Lee, Harper: 1926 - 2016
Information about Harper Lee
- Facts | Lee's Life | Articles | Second Novel | Obituaries
- Facts
- Information from Wikipedia
- Brief biography read by Suzan Deaton. Can be used as listening comprehension exercise
- TranscriptHarper Lee was born in Monroeville, Alabama on April 28, 1926. She is the youngest of four children. One of her childhood friends is Truman Capote, the author of "In Cold Blood" and "Breakfat at Tiffany's." Harper Lee attended Huntingdon College (1944-45), studied law at University of Alabama (1945-49), and also studied one year at Oxford University.
In the 1950s Harper Lee worked as a reservation clerk with Eastern Air Lines and BOAC in New York. But in order to concentrate on writing she gave up her position with the airline. Rumor has it that it was Truman Capote who urged her to write.
In 1957 Miss Lee submitted the manuscript of her novel "To Kill a Mockingbird" to the J. B. Lippincott Company. She was told that her novel consisted of a series of short stories strung together, and that she should re-write it. For the next two and a half years she re-worked the manuscript. In 1960 "To Kill a Mockingbird" was published, her only published book. Miss Lee prefers to keep her life private; she does not give interviews and very little is known about her private life.
Miss Lee has received a number of honorary doctorates. She seems to divide her time now between New York and Monroeville.
(Harper Lee died in her sleep on the morning of February 19, 2016, aged 89.)
- Transcript
- Timeline
- Lee's Life
- Why Harper Lee remained silent for so many years. The Telegraph; February 3, 2015
- Audio (7:57)
Harper Lee Emerges for 'Mockingbird' Award. Harper Lee lives a reclusive life. But this past week, she ventured out to the University of Alabama for the presentation of annual awards to high school students for a "To Kill a Mockingbird" essay contest. NPR Radio; January 28, 2007
Transcript - Harper Lee Still Prizes Privacy Over Publicity: A Christian Science Monitor Feature, September 11, 1997
- The Decline of Harper Lee by Boris Kachka; February 19, 2016
- Harper Lee, Gregarious for a Day. The New York Times; January 30, 2006
- Remembering the life and legacy of Harper Lee (discussion about Lee’s works and enduring legacy.) PBS; February 19, 2016
- Friends talk about Harper Lee
- Video (55:30)
Discussion about the life and work of author Harper Lee. C-SPAN; August 22, 2015 - Professor says letters show the real Harper Lee: "“People want to know about Harper Lee, so I think Wayne (Wayne Flynt, professor emeritusand author of a book called “Mockingbird Songs: My Friendship With Harper Lee,” a collection of the dozens of letters) is a good source of them getting to know her,” Hank Conner, Lee’s nephew, said." Drew Taylor, Tuscaloosnews; October 28, 2015
- The question that remains about Harper Lee's life : "Several good biographies have been written about Lee, and one of the most frequently asked questions about the author was regarding her sexual orientation. Lee wanted this answer hidden from the public." WGBH News; February 26, 2016
- Articles
- Audio (5:13)
The Measure of Harper Lee: A Life Shaped by a Towering Text. Hank Conner, Lee's nephew, announced in a statement. "We knew her as Nelle Harper Lee, a loving member of our family, a devoted friend to the many good people who touched her life, and a generous soul in our community and our state." NPR; February 19, 2016
Transcript - Book Discussion on The Mockingbird Next Door; July 23, 2014. Marja Mills talked about her book, The Mockingbird Next Door: Life with Harper Lee, in which she discusses the life, career, and opinions of Harper Lee.
- Video (51:18)
Mary Murphy discusses her book with librarian and NPR commentator Nancy Pearl and shows clips of the interviews she did for her documentary and accompanying book. C-SPAN; June 26, 2010 - Charles J. Shields talks about writing his biography: "Mockingbird, A Portrait of Harper Lee", 2006
- Audio (5:13)
- Second Novel
- CNN, BBC: Harper Lee published on July 14, 2015, a second novel - 'Go Set a Watchman'
- Obituaries
- The New York Times; February 19, 2016
- ABC News; February 21, 2016