Last week (or maybe the week before) was Banned Books Week at the local library, and To Kill A Mockingbird was one of the featured books. I am not sure why I don't own a copy, but I picked up both a hardback and an audio book version.
Why don't I read this book more often? It is one of the best books, ever. Sweet, funny, heartbreakingly sad... It's a story of racial tension and prejudice in small-town Alabama in the 1930's. Of two kids growing up. Of bravery, honor, hatred and acceptance. There are wonderful characters. It's a huge book - not in size, but in all that the story holds.
I realized as I read that most of my memories of the story come from the movie. The book is, as usual, much much richer than the move - though the movie is very good and true to the book. Still, there's just not room for everything.
I probably listened to about a quarter of it and read the rest. The audio was perfectly read by Sissy Spacek. She captured the narrator's voice beautifully. Still, there were certain things I heard in the movie voices as I read.
This is not a book for kids even though the main characters are children. I can't wait till my kids are old enough for it. I know they'll be in high school then, but I plan on reading it to them, if they'll let me.
4 comments:
I love that book! We did that as a read-aloud one year, and we may have even listened to the audio-book version as well.
I handed this to Shay a little while ago, but she hasn't gotten to it. It think she's afraid it's going to be just too sad. I think I read it in high school, but I really don't remember it. I guess I will have to read it soon!
I've never attempted a review of this book because I know I won't be able to do it justice. Anything I would say about it would only cheapen it. A work of rare craftsmanship.
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