Review: People plus
Rating: 3 out of 5
Date: 06 22, 2014
This book was written by a journalist and has the matter-of-fact style of reporting in general. The important part of it is the fact that it was written at all, as Nelle Harper Lee wrote one of the most influential books of the past century and avoided publicity, interviews, and public appearances ever after. However, there is more than a touch of hagiography about the book, and ultimately I was left with the feeling of having read a People Magazine special report rather than an insightful book about an unusually talented woman. There is also a bit too much about the author and her woes (lupus). Respecting Ms. Lee's decisions about topics that were off the record, what we wind up with is a gentle book about the friendship that develops among Nelle Harper Lee, her much older sister, Alice, and the author. They hang out together, attend church, go to local restaurants, feed ducks...if you are a devoted fan of "To Kill a Mockingbird", such information may interest you in a casual way. It's better than having no information at all, but doesn't provide an in-depth look at Ms. Lee's intellect.ETA: as comments below reveal, there is some controversy over whether this book was authorized or not. I have some doubts about the book's legitimacy, mostly based on some sentences toward the end of it which speculate on whether Ms. Lee may have been a lesbian. Such a private person would not, in my opinion, have authorized a book that included such personal and intrusive comments.