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David is an occasional blogger, software engineer, Nintendo fanboy, liberal, news magazine addict, voracious TiVo user, and bibliophile. He was born in St. Louis, grew up in southern Indiana, and returned to St. Louis to attend Washington University. He hasn't managed to escape yet. He's a fan of free wine tastings, too many tv shows to name, and eating out. David makes his living developing web applications used internally by his employer. He doesn't blog about work because he's heard too many stories about that causing workplace troubles. There's more on the about page. |
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29 January 2001 - 11:55 pm
Fifty years ago yesterday, "The Catcher in the Rye" by J.D. Salinger, was first published. While "Catcher" is a critically acclaimed book, I'm not sure that it is worthy of all the praise that has been given to it. In fact, I feel that a lot of the of the book's press comes because of its author's notoriety. J.D. Salinger is a known recluse, who abhors even having his name in print. He has become so notable that he (or someone who is eerily similar to him) has begun to show up in literary works. He is the basis for the character played by James Earl Jones in "Field of Dreams" (in fact, in the novel "Shoeless Joe," upon which "Field of Dreams" is based, the character really is J.D. Salinger), and the writer played by Sean Connery in the new film "Finding Forrester" seems to also be based on him (although I don't believe that Mr. Salinger has won a Pulitzer).
Today, I would like to draw your attention to an author who should be getting as much press as J.D. Salinger; an author whose one novel really is, to borrow a phrase from "Finding Forrester," the "great American novel of the twentieth century;" an author who, while not as reclusive as Mr. Salinger, is just as mysterious. That author is Harper Lee.
In 1960, after 2 1/2 years of revision, and having never published any other works of fiction, Harper Lee's classic novel, "To Kill a Mockingbird," was published. That year, Harper Lee published two essays, one in Vogue and one in McCall's, and then never published again. In 1961 "To Kill a Mockingbird" won the Pulitzer Prize for fiction.
While not as reclusive as J.D. Salinger, Ms. Lee, a descendant of Confederate General Robert E. Lee, leads a very private life. Ms. Lee has been awarded four honorary doctorates, but has declined to make a public address at any of the degree ceremonies. In fact the last record I can find of any public address or interview given by Ms. Lee dates from 1987. There is a rumor on the Internet that Ms. Lee is "working on a book about the Reverend Maxwell of Alexander City, Alabama. He was a local black preacher who murdered several family members in order to collect their life insurance, and who was murdered at the funeral of his last victim." However, I was not able to confirm this.
Is "To Kill a Mockingbird" the quintessential American novel of the twentieth century? I certainly think so. From its engaging characters, with their descriptive names, to its vivid portrayal of the mid-1930's Deep South, there is little to dislike about the novel. However, even if you disagree with my assessment of "To Kill a Mockingbird," you must admit that Harper Lee, and the mystery of what she has done since writing her only novel, are worthy of the same amount of media attention that is directed at J.D. Salinger.
[ For more information about "To Kill a Mockingbird," please follow this link. ]
Posted by on 29 January 2001 at 11:55 PM
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