To Kill a Mockingbird  (English, Paperback, Bloom Harold Prof.)

The timeless literary classic, To Kill a Mockingbird, has been edited and provided with a new introduction by Harold Bloom in this updated edition.

Summary Of The Book

Loosely based on characters and neighbours recollected from the author’s childhood, To Kill a Mockingbird was first published by Harper Lee in 1960, and is regarded to be a trendsetting work of fiction in its time, tackling controversial topics like rape and racial discrimination.

The narrator, a young girl of six named Scout Finch, lives with her father, Atticus, and elder brother, Jem, in the town of Maycomb. Their neighbour, ‘Boo’ Radley, is an object of fascination, curiosity, and terror for the children. His reclusive nature causes them to create whimsical stories about him, feeding prevalent rumours and contemplating methods to get him out of his house. Meanwhile, Atticus is appointed to defend a black man, Tom Robinson, who is on trial for raping a white woman. The rampant racism that existed in Alabama is highlighted during the courtroom scenes, when Atticus proves that the victim was lying and had accused Robinson wrongly.

However, the all-white jury rules in the favor of the victim, and Robinson is convicted. Once in prison, Robinson attempts to escape, and is shot dead in the process. Following a spat with the opposing lawyer, Bob Ewell, and Scout and Jem, Boo comes to Jem’s rescue and carries him home.

Upon realizing that Boo helped them, and after picturing what his life must have been like, Scout decides to follow her father’s advice to practice understanding and sympathy, and vows to not let her experiences with hatred and prejudice sully her faith in humanity and goodness. To Kill a Mockingbird was hugely successful, and was the recipient of the Pulitzer Prize. It was adapted into a film in 1962 as well.

About the Authors

Harper Lee, born in 1926, was a renowned American author.

To Kill A Mockingbird is the only book Lee ever published. However, her solo bestselling novel won her the Pulitzer Prize in 1961. She was also awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom for her contribution to literature.

Harold Bloom, born in 1930, is a literary critic and writer, in addition to being a Sterling Professor at Yale University.

His works include adaptations of The Old Man and the Sea, Don Quixote, One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, Sophie’s Choice, and Crime and Punishment.

Regarded as one of the foremost literary critics in America, Bloom’s books have been translated into over 40 different languages. He procured his Bachelor’s degree from Cornell University in 1951, and received his Master’s degree from Yale University in 1955. After receiving the MacArthur Fellowship in 1985, Bloom taught English at New York University. He is also the founding patron of Ralston College in Georgia. He is married to Jeanne Gould.