Real Courage: The Story of Harper Lee (World Writers)

Don, Katherine

ISBN 10: 1599353482 ISBN 13: 9781599353487

Publisher: Morgan Reynolds Pub, 1612

Synopsis

Recounts the author's life, examines her work "To Kill a Mockingbird", and provides historical details that place the story in context.

About this title

From the Inside Flap

Harper Lee is celebrated worldwide for To Kill A Mockingbird, her Pulitzer prize winning novel. Published in 1960, To Kill A Mockingbird is a classic coming-of-age story that advocates for tolerance, courage, and love--especially in the face of bigotry and injustice. It is the only novel that Lee ever wrote. Born Nelle Harper Lee in the small town of Monroeville, Alabama, Lee was a rambunctious tomboy who loved to explore and get into trouble, just as she loved to read and write. She later attended college to become a lawyer but then made a sudden decision to move to New York City and become a writer. After eleven years of devoted struggles with her writing, Lee published her first book. It would become one of the most beloved novels of all time. After the mid-1960s, Lee stopped giving interviews and receded from the public spotlight. She is considered a "recluse," but in actuality, Lee continues to live an active and fulfilling life into old age, charming friends and admirers with her warmth, wit, and integrity.integrity

From School Library Journal

Gr 7 Up-This biography of Harper Lee, known as Nelle to family and friends, underscores the notion that her only novel, To Kill A Mockingbird, was heavily influenced by and a product of her upbringing in rural Alabama. Nelle Lee grew up in Monroeville, Alabama, during the Great Depression and was inspired by her surroundings, and those who peopled it, including and especially her father, A. C. Lee. Spunky, ferociously intelligent, and curious, she grew into a determined, brilliant individual known for her sharp wit and ability to connect with anyone. Any telling of her life cannot exclude detailed descriptions of events going on in the world around her, both in her childhood in the Jim Crow South and her adult years in New York City in the midst of the Civil Rights Movement, which was going strong just as the book was published. Students and teachers looking for a solid, accessible biography will find this to be a fine choice as the writing is straightforward and engaging. Charles Shields's I Am Scout (Holt, 2008) is perhaps a more elegant narrative with more details about Lee's life and relationships, but less approachable as a research resource. Period photographs and an interesting design enhance the narrative. A lengthy bibliography, source notes, and time line will be useful to teachers wanting to complement lessons about the novel.-Jody Kopple, Shady Hill School, Cambridge, MAα(c) Copyright 2011. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

Edition details

• Publisher: Morgan Reynolds Pub
• Publication date: 1612
• ISBN 10: 1599353482
• ISBN 13: 9781599353487
• Binding: Library Binding
• Language: English
• Number of pages: 128