Nancy Pearl interviews documentarian MM Murphy, who's making a documentary about To Kill a Mockingbird.
Harper Lee did not expect this book to be successful. But we've all been assigned this in school and it is amazingly a book even that dubious honor couldn't have ruined.
We were treated to previews of great clips of the classic film--actually now makes it necessary for, I think, every audience member (there are hundreds) to watch (and read) this again. Incredible interview clips for what seems like a heartfelt documentary made by someone who truly loves the book--everybody from Wally Lamb to James Patterson to Scott Turow to Anna Quindlen reading passages and talking about influence and even the suspense of the book (the Boo Radley question, hadn't really thought of this before...) Authors also are terrified that a writer of this quality only published one novel.
She couldn't talk to Nell (Harper) Lee, but Murphy spoke with the aforementioned authors as well as one of the famously reclusive Lee's sisters, Miss Alice. A 98-year old who is still working, she's one of the first female attorneys to practice in Alabama. Alice said that Capote, their neighbor, and Harper's close friend and colleague couldn't cope with Mockingbird's success. Sad, because she helped him research and interview In Cold Blood. Many suggest Capote's moth to a publicity flame was a warning that scared Lee away from further success.
Holy cow! There's Tom Brokaw, who Murphy worked with. Roseanne Cash calls the book a parenting manual...But there's Oprah talking! Hokey smokes. This documentary is a big deal. I wonder if our library could haggle a preview of this film at our celebration of the book.
Mary Murphy's website.
On the book's 50'th anniversary.
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