Scan barcode
nerfherder86's review against another edition
4.0
Great biography of Harper Lee, the author of To Kill a Mockingbird. Adapted from her adult edition. Lots of things I didn't know about Lee in this book, fascinating reading. Good selection of photos too.
lizabethstucker's review against another edition
3.0
Subtitled "The Biography of Harper Lee", this is an abbreviated version of Shields earlier biography of the writer of To Kill a Mockingbird, Mockingbird. I didn't actually know that when I bought it, since I also have Mockingbird in my To Be Read pile. Ah, well, doesn't matter.
This book explores Nelle Harper Lee's life, where her inspiration came from, the difficulties writing another book after the enormous success of To Kill a Mockingbird. It also addresses the strange relationship between Nelle and Truman Capote, including the amount of assistance she gave him during the research and later writing of his greatest book, In Cold Blood.
If you are interested in the people behind the books that continue to resonate with readers years after their publication, this might be the book for you.
This book explores Nelle Harper Lee's life, where her inspiration came from, the difficulties writing another book after the enormous success of To Kill a Mockingbird. It also addresses the strange relationship between Nelle and Truman Capote, including the amount of assistance she gave him during the research and later writing of his greatest book, In Cold Blood.
If you are interested in the people behind the books that continue to resonate with readers years after their publication, this might be the book for you.
lyndee_rreadng's review against another edition
4.0
This is a biography of Harper Lee, the writer of "To Kill a Mockingbird". The author begins by briefly talking about Harper Lee's parents and what they were like, then it chronicles the rest of her life. Harper Lee wrote one novel. She thought that it would be ok and that no one would really like it. It caught like wildfire, winning a Pultizer Prize. The fame of this book was more than Lee expected.
If you are into biographies, then you will love this book. Harper Lee was a recluse by nature and it is extremely interesting to hear about her life. Reading her biography has made me wish that she had been able to write more. Read this book! I, seriously, couldn't put it down.
If you are into biographies, then you will love this book. Harper Lee was a recluse by nature and it is extremely interesting to hear about her life. Reading her biography has made me wish that she had been able to write more. Read this book! I, seriously, couldn't put it down.
shelby_hannahh's review against another edition
4.0
AHHHH so good! I loved To Kill a Mockingbird and Go Set a Watchman when I read them both, so when I saw this in my school's library, of course I was going to get it!!!! This really gave me an interesting perspective on a lot of the aspects on TKAM and Nelle (Harper) Lee herself! I knew about her friendship with Truman Capote but I didn't know it was such a deep friendship! The only reason I docked a star was because there was an entire passage just dedicated to her sister Alice instead of Nelle. I think it was about half a chapter. Found myself skimming that, but overall, it was great!
lizrwalker's review against another edition
3.0
I think I would have liked Mockingbird better than I am Scout (which is a young adult version of Mockingbird). I feel like this version may be lacking in flow and detail. It didn't completely flesh out Nelle Harper Lee's life or explain, to my satisfaction at least, why she never wrote another book. Overall, it was an interesting and easy read.
claudiaswisher's review against another edition
4.0
Not until I finished did I realize this is a reworking of the book, MOCKINGBIRD that came out several years ago. Shields simply rewrote it for younger readers. I wonder what was left out...I loved the portrait of a passionate, original thinker who loves writing. It seems like her friendship with Truman Capote, and her decision to assist him with his book IN COLD BLOOD may have contributed to her never writing another book. There are hints here of a novel she worked on and a nonfiction book as well. While I would have loved another book by Harper Lee, I respect her wish for privacy. It seems like the success of TKAM overwhelmed her.
I loved the similarities between Nelle's life and Scout's. I loved the glimpses of Nelle trying to fit in at college, but not willing to change who she was as a person. I loved the doomed friendship with Truman, a friendship he ultimately betrayed. This book makes me want to teach TKAM. I love sharing tid-bits of gossip about the author's life when I teach. This book is full of gossipy details.
I loved the similarities between Nelle's life and Scout's. I loved the glimpses of Nelle trying to fit in at college, but not willing to change who she was as a person. I loved the doomed friendship with Truman, a friendship he ultimately betrayed. This book makes me want to teach TKAM. I love sharing tid-bits of gossip about the author's life when I teach. This book is full of gossipy details.
purplespecslms's review against another edition
3.0
It was ok. I usually don't read biographies, because I just don't find them as interesting as fiction novels. But since It was about Nelle Harper Lee, I broke tradition. I was interested in all of the neat facts that I never knew before, but I felt like the biography was not very well writen, but that is just me. I feel that authors should write their own biography, because who better then them to write their own story? It wasn't terrible, but I guess I was expecting more.
kayess19's review
3.0
i picked up this and to kill a mockingbird at the same time. i had to read mockingbird first because the first few chapters were too similar to read at the same time. i've also read a few capote books, though i gave up on in true blood which i may have been guilted into trying again. so interesting reading about their friendship. i watched the movie capote, but did not get the whole picture. this book seems super boringville for young adults. i'm tempted to be a fan girl and go visit her home town in alabama and her apt in nyc...though i'm sure she would think that is soooo lame.
literaryliz98's review
4.0
I found it really interesting to read about Harper Lee's life. She was an interesting person. I was always curious why she never wrote a second book, but after reading this it seems like the answer may be that she just felt she couldn't live up to the success of "Mockingbird".
beulahhatchet's review
3.0
Is it necessary for 1 author to write 2 biographies about the same person? Not that it really matters, but I am curious. The book was good. I wish she had written another book. Even a bad one!