Yet ANOTHER Harper Lee Novel!

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by issybird

It seems many of your countrymen also find it a classic. From the BBC:



Obviously, YMMV. I like reading classics from other countries and cultures, perhaps even more so, for the insight they provide me. A great book is a great book, no matter its origin.

Thank you - that's very interesting to know. I wonder if it's perhaps gained in popularity in the UK in the last 40 or so years? It certainly didn't feature in my schooldays in the 1970s.

[issybird]

Originally Posted by HarryT

Thank you - that's very interesting to know. I wonder if it's perhaps gained in popularity in the UK in the last 40 or so years? It certainly didn't feature in my schooldays in the 1970s.

With a publication date of 1960, Mockingbird in the 70s might have been too old to be current, but not old enough to be considered a classic. I think most books have that trajectory; the issue is if they emerge as a classic after being considered stale.

I think in any case and quite reasonably, school curricula are slow to incorporate fresh-minted classics. Somewhat less so now, as they're afraid not to be relevant.

What ever the merits of Go Set a Watchman all the controversy surrounding its publication after so many years is bound to boost its sales, even among people who have never read To Kill a Mockingbird and who in general do not read 'literary' works.

Originally Posted by issybird

With a publication date of 1960, Mockingbird in the 70s might have been too old to be current, but not old enough to be considered a classic. I think most books have that trajectory; the issue is if they emerge as a classic after being considered stale.

I think in any case and quite reasonably, school curricula are slow to incorporate fresh-minted classics. Somewhat less so now, as they're afraid not to be relevant.

I'd go further. Now days books enter the public school standard curriculum with astounding rapidity after publication compared to when I was a school boy. Instant 'classics.'

[John K]

Originally Posted by Catlady

I think that's only a part of it. It's a story about a father and his children. It's about being honorable and doing what's right, regardless of the consequences, and yet still working within the system. Atticus Finch is one of the all-time great heroes in literature.

Originally Posted by kennyc

This!

I'll second this!

[Phogg]

Originally Posted by Hamlet53

What ever the merits of Go Set a Watchman all the controversy surrounding its publication after so many years is bound to boost its sales, even among people who have never read To Kill a Mockingbird and who in general do not read 'literary' works.



I'd go further. Now days books enter the public school standard curriculum with astounding rapidity after publication compared to when I was a school boy. Instant 'classics.'

While this isgenerally true there are some books that resonate with the region in which they are written, and if embraced firmly enough go on to quick national or international acclaim.

S. E. Hinton 's "The Outsiders" comes to mind.

Books can strike a nerve.

[crich70]

Originally Posted by Catlady

I think that's only a part of it. It's a story about a father and his children. It's about being honorable and doing what's right, regardless of the consequences, and yet still working within the system. Atticus Finch is one of the all-time great heroes in literature.

And he is played in the movie version by one of the great old actors Gregory Peck who also played Ahab in the 1953 version of Moby Dick. Whenever I hear the name Atticus Finch I always think of Mr. Peck and hear his voice calling for Scout and Jem. lol.

[Catlady]

Originally Posted by crich70

And he is played in the movie version by one of the great old actors Gregory Peck who also played Ahab in the 1953 version of Moby Dick. Whenever I hear the name Atticus Finch I always think of Mr. Peck and hear his voice calling for Scout and Jem. lol.

There's not another actor I can envision in the role of Atticus Finch.

[crich70]

Originally Posted by Catlady

There's not another actor I can envision in the role of Atticus Finch.

Nor really for Ahab. Patrick Stewart wasn't bad but some roles just become associated with a particular actor. Like Robert Newton as Long John Silver or Basil Rathbone as Sherlock Holmes. Other actors may do an ok job but they aren't quite right for the task unlike that particular actor who seems to be a natural fit. Probably it's somewhat like how no one can write a particular character like the original author could as well. Only Arthur Conan Doyle can really write Holmes exactly as Holmes, though some (like our own Tony Richards here at MR) have done some good stuff with the character.

[meeera]

Originally Posted by Hamlet53

I'd go further. Now days books enter the public school standard curriculum with astounding rapidity after publication compared to when I was a school boy. Instant 'classics.'

Happily, many schools (around here; YMMV) are no longer requiring that books be old and "classics" for them to be worthwhile, interesting, analyse-able reads for school age students. What the "Classics Only!" system led to was generations of children who were mostly turned off reading classics (and often turned off reading altogether), with only a very few enjoying them and going on to read more.

I'm as pleased as Punch that my kid is reading a recently-written, engaging-to-him novel in his grade seven class this year. He would likely have been fine reading a classic - he loves Shakespeare's stories, for a start - but many of his classmates would like have not been. The newer policies are also leading to an uptick in reading books by women authors, people of colour, featuring parts of the world other than England and the USA, and so on.

[Dr. Drib]

In Cincinnati, we taught this at the middle school where I taught English.

In my opinion, it has gained in stature over the years. It has a renewed and particular interest, I feel, because of the reasons I stated in my previous post.

Of course, it deals with family ties and how racial discord can be understood (and hopefully overcome) - and these, too, are underlying issues that contribute to its greatness. It resonates in my country due to those issues (as stated), along with the racial discord that seems to be pervasive and speaks to a specific unrest in my country.

It has much to teach us about love and caring - on many levels.

[Apache]

Originally Posted by crich70

Nor really for Ahab. Patrick Stewart wasn't bad but some roles just become associated with a particular actor. Like Robert Newton as Long John Silver or Basil Rathbone as Sherlock Holmes.

Also Peter Falk as Columbo. I can not envision another actor playing the part correctly.
Apache

[Catlady]

Originally Posted by meeera

Happily, many schools (around here; YMMV) are no longer requiring that books be old and "classics" for them to be worthwhile, interesting, analyse-able reads for school age students. What the "Classics Only!" system led to was generations of children who were mostly turned off reading classics (and often turned off reading altogether), with only a very few enjoying them and going on to read more.

To Kill a Mockingbird was only a few years old when it was assigned reading in high school. Since it's set at an earlier time, it never penetrated my consciousness just how "new" it really was.

[MikeB1972]

Originally Posted by HarryT

Thank you - that's very interesting to know. I wonder if it's perhaps gained in popularity in the UK in the last 40 or so years? It certainly didn't feature in my schooldays in the 1970s.

We covered it in the late 70s / early 80s.
Probably at least, I certainly read it about then and assume it was because of school, it's possible I ran out of books and read it myself though.

At the least it must have been either assigned reading or popular though

[cadele]

I studied the book in high school in Australia. I thought it was wonderful then and happily bought it in ebook form when finally released (I never owned it in paper).

I won't rush to buy the new book until I read a few reviews, as I don't want to be disappointed if it falls far short of To Kill A Mockingbird.

First chapter printed in the Wall Street Journal today:

http://www.wsj.com/articles/harper-l...ter-1436500861