To Kill A Mockingbird, was a good book for a book club.
Alot to discuss, lots of insight and great discussion with our book club dispite the small number of 6 of us. We normally have 18. The book I thought always had to deal with the trial of a black man. But, realizing after I read the book it was about the coming of age in the south. And the great warmth and respect the children had for their father, Atticus. Atticus, never spoke down to his children rather talked to them as if they were adults and never lied to them.
Lee Harper, knew what she was doing when she wrote this. You think this is a simple story, but it was really multi layers but you as the reader did not realize this. We also saw the movie, before we discussed the book for added pleasure.

As an adult we forget sometimes what was like before we understood the conformity of society. We made our own little world in our backyard and playgrounds. Harper Lee takes us on the journey as two siblings "learn" to be more than children beyond their playground. They learn maybe more than their years should have taught them by wise and sometimes interest characters in their town. I think every reader remembers and relearns a little bit of that coming of age while reading this story. If only the entire world could read this book and become tolerant of each other.

It was a very good book that talks about the injustices of the world. You can learn valuable life lessons about this book. Any one can read it from 10 to 100. Hope you enjoyed it as much as i did!

My second favorite book of all times. I could read this book over again and get pulled right into the pages each time.

a timeless classic for all ages.

I love this book. It's the best book by an American author ever!

Wow. I read this in high school, and remember liking it some, and now I remember why I liked it. It is an awesome tale.

Crazy how much your perspective changes when reading this as adult vs as a youth. We had really enjoyed the discussion and insight this book provided. This book prompts the question "what would you have done?".

A great book for all ages.

I have loved this book ever since I read it as a freshman, and it continues to be my favorite book. It has everything- mystery, humor, excellent writing. If you haven't read it yet, it's time!

Hadn't read this book since college (though it is my mom's fave and our dogs were even called Jem and Scout), and it is just as amazing as I remembered it, though even BETTER as an adult! Maybe I just noticed more things or I paid more attention to Atticus because now I am a parent, but man, was it good!

Our club decided to read a classic book annually and this one was a home run. The characters take you to 1935 in a small Alabama town. Atticus and Scout are my favorite characters, all children should have such a father as Atticus. Scout takes you back to your childhood days. This a fast read and one book everyone should read every five years or so, it speaks to issues that are still in our country 75 years later.

I read this on my own, not with my book club. I loved it! It would be such a good book to discuss in a book club. The first part of the book seems a little slow and I wasn't sure how it was going to be tied together, but when you reach part two, it's all intertwined. This book was beautifuly written and had the best ending of any book that I've ever read. I highly recommend it!

Deservedly considered a classic. Scout and Atticus Finch stay in mind long after the end of the book.

After you read this book you will understand why it is a timeless classic. Beautifully written.

All members, save one, had read this book at least once before, but we all found new elements and insights reading it again. It's an amazing book.

I am sure I didn't appreciate this book when I read it in school years & years ago, but when my son was assigned the book this past year, I thought....why not read it as well. I was delighted by the entire book and was so glad I picked it up again so many years later so I could really understand it.

My favorite book of all time!

I first read "To Kill a Mockingbird" as a teenager and have read it many times since then. If I could write but one book, as Harper Lee did, it would be one as brilliant as this one. Everyone should be required to read "To Kill a Mockingbird." You will remember the characters and their story for the rest of your life, which will surely change your perspective from that time forward.

I read this back in high school. I didn't appreciate the greatness of this novel until I re-read it as an adult. This story is INCREDIBLE!!!!

To Kill a Mockingbird is my favorite novel of all time. It is a timeless classic.

My all-time favorite book. I first read it when I was about 13 or 14 years old and have read it at least 20 times. I get something new out of it each time I read it. EVERYONE should read this book.
In 1998 I was the discussion leader for my book club and my notes are as follows: "Southern" women/ladies; maturation; tolerance; security; self-esteem. I still am struck with the impact of the story. With Atticus' strength of character and parenting skill.
In 2004 I read the hardcover special anniversary edition and wrote: a singularly powerful book. Lee captures a time and place in American culture. 40+ years old and still fresh!

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August 14, 2010 UPDATE
I listened to the audio book for this, my (approx.) 20th reading of this classic of American literature. It is my favorite book of all time and each time I revisit it, I find something else that I’ve never noticed before.

The audio version I had featured Academy-Award-winning actress Sissy Spacek. She does an admirable job, though her accent is wrong. She is a Texan, and the Southern Alabama accent is softer than her twang. Still, by the 2nd disc I had stopped noticing this, and allowed myself to be carried into the story by her expert reading.

Wow! What a fantastic book. I don’t know why I’ve never read this before. I really thought I already knew what it was about–a girl’s father defending a black man for r*ping a white woman. It is about so much more than that, although of course that plays an important part.

Scout and her family live in Maycomb, Alabama. In the beginning of the book, Scout is going into the 1st grade and her brother Jem is going into 5th. Her father is an attorney, her mother died when she was 2, and her caregiver is a sweet, smart black woman named Calpurnia. The family relationship among all members is strong–very strong. Scout and Jem play together at home (but not in school–Jem insists). Scout and her father always read together in the evenings. This is a point of contention with Scout’s teacher Miss Caroline. “Now you tell your father not to teach you any more. It’s best to begin reading with a fresh mind. You tell him I’ll take over from here and try to undo the damage–”

Scout, Jem, and their friend Dill (said to have been inspired by Lee’s childhood friend Truman Capote) spend a lot of time together in the summer trying to see Boo Radley, a neighbor who is a recluse. In fact, they are obsessed with this endeavor. Atticus Finch, Scout’s father, takes on the r*pe case. The fallout from the case is felt by the Finches from the community as well as from their extended family. The book ends well, though, with a very satisfying conclusion.

To Kill a Mockingbird won the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction in 1961 and was made into an Academy Award winning film starring Gregory Peck. It is the only novel Harper Lee ever published.

The first time I read this book I was 11 years old. I've gone through five copies of it since then. I would recommend it to everyone.

Most read this in HS American Lit. However, I urge you to re-read it as an adult, to better appreciate the honor and dignity of the main characters (aside from antagonists). Additionally, the humorous and insightful observations of life in mid 1930s Alabama are incomparable, thanks to Harper Lee's brilliance. I simply did not want the book to end!

the book was told from the view of a 5 year old girl, about growing up in the deep south. a black man is accused of raping a white girl. scout's father tries to defend tom robinson.
in the end the jurors convicted him.

One of the greatest books I have ever read. So much to learn from this book, can we afford not to read it. Such wonderful insight into the characters, Scout is truly an inspiration to all young women, and her father sets a great example for people everywhere. All the characters are alive and thought provoking. Read it again, get your kids to read it, and talk about it with them. Who knows, it might just make a difference in someone's life.

An Unforgettable Read.

I would highly recommend reading it and if you read it in high school - read it again

I read this novel as a high school student and liked it then but now 40 years later I loved it! The meaning behind the events and subtle humor held me captive to the story. I recommend this book to young and not so young.

This book has great character development along with a moving story. Human nature has not changed and the themes portrayed are as relevant today as they were when the book was written in 1960. My book discussion group prompted me to reread Mockingbird and found it as thought provoking today as when I read it years ago. It is definitely a catalyst for conversation and emotion.

To Kill a Mockingbird is considered an American Classic because it deals with racism and the search for justice. In 1961, Harper Lee became the only author to win the Pulitzer Prize with her first and only published novel. The book won several other awards. We do not know if Harper Lee anticipated the impact the novel would have on millions of Americans. In 1999, the book was voted best novel of the Century by The Library Journal.Among others, its major themes are: good vs evil, education, racism, social inequality, the mockingbird metaphor, raising children in a hostile environment, bravery, and the law. Much have been said, and can be said about the book, but it is obvious that To Kill a Mockingbird should be required reading, not only in our schools, but for every adult. Our experiences give us a new perspective every time we read this wonderful book.

This book is just pur perfection. I have read it about 20 times, and enjoy it every time.

To a person our bookclub found this book A plus. Among the comments were lamentations that Harper Lee never wrote another book, although we agreed it would be hard to top this one. Some members were surprised to learn that the character Dill was based on Truman Capote, who was a long time friend of Ms. Lee. The book was highly autobiographical and masterfully written. We decided that a book that had been written over 50 years ago, yet still seemed current and meaningful had to be considered a classic. We would highly recommend this book.

Our club loved this book. interesting to read again after so many years, even better the second time around. Highly recommend!

A wonderful book with amazing characters. From the strange recluse who lives next door to the precocious child who steals your heart, this is a book about making tough decisions and living what you believe, even when it's not the popular way.

Just loved this book. Created Great conversation with the book club comparing life then to now and discussing who was innocent (a mockingbird) and who wasn't.

I first read this book when it was published in the 60s and it is the only book I have ever read more than twice! Harper Lee\'s message is as powerful today as it was when she wrote it.

Wonderful insight into small town life in the South during the Depression with vivid descriptions of the community and its citizens. This makes for a wonderful discussion about the realities at those times and how things have changed, or not.

We enjoyed discussing this classic story with so many great lines and advice. “You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view … until you climb into his skin and walk around in it.”

I\'m probably the only person who just read this book for the first time - but I DID see the movie - several times.

I loved the book. What controversial topics the author presented and worked through, in a very open and forward style. Written from the perspective of a young white girl, Scout, made it an even more interesting read. The ending had me thinking and questioning for a few minutes, which I liked too.

I read this book in junior high, high school, and again in my late twenties. At age 56, I was amazed at the new revelations I discovered in my fourth reading. I would strongly recommend that every American read \'To Kill a Mockingbird\' again and again. It is a beloved period piece, yet will always be timeless. I felt that our book club had a revealing, stimulating, and very worthwhile discussion.

This is a story primarily about racism in the south told from the perspective of a little girl. Deeper layers address family, parenting, coming of age, and the discrepancy between unquestioning belief and actual truth.

This book is so awesome that it is a shame that since it is assigned as a high school book, many adults do not read it. This opportunity given by the announcement and release of the prequel is a gift given to the American Reader! Harper Lee is a gifted writer who was way ahead of her time. Do yourself a favor and read this at your first opportunity.

Rereading Mockingbird today took me back to the first time I read it. But I picked up on things I had overlooked the first time. Reading it through my much older eyes helped me realize how special and yet horrible growing up during that time was. There is so much to talk about with this book.Timeless is what this book is. So much more than the movie.

I found this book very interesting and wanted to keep reading and not put it down. Couldn't wait to see what would happen next.
I recommend this to everyone to read it or reread it.

The book presents a view of a time in history on the cusp of change in people's attitudes toward race relations--the deep South in the Depression when people were struggling to live on dwindling resources while maintaining their old social strata. Knowing that times would never be the same, most citizens weren't quite ready to acknowledge that by extending legal rights to African Americans; it takes an Atticus Finch to be their guide. The story is narrated by Scout Finch who sees her father's legal defense of an innocent African American man through an eight-year-old's eyes while learning some of life's lessons on the way.
Harper Lee's knowledge and understanding of the times, the place, and its people allow her to write a compassionate and insightful book that can inform us all.

Each time I read this book, I am filled with so many emotions. Shame, over the bigotry. Pride over Atticus' equal treatment of all, and Remembrance of the innocence of children are the top three emotions. I have read the book five times now and it continues to move me and encourage me to be a better person when dealing with others.

I like so many things about this book… the story is told form the perspective of a little girl.. a perfect voice to put into words all of the incongruous things she witnesses, and there are so many. Taking place in the still segregated southern US, Scout and her brother and raised by a single dad… a just man, intelligent and discreet.. and a lawyer. All of the characters are confronted with so many contradictions and often prejudices.. seen from the perspective of a child, it all takes on a different angle. A truly beautiful coming of age story. This is the kind of book you wish you had bought in hard cover to keep for generations in your library and to read and reread.

I reread this before reading Go Set A Watchman. This was, by far, a better book. Great story.

It is a must read book.

One of the best books I’ve ever read!