Unmitigated Temerity

One of my favorite books of all time is To Kill A Mockingbird. It was Harper's Lee only novel.

Harper Lee to receive Medal of Freedom in a ceremony at the White House today.

I don't know why the U.S. media sources buried this news story, while it made headlines in the United Kingdom. This is important news, and it's good news.

It's too bad she is receiving this award from a man I do not respect. Maybe I shouldn't be so quick to judge him, after all I haven't walked in his shoes.

Harper's tale of racism and prejudice in the south, through the eyes of a young girl, was the first book to leave a lasting impression on me. I've read this book many times, and it always feels fresh, and I always find something new that didn't notice before.

When I was in the sixth grade, we had to choose a book, from a teacher's list, to read and do a book report on. When I saw this book on the list, I selected it right away, because I had seen and loved the movie many times. I knew the story and thought I could be lazy and write the report from the story I'd seen in the movie. Although the basics of the plot were well portrayed in the moving picture, compared to the book, it is only two dimensions of a three dimensional story.

When I got up and presented my report, the teacher quizzed me about aspects and characters of the novel not shown in movie. I remember one of the things she asked was about "....Dolphus Raymond, how was he different than town judged him, and why did he live like that?"

Not only was I very disturbed and humiliated for not knowing that part of the story, it fueled my curiosity enough to make me read the book and find out the answers. I started it and couldn't put it down, I think I read it in two days. I learned two life lessons; movies never even come close to telling the stories from novels and always do research yourself, never trust other sources.

This novel should be required reading for all.

Song of the Day - Jewel's Pieces of You

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