Academic

To Kill a Mockingbird

By Tim Zinnecker

Today marks the 50th anniversary of the publication date of Harper Lee's prize-winning novel, To Kill a Mockingbird.  Fans of the book may enjoy this related news story.

Five pieces of trivia:

1.  Lee?s first name is Nelle, her grandmother?s name spelled backward.  (source)

2.  Lee studied law at the University of Alabama, but greatly disliked the experience.  (source:  same as #1)

3.  Early working titles of her book included ?Go Set a Watchman? and ?Atticus.?  (source:  same as #1)

4.  Lee based the character of Atticus Finch on her father, Amasa Coleman Lee, a lawyer who once unsuccessfully defended a black man and his son accused of murdering a white shopkeeper.  (source:  same as #1)

5.  Lee borrowed the first name, ?Atticus,? from Cicero?s friend, Titus Pomponius Atticus, and she used her mother?s maiden name, ?Finch,? as his last.  (source:  same as #1; and this)

Full post as published by The Faculty Lounge on July 11, 2010 (boomark / email).