The Huntsville-Madison County Public Library System is holding The Big Read, in which the city reads one book. This year’s book is Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird. I just returned from tonight’s event, in which Alabama historian Wayne Flint discussed the historical reality of Alabama in the 1930s. At one point he asked everyone who had read the book to raise their hands.
I raised my hand, but strictly speaking, I haven’t read it. I had it read to me. One summer when we lived in a little camper in Texas, my dad read To Kill a Mockingbird to Andrew and me. We would huddle in the bunk bed that was crammed against the roof at the front of the camper, listening to Harper Lee’s prose while the Texas heat seeped in through the walls. Whenever I think of that book, I hear my dad’s voice, reading it softly to me.
I’m curious: have you read To Kill a Mockingbird?
23 Comments
I have read it and it’s been a long time. I think I would much better understand the social significance of this work now than I did when I was in ninth grade.
Yeah, I read it in middle school. My favorite part of the book is when Zorlak 7 makes use of the ancient discoveries of Archimedes to move the Moon.
I read it in school, forget which grade. Middle or early high school, I think. I don’t remember it too well, although I picked up a new copy which was being given away so I’m meaning to reread it. I watched the movie relatively recently, but that’s not the same.
I’ve never read it, strangely enough.
I’ve read it, but I saw the movie before I read it and I liked the movie better.
I read it when I was a kid, but not for school. I still remember how powerful it was for me, though.
I actually read it about three years ago. I was realizing how many books that are considered “school classics” that I never read, so I started getting them from the library. To Kill a Mockingbird was my first, and I liked it a lot. It feels like one of those books that I can pick up repeatedly, and find something new that I’d missed previously.
Your post evoked wonderful memories for me , and I realized that, like you, I’ve never technically read it. It makes me want to go back and revisit it.
I have read it twice. This was one of the only books I got all the way through when I was taking High School English (I fudged a lot of the time with the others), and back when Silverduck and I ran a book club, this was one of the books of the month to read. It’s still a very good story and I really enjoy it.
I read it in ninth grade, too. I must have had a very good teacher, bc I remember parts of it crystal clearly.
I especially love Scout asking Atticus to pass her the damn ham.
I’ve read “To Kill A Mockingbird” and liked it a lot… Very intense story and the courtroom scene was one of my favourite parts… During year 11, I was a stage techie for the school production of the book… On the night last show when the courtroom scene unfurled, the actor (forgot his name) who played Atticus was reciting a rather long but intense monologue… For some reason the actor had completely forgotten his lines and for a moment there had the look of utter fear yet managed to improvise the entire monologue, based on his memory of the book and the film… Oddly enough that look and his improvisation made the scene even more intense and had all of us in awe…
But I’ve digressed… But yes, I loved the book, the film less…
I read it in ninth grade, if memory serves correctly. Wonderful book.
Huh. Last night, Wayne Flint claimed that “To Kill a Mockingbird” was so widely read that almost anyone you talked to will have read it. I was skeptical, so wanted to ask y’all.
I haven’t read it. Not sure why.
At least half a dozen times. It’s one that’s definitely worth revisiting again and again.
Never read it… but I love listening to Dr. Flynt….
I read it back in 8th grade. It was a really good book. One of the few I remembering truly enjoying reading for school at that age. I’d like to reread it now because, like Misty, I think I would appreciate the social aspect of the book a lot more nowadays.
I HATE THIZ BOOK!!!!!
I’m curious: what about it did you hate?
:gets a bag of popcorn and a beer:
Nah, Geof, there’s no rule that people have to like all of the same books. I truly am curious, and I’m not out to win converts.
I’m just wondering what kind of cogent response someone who posts “I HATE THIZ BOOK!!!!!” is going to give you. That’s all.
i HAD TO READ THiS BOOK FOR 11TH GRADE ENGLiSH HONORS, AND i LiKED THiS BOOK, i LiKE HOW iT DEALED WiTH RACiSM AND NOT JUDGiNG PEOPLE BY THEiR OUTWARD APPERANCES OR BY WHAT YOUVE HEARD. iTS A GOOD BOOK.