Many, book lover or otherwise, have read the book To Kill a Mockingbird or maybe have just heard of it. The book has received much applause, even from the critics, and has become one of the top novels of the 20th century. After reading the novel, many become curious about the author Harper Lee. Despite her fame and success, Harper Lee tried to hide herself from the public. . Although many journalists have tried to learn more about Harper Lee, Mill succeeded in writing a book entirely about her.
Mills first encounters Lee during 2001, when she moves in next to Lee. While Mills lives next to Lee, she forms an intimate friendship through various conversations and journeys. Through her relationship with Lee, Mills finds out about the mysterious character that was hidden for a long time. Nelle, the nickname that most of Lee's friends call her by, is slowly unraveled through the book’s fascinating personal stories.
Lee tells her stories to Mills. Starting from her career, and moving on to her relationships, and even to her love life, Lee is sometime brutally truthful. Lee is shown to be an adventurous, smart and yet sometimes introspective woman. The book is a story of a journey, friendship, relationship and a somewhat subjective autobiography of a well-known author.
As readers make their way through the book, they not only follow Lee's life, but also revisit To Kill a Mockingbird. The book is filled with direct quotations and indirect references to the novel. Many hidden contexts of the book are uncovered.
The book received some criticism due to its close look into Lee’s private affairs. Lee disappeared from the public eye after she wrote To Kill a Mockingbird. She seemed to have been surprised that her first published book had captured so much attention from the general public. In fact, she felt so much discomfort from the journalists wanting to write about her that she hid away in her small hometown.
It was thus unexpected that Lee would open up to anyone, especially anyone that would eventually write a book about her. In many ways, Mills' book came as a surprise to many people. Some even conjectured that Lee might have been forced into publishing this book. Mills states that she did not include any content that Lee did not feel comfortable with.
An honest and yet intimate personal story written by a friend and a fan, The Mockingbird Next Door immediately catches the readers’ attention. It is not only about the author Harper Lee, but also about the friendship that the author develops with her. Anyone interested in Lee, or merely wanting to read a story of a friendship, is strongly recommended to read this book.
Book Information
By: Harper Lee
Publisher: the Penguin Group
Pages: 262