Scout, Atticus, Boo ... To Kill a Mockingbird’s characters are forever ingrained in millions of readers’ minds. Harper Lee, whose 1961 novel To Kill a Mockingbird became the defining text on the racial troubles of the American deep south, has died this Friday at 89.
Published in 1961, Mockingbird remained Harper Lee’s only novel until last year, when the sequel to the book (although written before) was published under the name of Go Set a Watchman. Back then, we asked our readers to share what To Kill a Mockingbird meant to them, and we received lots of heartfelt stories about teaching experiences and eye-opening reads: “It changed my life – it taught me a fundamental lesson (that to understand someone, you have to walk around in their skin) and it introduced me to my literary hero in Atticus Finch. Growing up with very conservative parents, suddenly a whole new world opened up to me and I started to become the person I wanted to be,” said CornwallJo.
Now is your chance to pay tribute to the author, and to share the ways in which her work shaped you. You can do it in the comments, or by sharing a stories, tributes, pictures, videos and/or memories by clicking on the blue “Contribute” button at the top and bottom of the article. We will publish a selection.
