Harper Lee, ‘To Kill a Mockingbird’ Author, Dead at 89
Well, sheeet. Harper Lee, the celebrated author of To Kill a Mockingbird, passed away today at 89.
In a statement, Lee’s family said, “The family of Nelle Harper Lee, of Monroeville, Alabama, announced today, with great sadness, that Ms. Lee passed away in her sleep early this morning. Her passing was unexpected. She remained in good basic health until her passing. The family is in mourning and there will be a private funeral service in the upcoming days, as she had requested.”
To write a classic is monumental. Lee did it. To Kill a Mockingbird is required reading everywhere. Whether you’re in school or not, it should be on your bookshelf. The book focused on racial inequality. Current events like #OscarsSoWhite, #BlackLivesMatter and cases like Eric Garner still pop up often. Maybe both sides of all these movements should start a book club, read To Kill a Mockingbird and discuss it. That would be too rational, so don’t expect anyone to ever do anything like that.
Lee’s nephew Hank Conner added:
“This is a sad day for our family. America and the world knew Harper Lee as one of the last century’s most beloved authors. 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. We will miss her dearly.”
Celebrities and other public figures reacted to her death:
She revealed it all…the glory and the fear and the hate and the beauty.
May she rest in peace. #HarperLee pic.twitter.com/3tfSEfSejx— Reese Witherspoon (@ReeseW) February 19, 2016
RIP Harper Lee. Thank you, thank you, thank you. #HarperLee #ToKillAMockingbird 💛 https://t.co/v7GDqKdL7W
— Sophia Bush (@SophiaBush) February 19, 2016
Rest in peace, Harper Lee. "The one thing that doesn't abide by majority rule is a person's conscience."
— Tim Cook (@tim_cook) February 19, 2016
RIP Harper Lee. You made me believe in the power of story.
— Emily Ratajkowski (@emrata) February 19, 2016
One of the great writers of all time, Harper Lee laid bare the soul of America and her work will continue to educate for generations.
— John Lewis (@repjohnlewis) February 19, 2016
HARPER LEE♥️ pic.twitter.com/KzxcCJEt68
— Ariel Winter (@arielwinter1) February 19, 2016
#ripharperlee #tokillamockingbird #harperlee🙏🏻
— Sarah Michelle (@SarahMGellar) February 19, 2016
Gonna reread this one and pour one out for Harper Lee.
[Image: YouTube screenshot]