RIP Harper Lee, author of "To Kill a Mockingbird"

Harper Lee, whose debut novel, "To Kill a Mockingbird," immortalized her name with its story of justice and race in a small Southern town and became a classic of American literature, has died. She was 89.

Her death was confirmed Friday by the City Hall in Monroeville, Alabama, where she lived.
In a statement, Lee's family said, "The family of Nelle Harper Lee, of Monroeville, Alabama, announced today, with great sadness, that Ms. Lee passed away in her sleep early this morning. Her passing was unexpected. She remained in good basic health until her passing. The family is in mourning and there will be a private funeral service in the upcoming days, as she had requested."

http://www.cnn.com/2016/02/19/entertainment/harper-lee-obit-feat/

One of the wonderful people who would have turned 90 this year. 1926 was indeed special.

Very sad indeed. It seems she had a troubled final few years with the publishing of this new book. May she rest in peace.

Just a few years ago I had the pleasure of seeing Mary Badham, who played Scout in the movie, and Horton Foote, who wrote the screenplay, who both came to my branch library to introduce a showing of the movie and to answer questions.  Unfortunately, there was a glitch in the DVD (or more probably the DVD player which I have been told had malfunctioned before and which had obviously not been permanently repaired), and the movie stopped dead for good not far into the courtroom scene.  I had seen the movie at least twice, including when it first came out, and had read the original book, so I was not as disappointed as those who showed up who had had neither pleasure before.