Explores with exuberant humour the irrationality of adult attitudes to race and class in the Deep South of the thirties.
| 29 of 29 people found the following review helpful  Maycomb County comes to life....., By This review is from: To Kill A Mockingbird: 50th Anniversary edition (Audio CD) If you loved reading the book or have seen the movie - you can't fail to enjoy this audio version. Sissy Spacek has exactly the right voice, and in particular, her portrayal of Scout Finch is mesmerising.This masterful reading brings the world of Maycomb County vividly to life. And at such a bargain price, it is a must-have for fans of the book. Buy it now - you will not be disappointed! 143 of 147 people found the following review helpful Scout's story, By A Customer Amazon Verified Purchase This review is from: To Kill A Mockingbird (Mass Market Paperback) I must have read this story at least five times in the two or so years since I first picked up a copy, sometimes returning right back to the start after closing the book. I only wish I could remain immersed in Harper Lee's bygone age and beautifully crafted characters, and not have to reach that last page.The main thread of 'To Kill A Mockingbird' is the trial of a black man, the symbolic 'mockingbird' of the title, who is accused of raping a white woman, but I much prefer the subtext of a widower father struggling to raise his children with the correct values in a deeply prejudiced society. The story is told through the eyes of the eight year old daughter, 'Scout', which at once paints a more honest picture of events whilst presenting a biased opinion of the central adult protagonist. Whether or not Scout is blinded by love for her father, Atticus Finch is probably one of the most heroic characters in fiction, and a role model for fathers everywhere. Although the trial itself is a... Read more 124 of 130 people found the following review helpful Timeless, ageless masterpiece, By Mockingbird (London, UK) - See all my reviews This review is from: To Kill A Mockingbird (Mass Market Paperback) I first read this book when I was very young, too young to understand it, and then again when I was at school. But this is one of those books that becomes more profound, more accessible and more relevant the more you read it.On the surface, it is a tale of racial prejudice in the search for justice, but in fact the story goes beyond that. It is about all prejudices, about the importance of walking around in someone else's shoes in order to truly understand them. Jem and Scout are delightfully child-like, and the effect of a hindsight narrative only adds to the many layers to be found here. Atticus Finch is the man to beat all men - he is the ideal father, the ideal man. He stands for justice, for righteousness and for "fighting back", even when you know you have lost. He is the ideal against which all men should be measured. This is the most brilliant story of one community's injustice in small-town America, the consequences of which resonate throughout society... Read more |
