OK, dirty little secret time. I've never read To Kill a Mockingbird! (hides in shame) I think I tried to once a long, long time ago (say, about 14 -15) and didn't get far. Any way it is one of my friend's all time favourite books and so with all the stuff about banned book week around, I decided to do it.
Wow! How have I not read this before?? I will admit I'm not a big fan of classics - old or modern. I struggled through Wuthering Heights and Great Expectations and have an active dislike for Catcher in the Rye and have never managed to finish Lord of the Flies. But this? This was amazing! I totally get why this is considered such a classic. Lee's snapshot of a an American country town during the 1930's is so well crafted you can almost believe you are there, running past the Radley house, playing with Scout, Jem and Dill, holding your breath in the court room and fearing the outcome. To tell you the truth, it has opened my eyes to the possibility that not all "classics" are beyond my reach. So to anyone who has also read this (and if you haven't, you should! Really, go now and do it!!) what other classics would you recommend to me??