To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee

The book is having its 50th anniversary and I'm so glad I spotted it at my favorite summer gift/book store, Partners in Westport, MA. I know for some this brings back memories of 7th grade required reading but it really is worth another pass

One of my favorite lines from a book is in this one and until I re-read it this time I'd forgotten that the first time I read it, probably in middle school, i had actually written the quote down and kept it with me. It's about an old woman who lives on Scout and Jem Finch's street whom they had to read to every afternoon after destroying her garden. After she died, from withdrawing herself of a lifelong morphine habit, their father Atticus Finch, had this to say about her:

"She had her own views about things, a lot different from mine, maybe.. son, I told you that if you hadn't lost your head I'd have made you go read to her. I wanted you to see something about her - I wanted you to see what real courage is, instead of getting the idea that courage is a man with a gun in his hand. It's when you know you're licked before you begin but you begin anyway and you see it through no matter what. You rarely win, but sometimes you do. Mrs. Dubose won, all 98 pounds of her. According to her views, she died beholden to nothing and nobody. She was the bravest person I ever knew."

And for those who have seen the classic movie version of the book... here's a keeper.. (After Boo (Arthur) Radley saves Scout and Jem from a murderous hillbilly he sits in Jem's room in the corner watching over the injured boy):

"You can pet him, Mr. Arthur, he's asleep. You couldn't if he was awake, though, he wouldn't let you..."I found myself explaining. "Go ahead."

Boo's hand hovered over Jem's head.

Go on sur, he's asleep.

His hand came down lightly on Jem's hair.

(Movie trivia: Robert Duvall played Boo Radley in the movie)

Highly recommend reading this one!!