Why To Kill a Mockingbird Matters
What Harper Lee's Book and the Iconic American Film Mean to Us Today
by Tom Santopietro
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Pub Date Jun 19 2018 | Archive Date Jun 19 2018
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Description
Tom Santopietro, an author well-known for his writing about American popular culture, delves into the heart of the beloved classic and shows readers why To Kill a Mockingbird matters more today than ever before.
With 40 million copies sold, To Kill a Mockingbird’s poignant but clear eyed examination of human nature has cemented its status as a global classic. Tom Santopietro's new book, Why To Kill a Mockingbird Matters, takes a 360 degree look at the Mockingbird phenomenon both on page and screen.
Santopietro traces the writing of To Kill a Mockingbird, the impact of the Pulitzer Prize, and investigates the claims that Lee’s book is actually racist. Here for the first time is the full behind the scenes story regarding the creation of the 1962 film, one which entered the American consciousness in a way that few other films ever have. From the earliest casting sessions to the Oscars and the 50th Anniversary screening at the White House, Santopietro examines exactly what makes the movie and Gregory Peck’s unforgettable performance as Atticus Finch so captivating.
As Americans yearn for an end to divisiveness, there is no better time to look at the significance of Harper Lee's book, the film, and all that came after.
Available Editions
| EDITION | Other Format |
| ISBN | 9781250163752 |
| PRICE | $26.99 (USD) |
| PAGES | 320 |
Featured Reviews
Helen C, Reviewer
I've enjoyed Tom Santopietro's books about the movies and the stars (The Sound of Music Story, Considering Doris Day, etc.), so I was looking forward to his treatment of To Kill a Mockingbird. I have to give him credit, he tackled all the controversial aspects of the book and the movie and didn't shy away from discussing them from all angles.
The first part of the book details Harper Lee's life and her writing of the novel. Following the "discovery" of Go Set a Watchman, we all learned many of the details he writes about here, but there's still a few tidbits I didn't know about. The movie then takes up the bulk of the book, and then there's some film and literary criticism.
As usual, Santopietro includes lots of interesting facts such as who was considered for the big roles (Atticus Finch -- Spencer Tracy, Robert Wagner(!), how everyone got along on the set, why Harper Lee didn't write the screenplay, and what happened to the cast following the massive success of the movie.
Where the book gets bogged down, in my opinion, is the serious discussion of whether To Kill a Mockingbird (book and film) is racist, why it has resonated for so many years, and if it still has the power to do so. It seems clear from the book's title that Santopietro wanted to make the case that the story is important and relevant, and I had never questioned that...until I read this book. Surely the time has come and gone that a hero against racism is a white man who, while admirable in his intentions, fails to win acquittal for his client and then fails to prevent him from being murdered. The black characters in the story have virtually no power at all to exert. In To Kill a Mockingbird, the black characters are just sketches, not fully developed, although in Go Set a Watchman, we see Calpurnia in her own home, shockingly failing to be grateful to her white employers.
While I did not agree with all of Santopietro's analysis of movie and novel, I very much enjoyed having my own opinions rearranged through reading this book.
(Thanks to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for a digital review copy.)
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