"When he was nearly thirteen, my brother Jem got his arm badly broken at the elbow.... When enough years had gone by to enable us to look back on them, we sometimes discussed the events leading to his accident. I maintain that the Ewells started it all, but Jem, who was four years my senior, said it started long before that. He said it began the summer Dill came to us, when Dill first gave us the idea of making Boo Radley come out."

Set in the small Southern town of Maycomb, Alabama, during the Depression, To Kill a Mockingbird follows three years in the life of 8-year-old Scout Finch, her brother, Jem, and their father, Atticus--three years punctuated by the arrest and eventual trial of a young black man accused of raping a white woman. Though her story explores big themes, Harper Lee chooses to tell it through the eyes of a child. The result is a tough and tender novel of race, class, justice, and the pain of growing up.

A Must Read

As others have stated, I can't believe I wasn't forced to read this book during my school years. I guess it's because we Australians would be outraged if American literature took precedence over our home grown 'talent'.

Anyway, besides the great moral inherent in this story (which never makes for a great book without being well written), the character development is second to none. I've never read a book before or since which convinces you that characters you are reading about are so real. Not only that, you just fall in love with the ideosyncrasies of each character.

This book is a 'classic' in every sense of the word.

Tightly written with a message for everyone

Harper Lee was encouraged to write some of her childhood memories. What in the beginning seems like the story of three childhood friends in depression era Macomb, Alabama, turns out to be packed with insights to the makeup of human kind.

This story is intriguing on many levels from the history of the area to the stereotyping of people. Most of all every turn was a surprise as told in the first person from the view of Scout Finch. And instead of telling the story in a six year old vocabulary she uses an exceptionally large repertoire to describe the people and events. This story is not as slow passed as one may guess from first glance as every remark and every action will be needed for a future action.

A major controversial part of the story is the trial of Tom Robinson. Hoverer this is just a catalyst to help Scout understand the nature of people including her father Atticus and you will find that as important as it is it is just a part of the story with other major characters such as Arthur "Boo" Radley.

Even thought it appears that Scout is the recipient of the insights, I believe we the reader is the real recipient.

I can truly say that this book has changed my outlook in life.

Samshing BlockBuster

The thing that you carry with yourself in the book is the innocense with which the entire story is narrated. Scout Finch, a eight year old girl narrates her experience of joy, sadness, grudges, racism and above all courage. Atticus Finch, her father and a lawyer is up trying to save a black man from being wrongly accused of rape of a white woman.

As the events happen, one feels the ugly side of human beings. The narration from the eyes of a child adds to the questions that are being silently asked in the book. There were lots of plots in the book, being Jill Harris, scout's friend, Boo Radly and the child's obession to drag Boo out of his house.

The interaction of Jem, scouts brother and scout herself deserves a lot of credit for the overall outcome of the book. This is one book nobody should miss. If you haven't read it, you has certainly missed something.