Harper Lee breaks silence - just - for Mockingbird anniversary

guardian ^ | 28 June 2010 | Alison Flood

[JoeProBono]

Reclusive author talks to Mail on Sunday for 50th anniversary of To Kill a Mockingbird, but reporter had to promise not to mention her Pulitzer-winning novel:

Along with Thomas Pynchon and the late JD Salinger, Harper Lee is one of the world's most famous literary recluses. But the author of To Kill a Mockingbird has been tempted out of her self-imposed isolation – by none other than the Mail on Sunday.

Admittedly, Lee – who is now 84 and lives in sheltered housing in her childhood home of Monroeville, Alabama – gave away very little to the reporter, who had to promise not to mention her Pulitzer prize-winning story of racism in the American south, which celebrates its 50th anniversary this year..

[hoe_cake]

Thank you for this post.

[Nonstatist]

This has long been a rumor but not proved. Harper Lee was Capote’s “secretary” and traveling companion when he wrote In Cold Blood.

And childhood friend. The part of Dill Harris was based on Capote. The only way Capote would wait 10 years befor claiming to have written the bulk of the book would be if they were very good friends, IMO. Of course, after he bacame a dissolute old drunk, all bets were off... Oh, and as far as I know she's never been on the record denying his authorship.

[Paradox]

I completely agree. Mockingbird is totally different than anything else written by Capote.

[SMARTY]

Humanity stinks. There are always people who will take unfair advantage of the weak the few and the vulnerable. Americans DO NOT have the market cornered on that kind of behavior.... my own grandparents came here to get away from that kind of thing in Europe.

I DO NOT like the Hollywood and MSM summary representation that O N L Y Americans are guilty of this and that America is the MOST rabidly racist and chauvinistic place in the world.

With or with out this book/film, you know what I mean.

[Eric in the Ozarks]

Agree. Lee’s voice in “Mockingbird” is like nothing Capote ever wrote.

[Retired Greyhound]

Great book (and movie) to be sure, but overrated.

It really didn’t break new ground.

Huck Finn was much more impactful.

[Ann Archy]

Didn’t Margaret Mitchell ONLY write one book...Gone With The Wind????

[Non-Sequitur]

Everything the Liberals cherish is a lie.

Not in this case.

[JoeProBono]

>Take away the book and what would you have to talk about with her?

“Thu 8 Nov 2007 At a White House ceremony this week, President Bush awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom to author Harper Lee. Bush praised Lee’s 1961 book, TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD as a “gift to the entire world” and one that “has influenced the character of our country for the better.”

[agere_contra]

Don’t worry, it appears that Capote claimed authorship.

My idea was that they had colluded on a book and he had given her the rights, vowing to take the secret to his grave. If he hasn’t disputed the authorship I was willing to let Harper’s claim stand. It wouldn’t be the truth, but the attribution would be according to his wishes, you understand? It’s not as if Harper Lee were running for the Senate.

But anyway, as it happens it’s not true. He wrote a significant part of it and has asserted authorship in whole or in part.

[Puppage]

Truman Capote is the real author of To Kill a Mockingird.

Baloney

However, she did base a character on him.

[kalee]

Baited breath is fishy breath. lol
Maybe you meant bated...anxiously anticipating.

[Non-Sequitur]

Didn’t Margaret Mitchell ONLY write one book...Gone With The Wind????

Didn't you know? Truman Capote wrote that one, too. </sarcasm>.

One can't help but admire people like Lee and Mitchell who had only one book in them, and were wise enough not to try and top their masterpieces.

[goodwithagun]

Love this book! Read it every summer and teach it to my seniors every school year. It is a fantastic way to show my inner city students what real racism is, and also how Democrats (they are shocked to hear Al Gore Sr.) stalled civil rights legislation. I also do an in-depth discussion on the Duke lacrosse case. It is an amazing book and several of my students have come back and told me how much it meant to them. Specifically, my students are quick to fight and we discuss what physical aggression solves. Of course, we discuss when it is appropriate to use at the end of the novel when Atticus does not escort his kids to the Halloween party. I could go on, but I'll stop here.

[Non-Sequitur]

So how do you discuss the Medal of Freedom without mentioning the book?

[Tijeras_Slim]

No way.... next you’ll be telling us Bill Ayers wrote Obama’s books.

[Nonstatist]

BLOCK: Yeah, that that would fuel it. In other words, she was one and done, and if she were such a great writer, why wouldn’t she keep writing great books?

Dr. FLYNT: Exactly. Which basically judges her by the standards of our own culture, which is once you’ve got a taste of fame and fortune, why in the world wouldn’t you continue it?

If that doesent sound like a crock of bullsh*t, I don't know what does. In fact, she tried several times to write "stuff", but couldnt put anything decent together. . Oh, and her childhood friend and mentor never helped her with her sole literary venture, honest to God? Hard to believe, that. ..Plus, he said he did.

[JoeProBono]

>So how do you discuss the Medal of Freedom without mentioning the book?

Ask George.

[Non-Sequitur]

I was referring to the author of the article who said he had an interview with Lee in which the book was a taboo subject. What did he and she have to talk about under those circumstances?

[Nonstatist]

No way.... next you’ll be telling us Bill Ayers wrote Obama’s books.

Yeah, Obama never wrote anything else either, even as head of the Harvard Law Review. But I guess thats just because he didnt want to , not because he couldn't. Yaaah, right.