, it's a phenomenal childrens book. Being an adult while reading a kids book gives you an interesting insight, and To Kill a Mockingbird is filled with lines and concepts that are striking. If you know a child who you think should be a lawyer or already wants to be one, give him/her this book. Lee may embellish the legal system a bit (as much as say, law and order) but she gives a thorough explanation of every tough concept (prejudice of many kinds, revenge, growing up) that comes a long. It is written perfectly for a child and if you're reading it as an adult for the first time, you have to keep that in mind. The writing will seem over-simplistic and the events sometimes drawn out, but you have to understand that children's novels must explain everything as if it's being seen for the first time, and there is almost an art in that itself.

Supberb read, I'm not surprised it's a classic, definitely recommend it to any child aged 8-12 (depending on reading competence), or pick it up yourself for a quick read.

This is my all-time favorite book. I read it in high school and have wanted to read it again. A timeless classic!

A classic American story and the one and only novel written by Harper Lee. Somehow having escaped both reading the book in middle school, and seeing the classic movie version, I had been constantly running into references to the book I only partly understood. Eager to see what all the fuss was about, I finally sat down and read it. I'm glad I did, not only because I now understand the cultural context and references, but because it is a truly memorable book. Lee interweaves a child's perspective with the adults and other children around her without making her child characters less complex. Racial and class taboos in a small pre-Civil Rights southern town affect both white and black citizens. The pace of change is maddeningly and for one man fatally slow. Lee gets the southern culture right without making stereotypical or unsympathetic characters.

I think I read this book back in high school. I am now in my 50's and I was a little shocked at the use of the "N" word. I know that is how people talked then, but it has always been unacceptable to me. I enjoyed the trial description and marveled at how the children were able to attend the trial without their father knowing they were there. I grew up in a small mountain town so I could relate to some of the "mountain" talk. Great to read it with a new perspective!

This is one of my absolute favorite books. I really love how the whole thing is just Scout trying to explain how her brother broke his arm. The relationships that she has with all the others in the book are really interesting. This book definitely makes y ou reexamine your feelings and assumptions about people you don't really know.

This was a deep, richly detailed, thought-provoking, emotionally-satisfying story. The only problem that I had with it is that it read a bit too slowly for me.

I was not required to read this while in high school but I'm glad I picked it up later and read it. It is a wonderful book; a must read for everyone!

Our bookclub chose this book for this month and I LOVED it. The book is so much better than the movie - couldn't put it down even though I knew the outcome. mkm

i disliked this book so much that i couldnt finish it. sorry to those who liked this book, i hated it alot.

It was not intersting at all.

What a great classic. Wish this woman would write more.

The unforgettable novel of a childhood ina 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.

Compassonate, dramatic, and deeply moving, TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD takes readers t the roots of human behavior-to innocence and experience, kindnessand cruelty, love and hatred, humor and pathos. Now withover 15 million copies in print and translated into forty languages, this regonal 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.

The unforgettable novel of a childhood in a sleepy southern town and the crisis of conscience that rocked it. This takes readers to the roots of human behavior-to innocence and experience, kindness and cruelty, love and hatred, humor and pathos. Now with over 15 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.

Wonderful classic!

great book! A classic of race relations in the South.

Phenomenal book. I can't believe I never read it before reaching adulthood, but I'm glad to say I've read it now. Harper Lee is an amazing writer.

Compassionate and moving classic

A true classic.

Probably the best book I've ever read!

This is a beautifully written novel told from the point of view of a young girl growing up in the South. There are terrific themes of alienation, racism, tolerance and overcoming childhood fears.

My ABSOLUTELY favorite book in the entire world...........ever!!! I have several copies!!

A classic, very true to its period time.

Very good story . A classic

I just couldn't finish this book, I have a hard time reading older authors that use a different type of grammar. It almost seemed like Old English or something from Hamlet - that type of writing. Then again, maybe I wasn't ready to read it - I did make it through 85 pages, but decided it was time to move on.

Harkens to an historic time in the rural South where one family's ability to see beyond what society sees and an attempt to right society's wrongs. Uplifting!

My absolute favorite book when I was in 5th grade and it still is one of my all time favorites. I just discovered we have two copies though, so we certainly don't need this one too. :) Well written and very thought provoking.

One of the best written books of all time. It's a classic. A must read even if it's just to get cultural references to "Boo" Radley.

A must read! This well-written classic teaches us about friendship in unusual places as well as many aspects of human behavior.

It's a novel from the old movie itself. It comes with sweetness, humor,compassion and mystery carefully sustained.

A classic about growing up in the south. This book is also winner of the Pulitzer prize after its debut in 1960

Wonderful book! The unforgettable novel of a childhood in a sleepy southern town and the crisis of conscience that rocked it.

An absolutely wonderful coming-of-age story. More than the story and the themes of this book, which are great, I loved the characters, most of all the Finch family: Atticus, Jem and Scout.

Probably one of the few absolutely wonderful, gripping novels that schools require kids to read. I read it as an adult and was amazed.

this is a very important book in american society even today to remind us of what used to be

The unforgettable novel of a childhood in a sleepy Southern town and the crisis of conscience that rocked it. A very good book!

I thought this book was very easy to read and a great story about growig up.

truly a classic

If you've never read this book, read it. If you haven't read this book in years, read it again. To have written one book of such timeless relevancy is a life's work well done. Thank you Harper Lee!

Timeless! An absolute MUST, everyone should read this book at least once.

This book was okay for a book assigned for school.

A classic! Everyone should read this book at least once.

I did enjoy this book. I read it when I was in high school and wanted to read it again. It's a great classic

love this book.
always a great read. I have read it twice and have found new and innovative ideas each and every time.

I have read this book three times now, each time a few years apart. Perhaps I'm getting older (and wiser) but I appreciate the literature more each time I read it. I love the style of writing. This is historical fiction at its finest, and it is a must read for everyone, in my opinion. A true classic. I am quite sure that I will read it, again!

One of the best. Great teaching tool for Civil Rights Era.

definitely a favorite

This is a timeless story that should be read by every teenager and reread many times. The movie of it is also excellent (they aren't usually). Wish Harper Lee had written more.

What can I say that hasn't already been said? Except that Atticus Finch is probably my favorite literary character of all time...

An absolute classic- a staple in any library!

Still as fabulous today as when it was written. One of the best books of all time.

A classic. What can I say. If you were a student in 7th or 8th grade you read this book. It is excellent and a must for everyone.

A must-read classic.

Still a classic...my favorite fiction by far!

One of the true classics. A must read for everyone.

I just recently purchased this book. It has been read once and is in excellent condition.

EVERYONE already knows this is a SPECTACULAR book --- why am I even bothering?

The classic.

My all time favorite book.

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 15 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.

a great classic

EVERYONE should read this book!

A heart wrenching look at a single father raising his two children in the south. He is an attorney chosen to defend a black man and suffers tremendous backlash from the members of the community.

This is a timeless classic. I have two copies or I wouldn't be parting with this one.

This American classic is still an excellent, thought provoking, true-to-life novel for older elementary through adult readers

What more can be said...A true classic still today.

Very touching and a great read.

i love this book it is wonderful, could read it over and over. but want others to read it also

A little predictable and stretched out, but a good story nonetheless.

standard high school reading

The classic novel by Harper Lee tells the story of Scout, her brother Jem and their father, Atticus who live in a small Southern town during the Depression. Scout and Jem grow up in the midst of their father's defense of a black man accused of raping a white woman.

"When he was nearly thirteen, my brother Jem got his arm badly broken at the elbow.... When enough years had gone by to enable us to look back on them, we sometimes discussed the events leading to his accident. I maintain that the Ewells started it all, but Jem, who was four years my senior, said it started long before that. He said it began the summer Dill came to us, when Dill first gave us the idea of making Boo Radley come out."

Set in the small Southern town of Maycomb, Alabama, during the Depression, To Kill a Mockingbird follows three years in the life of 8-year-old Scout Finch, her brother, Jem, and their father, Atticus--three years punctuated by the arrest and eventual trial of a young black man accused of raping a white woman. Though her story explores big themes, Harper Lee chooses to tell it through the eyes of a child. The result is a tough and tender novel of race, class, justice, and the pain of growing up.

Like the slow-moving occupants of her fictional town, Lee takes her time getting to the heart of her tale; we first meet the Finches the summer before Scout's first year at school. She, her brother, and Dill Harris, a boy who spends the summers with his aunt in Maycomb, while away the hours reenacting scenes from Dracula and plotting ways to get a peek at the town bogeyman, Boo Radley. At first the circumstances surrounding the alleged rape of Mayella Ewell, the daughter of a drunk and violent white farmer, barely penetrate the children's consciousness. Then Atticus is called on to defend the accused, Tom Robinson, and soon Scout and Jem find themselves caught up in events beyond their understanding. During the trial, the town exhibits its ugly side, but Lee offers plenty of counterbalance as well--in the struggle of an elderly woman to overcome her morphine habit before she dies; in the heroism of Atticus Finch, standing up for what he knows is right; and finally in Scout's hard-won understanding that most people are essentially kind "when you really see them." By turns funny, wise, and heartbreaking, To Kill a Mockingbird is one classic that continues to speak to new generations, and deserves to be reread often.

great book

A timeless classic. Compassionate, dramatic and deeply moving.

Very Very Good story, One of my favorite books.

Very good read! Highly recommend!

A classic

This book is not in the greatest shape. However, it is intact. It has lots of underlining. It is a classic.

Quite simply one of the most beautiful books I've ever read.

Great book! Scout is an interesting narrator.

Harper Lee's only novel- telling the story of racial bigotry, a child's refusal to comply with accepted norms and her lawyer-father's integrity.

A timeless classic by a masterful storyteller!

EVERYONE should read this story of a young girl coming of age as the town tom-boy!

A classic and a must read.

A must read!!!

classic - read it in high school - everyone should read this book

A revolutionary book that centered it's story around the racial taboo of the era.

1 word EXCELLENT

Classic

I enjoyed reading this book is high school!

Set in the small Southern town of Maycomb, Alabama, during the Depression, To Kill a Mockingbird follows three years in the life of 8-year-old Scout Finch, her brother, Jem, and their father, Atticus--three years punctuated by the arrest and eventual trial of a young black man accused of raping a white woman. Though her story explores big themes, Harper Lee chooses to tell it through the eyes of a child. The result is a tough and tender novel of race, class, justice, and the pain of growing up.

Older classic book. I had to read for a class. Shows the roots of human behavior from all aspects.

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