Sofa Spotlight - To Kill A Mockingbird, Harper Lee

First of all I can’t believe that it’s taken me so long to get around to reading this. I’m sad because it means I’ve only read it once and all good books should be read at least twice. Needless to say that this won’t be my only visit to this book! 

So my sadness aside I hope that if you’ve read To Kill and Mockingbird and loved it as much as I have that you can forgive my ridiculous delay in reading this. But also if you’ve not read it I hope that I can convince you to make sure it’s the very next book that you read. 

The story is about Scout and her brother Jem as they grow up in a small town in 1930s Alabama. Through Scout’s eyes you see all that takes place - including the main event - the trial of a black mans for the rape of a white woman. It is Scout’s father, Atticus, who is the  defending Tom Robinson, and what the reader understands though what Scout sees and hears is how Atticus is defending him because he believes him to be innocent and that his defending a black man doesn’t sit well with many of the white community. We see these things as readers but Scout doesn’t understand or see them which I think is what gives this book much of its charm. Like I say this is one of the best books I’ve ever read and Harper Lee has this character/reader perception done to perfection.

There’s loads of characters that you feel you come to know through this story, and many of them you come to love too. But not only is this book well written it is also an important book. And it’s message is one that we would do well to listen to. Things may have changed since the 1930s but some things haven’t. I doubt there will be a time when the majority don’t put pressure on people who stand up to do the right thing. There will always be those who try to stop them making a difference. But I hope that there will also always be those who do stand up for what is right and make every effort to change the world for the better. 

I think this is a must read book, and there are many many reviews out there that discuss it in much more detail, but I just wanted to say that if you read one book before the end of the year make it this one.