Tuesday, February 05, 2013

To Kill a Mockingbird

Every time I read "To Kill a Mockingbird" I am boggled by how good the book is.  Every aspect of it: character, voice, plot, timing.  It's a masterpiece, and far and away my favorite book.  It's simultaneously a inspiration to get back into writing and a discouragement when I see how far my writing skills have to go.

I read it every year or so.  I started reading it again this evening, and I was only able to set it aside in the wee hours of the morning to go to bed because I had reached a mildly depressing point.  I read it for the first time when I was in college, and I'm glad I didn't read it earlier because I don't think I would have appreciated it.  As it is, I have no doubt that if and when I become a published author, Harper Lee will be a clear inspiration in my work.