“Atticus, he was real nice…”
“Most people are, Scout, when you finally see them.”

There aren’t many books that I haven’t wanted to let go of. When I finished reading To Kill a Mockingbird, I held the book close to me for just a few minutes more. It’s the kind of story that sticks with you, that you don’t want to finish.

I first read this book in a high school English class. I don’t remember much of the book except that I read it so fast that I didn’t really retain anything in it, and ended up passing that portion of the class based entirely on paying attention during discussions. So when I was perusing lists for my Banned Books post, I decided that I absolutely had to put this book on my list. On the next trip to the bookstore, I bought a copy. I’m glad I did.

Harper Lee’s only published novel is generally agreed to be one of the best books of the 20th century. It is a tale of innocence lost while faith in humanity is maintained. The story is told from the point of view of Scout, a young girl growing up in a tiny Alabama town during the depression. Scout is, as can be expected of any 6-year-old, naive in the ways of the world, but possesses a strength and determination that is beyond her years. She wants to understand the adult world around her. I really liked the way that the story was told as a vivid recollection of events all while keeping the inexperienced mind of a child intact. There’s no “if I knew then what I know now” feel to it that would, in my opinion, ruin the storytelling.

I’ve read some of the reasons why this book has been banned or challenged. Language, racism, and references to a vulgar crime are the usual excuses, and poor ones at that. While To Kill a Mockingbird doesn’t have endless chapters describing the landscape the way a Steinbeck book does, the author brings you to Maycomb in a way that is so real you can almost smell the dirt road that Scout and Jem walk on every day. You get to know the people as well as Scout does. There’s a gritty realism to it, and it’s a rare story that’s able to bring you so completely into it. So much more can be gained from a story such as this one than a sugar-coated fluff piece that takes place in a perfect world.

Now I sit here, up way past my bedtime, trying to stop myself from re-reading the book in its entirety while calling it “research” for this post. Trying to sum up my thoughts and convey to you all why this is such an excellent book, coming up against the walls of fatigue and my own limited writing ability. I can’t seem to tell you why this is such an amazing book or say anything that would compel you to pick up a copy for yourself. It’s a well-written tale. It’s a commentary on Depression-era society. It’s a book with a lesson that (I hope) will always be relevant.