'To Kill a Mockingbird'

Wonderful. Wonderful. WONDERFUL novel. I think Atticus is probably one of the greatest characters in literature. A cross-section of racial history interwoven with a journey into adulthood. Lightning plot with subtle characters makes for a divine read!

I actually didn't read this book until last year. It is my friend's favorite book and she kept pestering me to read it, while I invented excuse after excuse. I just wasn't all that interested. Then we read it for English.

Omigosh, but it blew my socks off. I'm not really sure what it is about it that really makes me love it so much, but I really do. Absolutely amazing read.

I think it's the characters, along with the narration. Probably mostly the narration. It is so true to life. I've never really been in any of these situations, and yet they ring so true to my own life that I felt an instant kinship with the book. I remember thinking the exact same way Scout does and it makes me look back on myself and chuckle or wince as the situation has it.

Really, Harper Lee struck crazy literary genius gold with this book.

~GryphonFledgling

P.S. With the understanding that I love TKAM as much as anyone, check out this video. It makes the book ten times more awesome, though I wish Atticus had a bigger part. Atticus is the man.
http://www.albinoblacksheep.com/flash/mockingbird
"And the Mockingbird was like 'Yeah right,' 'cuz no one can kill a mockingbird..."

I first read TKAM when I was eleven, and honestly...it was okay. But just okay.

I'm not quite sure why I don't seem to favor it as much as most people; maybe I just had high expectations or something. Maybe it's because I live near where it's set (the name of my town is actually mentioned at least once in the book). I have to say, I did love the movie, but I don't share the same appreciation for it as most people do, I guess.

Okay, semi-rant over. :]

I cannot explain how much I love that book. It was the first classic I ever read and I just love it so much. I am a firm believer in equality so I liked it for that reason, but for so many. I LOVED the characters. Atticus and Scout and Jem, aw, they're just amazing. Seriously, everyone should read this book. I adored it. That's all I can say really, some unintelligible mutterings. I loved the book xD I could see, however, how you wouldn't like it. So it's just a matter of personal opinion I guess.
xD
xoxo

I really liked To Kill a Mockingbird. It was the first Pulitzer Prize winner I ever read. I read it when I was 13 I guess... I LOVED the scene where he talks about equality in the courtroom. And I also like the part where Jem learns a lesson from the old lady who wouldn't take morphine. I think it's a great book that has a hell lot of insight. Love the end of the book... The part where Atticus says most people have a lot of good in them when you get to know them... something like that. although I found it rather hard to read at times but I still think it's an awesome read.

Oh you MUST read Jane Eyre! It seriously made me cry at the part where she reaches the crossroads. Don't think I'm a wimp, it was just really, really sad.

I read TKAM about two years ago, and have been rereading it ever since. I reread it about 8 times already (which isn't much, I know), because it's amazing. Frankly, I've never read a book about racial discrimination. My country isn't particularly loud on the subject. My least favourite part was the part where she puts herself in Boo's shoes. I dunno why.

I haven't tried Jane Eyre, but I can't seem to get into English literature. Pride and Prejudice and Charles Dickens both bored me. I thought the narrative was dry and the topics superficial.

I liked TKAM, but it's not really one of my favorites. It was just a little too dry for me.

I loved it when I was younger but know not so much. I think I read it just at the right time. Jane Eyre is better, and whoever said it was boring, I can't understand. I literally couldn't put it down.

I loved it too.

The point of view and the innocent but wise insights Scout makes are great.

I especially enjoyed the whole Boo Radley incident.

To Kill a Mockingbird is a great book. I was forced by my mother to read it in sixth grade, and I still loved it.

I read "To Kill A Mocking Bird" for English last year. I absolutely loved this book. I think it made an impact on me. I had never really thought about racism before and wasnt aware that the conditions in America in th 1930's were this bad with slave labour. I felt so sorry for Tom Robinson. Atticus Finch is my hero, i aspire to be like him. He is a very intelligent man and is not afraid to fight for what he believes in. Even though racism is the main theme and is a quite hot and heavy subject to read about, the book has humerous and ligh hearted parts to it, which makes it entertaining.

I loved this book very much so and would advise everyone to read it

I LOVE To Kill a Mockingbird. Best book of all time. Well, maybe not of all time, but it's still one of my favorites.

P.S I also realized that one of the characters was modeled, after Harper Lee's friend and author of "In Cold Blood", which, I think, was a much better novel than "To Kill a Mockingbird". I thought the cameo was nice though ^^

I'm sorry if I'm repeating anything already said here, I just skimmed through the other posts briefly, you see. Anyways, I personally didn't like the book very much. I do think it is a classic... just not for our generation. It’s funny, I said that to my English teacher and she went all "Oh no you didn't!' on me. She got as far as implying that I was full of 'dung', arrogant, and ignorant. I told how I understood how much of an impact it had on her generation, and that, because of that, it could be considered a classic. However, I said, that our generation would not take to it as much for the simple reason that the story of racism has been heard by us about a hundred in our youth, so we’re not be roused by this one single book. I said that I imagined that in her generation the book was the first of many to come to speak up against racism and make it obvious how wrong it was.

I told her that this generation, however, was already very tolerant of different races (for the most part, I would hope so) and that since childhood we've been exposed to other books and movies, a new medium of story telling, that expressed and taught us how wrong it was. As well, how in school were contestably taught how to be more open-minded. So, by the time we reach the To Kill a Mocking Bird, the story seems clichéd to some extent.

Her response was that the book did not only deal with racism, which, at this point, I cut her off and said that I knew that. I said I knew that the book also talked of innocence and corruption, of mob mentality, and I mentioned some other stuff as well, then told her this too had become clichéd by our generation.

Anyways, it was a long dragged out argument but those are my major points and feelings about the book. Not to belittle racism, but like I said, it’s been heard by us numerous times. It's a classic, for sure, just not as appealing to me as people make it out to me, as I'm sure many in our generation.

I *heart* To Kill A Mockingbird. Let me tell you my reasons:

1. The voice is described in impeccable detail. I actually knew the narrator before I had even started on the second chapter. It was that good.

2. Scout describes everything in such vivid imagery that it's hard not to picture it.

3. As for the "boring parts," every thriller or romance needs an easy, slow spot after a passionate sex scene or a shooting in City Hall. Harper Lee is a master at this.

4. The stakes are described in heart-wrenching heights. Most of it is internal: When Bob Ewett spits in Atticus's face and he does not turn the other cheek, there is no hope for the nobility of mankind. If Tom Robinson is imprisoned after Atticus's moving speech, the justice system needs to be fixed.

5. Lee writes the characters with intimacy that it's hard NOT to be symphaetic with them.

Grade for TKAM: A+

To Kill a Mockingbird is easily one of my favorite books. I had to read it for school. It is a definite classic. I found myself being drawn into this book, that other books rarely do. I would read so far ahead, i just had to finish it.

I had to read it for my summer reading project. It took me a few weeks to read it. I hated it. Some parts were interesting but it went like that the entire story: boring, interesting, boring, interesting, etc. I'm so glad I finally finished it--the Southern dialect was hard to read and I didn't really find the characters all that interesting.

I've never read any of those books you guys just talked about; I was going to read the Count of Monte Cristo instead of this one but it came down to which one was shorter. I'm not much of a classics fan anyway; this book, Old Yeller, Sounder and Anne of Green Gables are the only ones I've ever read. I hated Old Yeller, liked Sounder and loved Anne of Green Gables.

I was in chat once and people were talking about Mr.Darcy. I asked who was he and they told me he was from one of Jane Austen's books (Pride and Prejudce, I think).

Ugh, I hated Old Man and The Sea. Personally, I think Jane Eyre is a lot more dull than TKAM - Harper Lee's writing is simpler in my mind, easier to follow. Jane Eyre is more difficult simply because of the time period it was written in.

Ah, yes, I adore 'Jane Eyre' too. The latter and TKAM are very different though, don't you think? TKAM is subtle, and I suppose takes maturity to fully appreaciate (I'm probably just not there yet!) whereas JA's very dramatic.
It'd be interesting to know if those who like TKAM are into 'The Old Man and the Sea' (or any of Hemingway, for that matter). That's another classic that I found extremely dull and just too philosophical when I did it for school.

I love love love love To Kill a Mockingbird. I didn't think it was dull at all - I had to read it for school and I finished it like a week and a half before everyone else. It's amazing.

Other good classics: A Tale of Two Cities, the Count of Monte Cristo, Jane Eyre (which I'm kind of cheating by saying that, because I haven't finished it yet) and anything by C. S. Lewis.

i read this for school too, in like 8th grade i think. (maybe 7th?)

i loved the courtroom scene!!! i reread that part like 6 times (and i almost NEVER reread books) but i loved that scene. I think those kind of law parts are really interesting, but i liked how it was from a child's point of view, because a lot of time when they write court room scenes they can get confusing with terms i don't know.

i dont know if i would have read it if i didn't have to for school, but once i got into it, i really did like it. it was just a little harder to get into, i think.

Interesting you should say that - I was just thinking the exact opposite .

Frankly, I preferred Pride and Prejudice to Kill a Mockingbird - although I enjoyed both of them.

I don't think developing a taste for the classics has much to do with it. I like a lot of the classics (namely those of Thomas Hardy and the Brontes) but I found To Kill a Mockingbird boring.
I know what you mean about P+P. It's more or less a cult following now anyway. I do like Jane Austen, though - Persuasion in particular.

I loved it! I thought it was one of the best books I've ever read. Call me a crack pot if you want but I love classics. It was truly a wonderful book.

I didn't find it boring at all. It was quite intriguing. I think you basically have to 'develop' a taste for classics. My older brother can't stand them. Give him, elves, robots, dragons any day. But he thinks classics are too dull.

But I have to admit there were some classics I did not understand what the fuss was about. I did not find anything so special in them.

For example Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen (Preparing to get stoned by Austen fans).
It's not a BAd book but I didn't find it that great either to be honest.

I even find it extremely boring in some places. On the whole it was an okay book. But people are so crazy about it which I don't get.

Yeah, I love this book. I read it in... 9th grade, I guess? I thought it was fantastic. Scout is probably the only child narrator I can think of who didn't annoy the pants off of me. Normally, I just get sick of the naive viewpoint, but the way Lee writes it makes Scout come across as very adult without being unrealistic.

in my experience, if I'm told to read a book, it's never as good as one that I choose to read.

I was forced to read it for class - and in my experience, if I'm told to read a book, it's never as good as one that I choose to read.

But still, once I got into the story, I did get quite interested. I certainly liked the depth with which the author described the action in the courtroom - but then again, I really like books about law cases and such.

I can see why many people don't like it though.

Reading it right now for school; first couple pages were pretty bland but five chapters in, it's not bad.

It hasn't exactly "hooked" me but I think it's worth the read. I'll probably give a more complete review once I finish it.

I didn't love it. Then again, I had to read it for class, and the other book I had to read with it (summer reading, see), I absolutely loved. Don't worry, it's ok to not like it! I thought it was boring as all get out, but that's me! The story itself is highly intriguing, but I think it lacks more in presentation (though I'll be disputed at every corner for saying it!).

I love To Kill and Mockingbird. It's my favorite book!

Atticus Finch is my hero, and Scout is who I wanna be like.

I didn't want it to end! I loved how it ended though, with Boo really being the awesome good guy and how Scout stood on the front porch of the Radley place and imagined how Boo must have felt when he was watching her and Jem and Dill. I cried.

My favorite quote comes from that book.

"Atticus was right. You never really knew a man until you put on his shoes and walked around in them."

Makes me laugh everytime.

Come to think of it, I must have read that book at least five times.

-Ailam

Hmm I guess I can't help you here. Don't know why it's a classic. Probably because of all the universal themes it touches? It's hard to tell why most classics are classics. The one thing I do know is that I adore it. One of my favorite books.

I really liked it. But it did drag on, though I didn't find it that unpleasant...

then again, Harper Lee only wrote one book in her life time. Might as well write as much as she likes within that one book.

I had to read it for class.

it was good, but it was bad. I liked the story, but it was dragged out over forever and ever. So I can understand why you didn't like it. =P