Harper Lee
At a news conference two years after the publication of To Kill a Mockingbird, Lee was asked how she felt about writing a second novel, to which she responded, “I’m scared”. For nearly six decades a second novel did not come. That changed in 2015 when Go Set a Watchman was controversially published just months before the author’s death at age 89. The release of Go Set a Watchman came about after the manuscript was discovered in a safe deposit box, and passed on to a publishing house by Lee’s lawyer. Many believe Lee never intended for Go Set a Watchman to be published – something Lee’s lawyer contests.
Lee spent much of her life out of the public eye, politely yet insistently turning down interview requests and eschewing most public appearances. A rare public appearance came when Lee was presented with the Presidential Medal of Freedom for her "outstanding contribution to America's literary tradition" at a ceremony at the White House in 2007.
Lee’s full name was Nelle Harper Lee, however, not wanting to be known as ‘Nellie’, she opted to publish under the simplified moniker ‘Harper Lee’. Harper Lee was born on 28 April 1926 and died 19 February 2016 in Alabama in the United States.
Audiobook Review — To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee
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To Kill a Mockingbird
- By: Harper Lee
- Narrated by: Sissy Spacek
- Length: 12 hrs and 17 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 1,977
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Performance5 out of 5 stars 1,771
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 1,760
'Shoot all the bluejays you want, if you can hit 'em, but remember it's a sin to kill a mockingbird.' A lawyer's advice to his children as he defends the real mockingbird of Harper Lee's classic novel - a black man charged with the rape of a white girl. Through the young eyes of Scout and Jem Finch, Harper Lee explores with exuberant humour the irrationality of adult attitudes to race and class in the Deep South of the '30s.
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5 out of 5 stars
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Transported to the wold of Scout and Jem.
- By Frances on 18-05-2015
“Transported to the world of Scout and Jem. Most of us have read the story that takes us into the world of Scout and Jem at least once. However this Audible version brings their world to life in a way that expands our understanding of this beautifully written book. Sissy Spacek makes the characters live in our imagination as she sets the scene and controls the pace of the narrative. Her ability to understand each situation as it develops makes this Audible version an essential part of our family's listening pleasure.” Frances, Audible listener.
Audiobook Reviews — Go Set A Watchman
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Go Set a Watchman
- By: Harper Lee
- Narrated by: Reese Witherspoon
- Length: 6 hrs and 57 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4 out of 5 stars 305
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 284
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Story3.5 out of 5 stars 287
Scout (Jean Louise Finch) has returned to Maycomb from New York to visit her father, Atticus. She is forced to grapple with issues both personal and political as she tries to understand both her father's attitude toward society and her own feelings about the place where she was born and spent her childhood.
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1 out of 5 stars
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Don't ruin your memory of Atticus Finch
- By Ceese on 29-06-2016
“The politics of the South explained. I really enjoyed the narration, the story was deep and reflective.” Bronwyn, Audible listener.
“Fantastic! A worthy addition to To Kill a Mockingbird. Reese Witherspoon draws you into the world of Scout in a convincing and moving way. The humanity of this book has a gritty realism which brings a new dimension to Atticus Finch.” Rev, Audible listener.