Fifty More Years - A Classic Read

July is almost over and I haven't wished this timeless classic a Happy Birthday. Fifty years old this month and still a darn good read. Plus, I think it's okay to link the book to the movie version - Gregory Peck is Atticus Finch and he doesn't let us down.

I've read different columns this month (Time, WSJ, and EW) and they discuss whether To Kill a Mockingbird would have the same success today. There is debate on whether the story would be considered in the YA category (EW 7/2/10 p. 78), and consequently less likely to have been considered for a Pulitzer Prize.

In today's world, would Harper Lee have to prove she's working on another book, plus a blog, and has a "following"? It's easy to play the what if? game.

Let's just appreciate Ms.Lee's gift for words, characters (Scout, Jem, Boo, and Atticus), and her tale of a Southern town roiled by accusations. The book's quiet humor, compassion, and intensity stand the tests of time.

Happy Birthday To Kill a Mockingbird!