Editorial review
By Mysia Haight, Audible Editor
TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD REMAINS TIMELY FOR CONFRONTING THE REALITIES OF RACISM, BRUTALITY, AND INJUSTICE IN AMERICA
I first read To Kill a Mockingbird when I was a 'tween for an English class assignment. As a bookish kid, I remember being struck by Harper Lee’s writing—the vivid sense of place (small-town Alabama) and time (the Depression era), memorable phrases like "the head-shaking, quelling of nausea and Jem-yelling," and casual remarks rich in wisdom. And, of course, I was awed by Atticus Finch. What girl wouldn’t want this wise, calm, quietly righteous man for a father? His unshakable conviction and courage in the face of prejudice, cruelty, and injustice was inspiring. Thanks to Atticus Finch, I became obsessed with a real-life legendary lawyer, Clarence Darrow, and devoured every book written by or about him I could find. For a minute, I contemplated pursuing a career in law. Then, I got called for jury duty, realized that gripping courtroom drama was rare, and channeled my fascination into reading legal thrillers by John Grisham.
For me, Mockingbird was all about Atticus. Even though I was a voracious reader from a young age, I didn’t connect with Scout, a precocious 9-year-old—until my daughter, a tomboy, became a 'tween. As a white mom to a Black daughter, I have always been conscious of race. But in 2012, when Trayvon Martin, a 17-year-old African American boy, was fatally shot on a street in Florida for looking suspicious—and his killer was acquitted—I became painfully aware of racism and its dangers. Even though we lived in a diverse city in northern New Jersey, I began to fear for my daughter’s safety. Lucero couldn’t understand why I suddenly objected to her wearing a hoodie and lectured her about the importance of avoiding strangers and the police. Trying to explain racism and injustice to my innocent, trusting daughter made me think of Scout. And so, I found myself longing to revisit the novel I fell in awe with in middle school and get reacquainted with its young narrator. A few years later, when Academy Award-winning actress Sissy Spacek signed on to narrate the audiobook, I decided to go back and give Harper Lee’s classic a listen as a mother.
While centered on a racially charged case—a Black man falsely accused of the brutal rape of a young white woman— To Kill a Mockingbird is, at its heart, Scout’s coming-of-age story. It’s told from Scout’s perspective, both as a woman looking back on her childhood and as a child awakening to the harsh realities of life in Maycomb, Alabama, and her father’s commitment to doing what’s right and just, regardless of the risks or repercussions. Narrating the audiobook, Spacek, a native Texan, draws us into the rhythm and routines of life in a small Southern town. What’s more, she embodies Scout—in all her frustrations, enthusiasm, and idealism—and her gradual awareness of the prejudice all around her. As the novel progresses, Scout develops a moral compass and sense of empathy. Guided by her father’s example and gentle reprimands, she comes to see folks in Maycomb who have been ostracized and demonized—including the town’s Black residents and her reclusive, seemingly creepy neighbor, "Boo" Radley—as people, pure and simple. And that’s what ultimately saves her.
Continue reading Mysia's review >
Publisher's summary
Harper Lee’s Pulitzer prize-winning masterwork of honor and injustice in the deep south - and the heroism of one man in the face of blind and violent hatred, available now for the first time as a digital audiobook.
One of the best-loved stories of all time, To Kill a Mockingbird has been translated into more than 40 languages, sold more than 30 million copies worldwide, served as the basis for an enormously popular motion picture, and was voted one of the best novels of the 20th century by librarians across the country. A gripping, heart-wrenching, and wholly remarkable tale of coming-of-age in a South poisoned by virulent prejudice, it views a world of great beauty and savage inequities through the eyes of a young girl, as her father - a crusading local lawyer - risks everything to defend a black man unjustly accused of a terrible crime.
Critic reviews
"It's good to be reminded of the power wielded by this classic of American literature. As the introductory music fades and Sissy Spacek begins her narration, we immediately enter the small town in the Deep South where all the timeless issues of kindness and cruelty, inclusion and prejudice are played out in a story told by a little girl named Scout. Instead of offering a range of accents, Spacek reads the story entirely in her own, or Scout's, voice. The choice works, for the book is written from Scout’s point of view, and Spacek has just the right level of Southern accent for easy listening. This is an unforgettable story well told. 2007 Audies Award Winner." (AudioFile magazine)
"Atticus Finch is a timeless American hero who has been played by the likes of Gregory Peck in film and Jeff Daniels on the stage. But in Sissy Spacek’s narration of To Kill a Mockingbird, it’s Harper Lee’s narrator, Scout, who becomes the listener’s moral guiding light and closest confidante. You forget you’re listening to the voice of an adult, so wholly do Spacek’s Southern rhythms embody the young tomboy as she witnesses the racial injustices of the Depression-era South unfold before her." (The New York Times Book Review)
Featured Article: 55+ Quotes for Whenever You Need a Little Encouragement
We all have bad days and dry spells. We all experience moments of disappointment, sadness, and self-doubt. And occasionally, we all need an encouraging word—or several—to lift our spirits, boost our confidence, and fill us with hope. Straight from the works of best-selling and widely admired authors, here's a collection of positive and reassuring words you can turn to anytime you're in need of support.
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