The most anticipated book of the year—possibly of the decade—is Harper Lee’s Go Set a Watchman, a follow-up to To Kill a Mockingbird. This means that now is the perfect time to revisit Lee’s Pulitzer Prize-winning masterwork.
Whether you only vaguely recall the classic from ninth-grade English class, or you count Atticus Finch as one of the best fictional characters in literature, let’s revisit it. To Kill a Mockingbird follows our small heroine, Scout Finch, as she wakes up to the world around her in 1930s Alabama. Together with her brother, Jem, and friend, Dill, Scout investigates the mysterious recluse Boo Radley next door. Meanwhile, Scout’s father, Atticus, defends an innocent black man who is accused of rape. Lee expertly interweaves themes of prejudice and acceptance throughout the story, treating all of the characters as real people with their own sets of complicated motives and morals. It is for these reasons that To Kill a Mockingbird has become such a classic and people often laud Lee as one of the greatest writers of all time.
Listening to To Kill a Mockingbird on audio feels like you are right there with Scout as she recalls her childhood. Sissy Spacek narrates in an endearing Alabama accent, bringing life to Scout Finch’s precocious personality and Southern cadences. Just listen to the beginning as Scout talks about the background of her town and family.
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