At the age of eight, Scout Finch is an entrenched free-thinker. She can accept her father's warning that it is a sin to kill a mockingbird, because mockingbirds harm no one and give great pleasure. The benefits said to be gained from going to school and keeping her temper elude her.

The place of this enchanting, intensely moving story is Maycomb, Alabama. The time is the Depression, but Scout and her brother, Jem, are seldom depressed. They have appalling gifts for entertaining themselves—appalling, that is, to almost everyone except their wise lawyer father, Atticus.

Atticus is a man of unfaltering good will and humor, and partly because of this, the children become involved in some disturbing adult mysteries: fascinating Boo Radley, who never leaves his house; the terrible temper of Mrs. Dubose down the street; the fine distinctions that make the Finch family "quality"; the forces that cause the people of Maycomb to show compassion in one crisis and unreasoning cruelty in another.

Also because Atticus is what he is, and because he lives where he does, he and his children are plunged into a conflict that indelibly marks their lives—and gives Scout some basis for thinking she knows just about as much about the world as she needs to.

Customer Rating:
Summary: A must read for every person in the world
Comment: To KILL A MOCKINGBIRD was one of my favorite books to teach when I taught high school English. Its strong characters, gripping dialogue, and powerful messages mesmerize its readers. I used to think it was a book that every student should be required to read before he or she graduates from high school. I have since changed my thinking; instead, I now strongly feel that every human being needs to read it before he or she dies. Read this book; better yet, read it with someone and talk about it as you immerse yourself deeper and deeper. When you finish, you will be a stronger person and the lessons you learn will benefit you and those around you. Trust me, put this on your "Must Read Before I Die" list.

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Customer Rating:
Summary: Deserves All The Praise
Comment: OK, everyone under the sun has reviewed To Kill A Mockingbird; why do I feel like reviewing it?

I just re-read this after reading it once when I was in middle school, many moons ago (I'm in my 40s). I could not put this book down. What a superb and satisfying novel. It's amazing how compelling and universal a tale that Lee spun with just a pretty simple, basic, and down-to-earth set of small town characters. As noted, I read this when I was in middle school and I remember enjoying it more than almost any other assigned book I had read. I'm amazed at how great it is, from the perspective of a mature adult with diverse life experiences, much travel, and my own children. This edition is a nicely turned-out hardback that I borrowed from my Mom. A nice edition to hold and read. No typos; just a very few, very minor printing flaws.

This novel richly deserves the acclaim, good reviews, and the Pulizter it won. I've enjoyed VERY MUCH every Pulizter Prize winner I've read, both fiction and non-fiction. They don't give those prizes out for nothing!

Highly recommended. Enjoy.

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Customer Rating:
Summary: Simply Wonderful
Comment: Quite simply, one of the top three American novels of the 20th century. If not the best.

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Customer Rating:
Summary: Best movie ever....
Comment: I have loved this story since I was very young.....I am proud to own it...

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Customer Rating:
Summary: Mockingbird
Comment: I love this book and a close second is "Ox-Bow Incident" I read them both regularly. I spent more to have this edition. It is well worth it.

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