# To Kill A Mockingbird



## Craigy (Nov 14, 2006)

We're being assigned to read this over Thanksgiving weekend. I know very little about this book and was wondering what to expect? Is it dry and daunting? Gimme a quick run-down of the story please.

I had to read Jane Eyre last year and it almost killed me. I'm a fan of classics though. I loved The Lord of the Flies and I enjoyed Shakespeare.


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## omalle89 (Nov 14, 2006)

to kill a mockingbird is a great book. dont be intimidated by the fact its a classic, its intresting and intriguing, youll be surprised how you wont want to put it down.


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## Cearo (Nov 14, 2006)

It's a really good book.  It's set in the 1930s.  The main character is Scout, a little girl and is told from her viewpoint.  The town is full of eccentric characters.  I read it all the time when I can get a hold of it.


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## Winged Sandals (Nov 15, 2006)

I love that book to death!  There are wonderful characters and the story is mostly lighthearted, but with some very serious undertones.  I was a bit worried about it at first too (especially since the first few pages are pretty tedious), but by the second chapter things start moving and it's hard to put it down.


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## RAlanCook (Nov 16, 2006)

In my opinion it's possibly the greatest novel ever written.  It's a pretty easy read.  Enjoy it


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## Aeris (Nov 16, 2006)

I wouldn't say that its the greatest book, but I sat down and read it in one sitting. So its nothing like Atlas Shrugged. You shouldn't worry at all, in fact you'll probably like it.


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## Mr. Blix (Nov 16, 2006)

You guys are going to kill me, but I just started reading this and I'm 28. Somehow I went through highschool and we never had to read it. Then on to college and I was a damn English major and I still hadn't read it. Although, to my credit I've read a lot of 18th century literature that hardly anyone has ever heard of. heh. Anyway, I was tired of my secret shame so I picked it up the other day.


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## rocky (May 18, 2007)

This is in my opinion the GREATEST American Book ever written. I could loose money over this, but I think it would definately make the Top 3.


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## Monalisasmile1 (May 18, 2007)

I LOVE this book so much its not my top 3, it is my 1. In fact my daughters name is Elsie HARPER.


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## Paige Turner (May 18, 2007)

When my daughters were younger, we had arabian horses. We had a filly named Scout and a colt named Atticus, and at some point in our lives, we have had a cat named Bo Radley, a fish named Jem, and a hamster named Calpernia (sp ck.) 
That book is a true classic.


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## Aurasheild (May 21, 2007)

Loved the book, as it gave a realistic insight to things back then, but it was still funny and exciting, i choose this book to do for my J.C and still love reading a chapter or two now and then.


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## JK_Wannabe (May 22, 2007)

I wouldn't know. I could barely make it past the first page before I said, "Yeah, this sucks." I think it may have been assigned for school but it was so boring I didn't even bother. I was a goody-goody too, so that's saying something. :shock:


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## BecauseYoureWorthIt (May 28, 2007)

It has that rare achievment of being able to tell a story through the lighthearted eyes of a child and yet still be hard-hitting. I love it to pieces so enjoy. May I also recommend 'The Little Friend' by Donna Tartt? It's got a similar setting and focusses on two children as the main characters and is beautifully written!


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## Aurasheild (May 29, 2007)

I agree you should at least force yourself to read it, you can't something by a first glance.


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## ziggyzagga (May 31, 2007)

BEST BOOK I'VE EVER READ. NO DOUBT.


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## elizabeth_472 (Jun 8, 2007)

Oh, I am so sorry Jane Eyre killed you.  I just finished it and found that it is one of my favorite books of all time!

Anyways, To Kill a Mockingbird is also one of my favorite books!  I chose to read it for a history project and 2 months later I was assigned to read it for an English project.  I read it twice in a row and found I loved it even more after the second time I read it!  Since you posted in November and it is now June, assuming you've finished it by now, tell us what you thought?


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## Superman79 (Jul 3, 2007)

I think I got more out of the book than the movie.


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## Johnna (Jul 4, 2007)

To Kill a Mockingbird is my favorite book of all time.  (I named my kitty cat Atticus.) The story's so powerful, and I love that Scout's point of view shows this without being too overwhelming. My favorite part is Jem's reaction to the whole court case and how it affects (effects?) him.


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## Voodoo (Jul 4, 2007)

oh, I just remembered one of the admins of this other forum is named Jem.

he should hand over power.


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## TWariner (Sep 22, 2007)

Love it!  It's a gem of a book!  I need to reread it.


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## Athlynne (Sep 24, 2007)

The last two pages or so of this book are some of the best writing I've ever read.  I wish I had written them!


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## ClancyBoy (Sep 26, 2007)

Dry?



> Her speech was crisp for a Maycomb County inhabitant.  She called us by all our names, and when she grinned she revealed two miniature gold prongs clipped to her eye-teeth.  When I admired them and hoped I would have some eventually, she said, "Look here."  With a click of her tongue she thrust out her bridgework, a gesture of cordiality that cemented out friendship.


That's from chapter 5.  _To Kill a Mockingbird_ is one of the funniest books I ever read.  The whole thing is written like that.


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## TrackStar11 (Oct 7, 2007)

To Kill A Mockingbird is a pretty good book. I should reread it.


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## Patrick (Oct 7, 2007)

Possibly my favourite book. It's very beautiful.


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## Damian_Rucci (Oct 19, 2007)

To Kill a Mockingbird is an amazing book. I won't reveal any thing about the book, but it dealt with the problems that plagued society back when the book was written. Very enjoyable, I hope you enjoy as well.


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## Korkskrew (Nov 14, 2007)

It needed more sex and violence.


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## JosephB (Nov 15, 2007)

This is in my top five. The mystery is, why didn't Harper Lee ever write another book? She started one and never finished. Perhaps she knew she could never top it or equal it and just decided not to try. Too bad. Because a book half as good as _To Kill A Mockingbird_ would still be wonderful.


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## Mike C (Nov 15, 2007)

Mr. Blix said:


> You guys are going to kill me, but I just started reading this and I'm 28.




I'm 45 and I've only just got around to reading it. It's not required reading in the UK.


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## Hebi (Nov 16, 2007)

i have to read it for english. it's not the normal type of book i like to read, but it is good. i just got done with part one. i don't feel like reading more at the moment. i will when i have to...


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## lilacstarflower (Jan 16, 2008)

I was forced to read this for English class many moons ago and i didnt enjoy it at all - i think it was more to do with the fact our teacher focused on trying to find symbols throughout the book and made us write a review every few chapters. Started re-visiting the classics so might give this another bash


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## Grits (Jan 19, 2008)

lilac, that's what my english teacher is doing now in our class, and I can see the effects already. It's a shame how english class, which should teach appreciation of literature, can turn students off on books so beautiful and rich as To Kill a Mockingbird! They just milk the story to death, and focus on the wrong things. For instance, he's making this book all about racial prejudice! I can't stand it, I'm just glad I've already read it and it'll always be in my favorites.


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## seigfried007 (Mar 24, 2008)

Ditto Grits. 

Personally, I loved the story and picked it up of my own volition as a teenager. Loved it. I'm glad no one forced me to read it. The characters were expertly realized, the prose well written. It wasn't long-winded and I dont recall anything terribly heavy that dragged on for ages (though heavy conversation sometimes follow any classic, I don't recall much of that happening during the book).


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## Remedy (Mar 28, 2008)

I'll be perfectly honest: I hated that book. I read it because it was assigned, and it's fairly easy to understand, but Scout drove me nuts. I could not stand her; she annoyed the absolute heck out of me. 

On the other hand, just about every classmate I talked to said they adored the book. To each their own and all.


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## JeffAdair (Mar 28, 2008)

Surprisingly good, but then that's why it's a classic.


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## Dr. Malone (Mar 30, 2008)

Atticus and Boo are probably two of the best characters in literary history.  Right up there with Heathcliff, Scrooge, and Ahab.  This was one of my favorite books as a kid, as well as Red Fern Grows.

I watched that Capote movie with Phillip S. Hoffman, and learned that Harper worked with Capote and wrote the book as kind of a side project.  Most of the literary community at the time wrote it off as a joke and didn't take it seriously.  She seemed to be Capote's anchor and did a lot of the practical stuff while they researched In Cold Blood.


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## Tiamat (Mar 31, 2008)

To Kill a Mockingbird was one of my top two all-time favourite books that I had to read in high school (Fahrenheit 451 was the other).  The only way I can describe it is: brilliant.


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## cryptika (Apr 7, 2008)

_To Kill a Mockingbird _is my favourite book. I just reread it recently and fell even more in love with it. I have been harassing people in bars to read it. I'm glad it wasn't assigned school reading and I picked it up out of my own curiousity, but I can't imagine not loving it. 

Scout is my favourite character of all the books I've ever read.


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## Knocking (Sep 9, 2008)

That is definitely my favorite novel. I love the characters to death.  Atticus is full of this patient wisdom, yet has a bit of mystery to him concerning the death of his wife, his way with a gun, and even the way he ruffles Jem's hair out of affection.  Miss Maudie is amazing.  Arthur "Boo" Radley is my favorite character though. I wish I could have been Scout leading him around the house, and when he went back to his own, I could have cried.  

I think I subconciously based my first story off of this book's style when I started writing.  When I realized it, I went back and read the book again to find out what made me do that.  Most of it was the small-town feel and semi-light-heartenedness of the first half of the book.

Too bad Harper Lee didn't write another book...


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## Tom (Sep 10, 2008)

Mike C said:


> I'm 45 and I've only just got around to reading it. It's not required reading in the UK.



It is now. We've been given it for our GCSE Closed book exam. It sucks I have to read it with the likes of my class, and I'd rather read it first to my preference and then re-read it with the teacher to discover some points I may have missed. Altogether though, the great stuff I've heard about it has got me on the edge of my seat.

Tom.


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## Dr. Malone (Sep 10, 2008)

You'll love it no matter what, Tom.  I re-read it recently.  So fucking good.


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## Tom (Dec 9, 2008)

You were right Malone.

I ended up skipping ahead and reading it at home. Three reads later and I am, truly a fan. Very inspiring, clever and enjoyable, and unlike past books, the analysing of certain parts helped to understand the real 'affect' of the book.


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## A. Mann (Dec 10, 2008)

Malone said:


> I watched that Capote movie with Phillip S. Hoffman, and learned that Harper worked with Capote and wrote the book as kind of a side project.  Most of the literary community at the time wrote it off as a joke and didn't take it seriously.  She seemed to be Capote's anchor and did a lot of the practical stuff while they researched In Cold Blood.



In fact, the character *Dil *in _To Kill A Mockingbird _is based on Capote. They were childhood friends, Capote being raised by his aunts who lived next door to Lee.


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## Tatiiii (Dec 10, 2008)

Not my type of book and still I liked it. We had to read it for english, we analized it deeply and all. It's quite good in its own way.


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## JosephB (Dec 10, 2008)

I was disappointed in Flannery O'Connor -- one of my favorite authors -- when I recenlty read what she had to say about it. She ripped it -- called it a "children's book." I think a little less of her now.


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## Crazed Scribe (Feb 14, 2009)

I've recently read it with my English class at school and to be honest (you're all going to kill me ) I found it quite tedious. I enjoyed the ending scene and the court case but found the main part of the book quite dull. Sorry!


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