Thursday, June 10, 2010

No wonder everyone loves...

To Kill a Mockingbird, which I had never read until this past week. Its consistently at the top of the lists, and I can see why. Its great to read this book as an adult, because you understand all the nuances. But I can also see why kids would enjoy the book too: It has a little perry-mason-style courtroom drama, it has the creepy unknown neighbor angle, and it covers the ups and downs of siblings with a truth that crosses generational and gender- specifics.
And the downside, of course, is the attitude toward African-Americans (or People of Color, whichever is more preferred). It is a stark reminder of how even late in the 20th century there was still this black/white divide especially in the south, where the most obvious truths were blatantly ignored. It is horrible how people of color were treated. Thank goodness times have changed, and continue to change for the better in that respect.

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