On the Southern Literary Trail discussion

Everitt wrote: "Ok I'm also going to throw out a few questions as folks seem to like it when we get the discussion rolling.

To Kill a Mockinbird is a very personal book for a lot of people. Tell us which characte..."

My wife and I watched this just the other night on Netflix. It's well worth the watch, addressing not only the book, but the movie as well. I also highly recommend Mary McDonagh Murphy's companion book, Scout, Atticus, and Boo: A Celebration of Fifty Years of "To Kill a Mockingbird". If these two gems don't get you in the mood for TKAM, nothing will.



Theater Poster for "Hey, Boo"



Written in celebration of the 50th Anniversary of the publication of "To Kill a Mockingbird

Mike
Lawyer Stevens

For a more detailed look at the life of Harper Lee, I highly recommend Mockingbird: A Portrait of Harper Lee by Charles J. Shields.



Ms. Lee, who guards her privacy passionately, was incensed by Shields' writing her biography. She was great friends with the late Kathryn Tucker Windham. Ms. Lee obtained Mrs. Windham's promise not to buy the book. She borrowed it. And after reading it found it to be a respectful treatment of Ms. Lee's life. Ms. Lee has often been identified with the character "Scout." In fact she envisioned herself as Boo Radley." The family name in the novel is Finch which happens to be Lee's mother's maiden name. The Character Atticus Finch is based on her father Amasa Lee, lawyer, legislator, and news paper publisher. And, yes, Dill Harris is based on childhood friend Truman Capote.

Mike
Lawyer Stevens

Below is an exterior shot of the old Monroe County Courthouse. It now houses the Monroe Heritage Museum, including materials on Harper Lee, Truman Capote, and as of my last visit, Hank Williams, who was born not far from Monroeville.



Original court records dating back to before the turn of the Twentieth Century were housed in the basement of the courthouse. The curator on duty allowed me to go downstairs and peruse the old records. I'm here to tell you, there's nothing new under the sun. Land line disputes, murder, rape and incest. Nothing ever seems to change. The world of Amasa Lee, Harper Lee, and older sister Alice Lee, who became a lawyer is contained in those records and that old courthouse.

Mike
Lawyer Stevens

And here it is, the interior of the Courthouse, the heart of it, the Court Room. I have stood before the judge's box, before the jury rail, looked up into the gallery and wondered what it must be like to have argued a case in that room. It's beautiful. And if you're still and listen closely, you can hear the jury's restlessness and the creak of their chairs, the mumbling whispers of the spectators, the shout of an objection, and the crack of a gavel upon the Judge's ruling. It is timeless. And judging from the records I reviewed, oh, yes, Justice was done there, and perhaps, sometimes not.



"Stand up, Miss Jean Louise, your father's passing."

The Alabama Bar Association formed an "Atticus Finch Society." It was a nice idea. Charter membership only cost $10,000.00. Atticus Finch himself, or Amasa Lee, I imagine, could not have afforded membership in that august body.

Mike
Lawyer Stevens

Everitt wrote: "Those are excellent resources Mike. You always find great additions to bring a novel to life. I especially like the shot of the courtroom. It looks very much like how I pictured it ought to look. A..."

Thanks, Everitt. I always enjoy finding additional resources to our group reads.

Mike
Lawyer Stevens

Thanks for the streaming info on "Hey, Boo". I'll watch it tonight. I am reading "Crooked Letter, Crooked Letter" first this month, so will comment whe I re-read TKAM (for the 5TH time! It never gets old.)

Diane wrote: "Thanks for the streaming info on "Hey, Boo". I'll watch it tonight. I am reading "Crooked Letter, Crooked Letter" first this month, so will comment whe I re-read TKAM (for the 5TH time! It never..."

No, Diane, it never does. I'll be interested in your reaction to Crooked Letter, Crooked Letter.

Mike

Mike wrote: "For a more detailed look at the life of Harper Lee, I highly recommend Mockingbird: A Portrait of Harper Lee by Charles J. Shields.

I saw this *deeply* discounted at Books A Million today--didn't have my cash with me as I was just browsing. But it might be worth a look in the sale fiction paperback area.

The Harper Lee documentary was fabulous. Thanks for letting us know about it. So far am loving CLCL. So I have Kathy to thank for adding yet another author's books to my already unmanageable list! And I must say, Alabama is full of great writers.

Diane wrote: "The Harper Lee documentary was fabulous. Thanks for letting us know about it. So far am loving CLCL. So I have Kathy to thank for adding yet another author's books to my already unmanageable lis..."

So glad you enjoyed the documentary. Both Kathy and I love Franklin. As you delve into his work, you'll find his earlier novels dark, indeed. His first book, Poachers is a collection of short stories. "Poachers" is a novella that will raise the hair on the back of your neck on more than one occasion. That little gem won the Edgar that year for best novella.

Yes, we have some great writers here. Living next to the land of Faulkner and Welty, we just have to try harder. *laughing*

Mike
Lawyer Stevens

Got my copy of CL,CL yesterday at Sundog Books at Seaside. Haven't reread Mockingbird in a while, but Miss Maudie is one of my favorite characters. (view spoiler)[Don't have the book in front of me, but she has the line about "it's a sin to kill a mockingbird" doesn't she, or is it the other neighbor? (hide spoiler)]

Jessie wrote: "Mike wrote: "For a more detailed look at the life of Harper Lee, I highly recommend Mockingbird: A Portrait of Harper Lee by Charles J. Shields.

I saw this *deeply* discounted at Books A Million t..."
Jessie, break open the piggy bank. You won't regret Shield's biography of Ms. Lee. I had the pleasure of meeting him. He is an English teacher and has written a number of literary biographies for young adults. He also wrote an edited version of "Mockingbird" for younger readers. He's a great guy, has a reputation for being an exemplary teacher, and he can WRITE.

Shields read from "Mockingbird" and gave a delightful presentation. A young man in the audience, who obviously wasn't from Alabama, asked Shields "Where in the world could Harper Lee find a character such as Atticus Finch in a dusty little town in Alabama like Monroeville. Shields merely looked at the young man for a few seconds and launched into a brief biography of Amasa Lee, Ms. Lee's father. He was restrained, but pointed in his response. The young man flushed clear to his ears and was silent thereafter. *chuckle*

Mike
Lawyer Stevens

This is a re-read and early first impressions are Harper Lee's wit as she describes things through Scout's eyes. Also, the description of Dill, who was patterned after Lee's neighbor Truman Capote, are a great description of Capote as a little kid, white blond hair, plastered down; his sort of glibness, saying that he'd won a most beautiful child award; how he manages, without being antagonistic, to manipulate Jem into running up and touching the Radley house.

Mayella Ewell--first trashy white girl in Southern lit.?

Mike, thanks for the info on the other links as well as the Netflix documentary, Hey Boo. I will definitely check that out.

Very nice pictures of the courtroom as well. That scene where Atticus is leaving the courtroom is one of the best in both the book and the film. It just seems so memorable and significant.

Franky wrote: "Mike, thanks for the info on the other links as well as the Netflix documentary, Hey Boo. I will definitely check that out.

Very nice pictures of the courtroom as well. That scene where Atticus i..."

Franky, you're most welcome. I suppose it comes from all those years of preparing demonstrative evidence for trial. *grin*

Mike
Lawyer Stevens

Jessie wrote: "Mayella Ewell--first trashy white girl in Southern lit.?"

Hmmm...interesting question. Off to explore...

Stevens

Flash Beagle wrote: "This is a re-read and early first impressions are Harper Lee's wit as she describes things through Scout's eyes. Also, the description of Dill, who was patterned after Lee's neighbor Truman Capote..."

Just having re-read TKAM, I thought it would be interesting to read Other Voices, Other Rooms by Truman Capote, his first novel. Capote said many years later that it was highly autobiographical. One of the characters is a tomboy named Idella, modeled on a young Harper Lee.

Mike
Lawyer Stevens

Jessie wrote: "Mayella Ewell--first trashy white girl in Southern lit.?"

After a brief expedition, I offer the following: http://www.inter-disciplinary.net/wp-...

This article specifically references Emmie Slattery from Gone With the Wind which appeared in 1936(?)

There are some fascinating references available in the bibliography of this paper which focuses on the work of Dorothy Allison.

See:

Publication Date: May 18, 1992 | ISBN-10: 080784361X | ISBN-13: 978-0807843611
In this richly detailed and imaginatively researched study, Victoria Bynum investigates "unruly" women in central North Carolina before and during the Civil War. Analyzing the complex and interrelated impact of gender, race, class, and region on the lives of black and white women, she shows how their diverse experiences and behavior reflected and influenced the changing social order and political economy of the state and region. Her work expands our knowledge of black and white women by studying them outside the plantation setting.
Bynum searched local and state court records, public documents, and manuscript collections to locate and document the lives of these otherwise ordinary, obscure women. Some appeared in court as abused, sometimes abusive, wives, as victims and sometimes perpetrators of violent assaults, or as participants in ilicit, interracial relationships. During the Civil War, women freqently were cited for theft, trespassing, or rioting, usually in an effort to gain goods made scarce by war. Some women were charged with harboring evaders or deserters of the Confederacy, an act that reflected their conviction that the Confederacy was destroying them.

These politically powerless unruly women threatened to disrupt the underlying social structure of the Old South, which depended on the services and cooperation of all women. Bynum examines the effects of women's social and sexual behavior on the dominant society and shows the ways in which power flowed between private and public spheres. Whether wives or unmarried, enslaved or free, women were active agents of the society's ordering and dissolution.

Mike

Mike wrote: "Jessie wrote: "Mayella Ewell--first trashy white girl in Southern lit.?"

After a brief expedition, I offer the following: http://www.inter-disciplinary.net/wp-......."

Mike, this is fabulous! I don't even remember Emmie Slattery...

I briefly met Dorothy Allison, in a throng, here in Huntsville. A good friend of mine reworked "Two or Three Things I Know for Sure" into a three-woman show, that she and two more of my friends performed at UAH. Dorothy Allison loved the treatment so much she came to see it.

I haven't read any Dorothy Allison yet--something else to add to the future nominees wish list!

I also have an "unruly woman" Civil War story, which I think may be a recurring legend. It involves my great-grandmother and a member of the Home Guard, she trying to sneak food to her brother in the 1st Alabama Cavalry (Union) and he determined that she not. Her husband fought for the 42nd Alabama Infantry and the 4th Alabama Cavalry, both Confederate. ;^)

Jessie wrote: "Mike wrote: "Jessie wrote: "Mayella Ewell--first trashy white girl in Southern lit.?"

After a brief expedition, I offer the following: http://www.inter-disciplinary.net/wp-......"

If memory serves me correctly, Slattery was the overseer at Tara. Emmy was from a very poor family and married the overseer.

That paper was a good piece of work. The references were excellent.

On reading Allison, I'd recommend beginning with Bastard Out of Carolina. I know Kathy's looking for this one to turn up on a group read list. It's a good one!

Mike

I'd like to thank the group for nominating these 2 books this month. It was such a joy to re-enter Maycomb in the 30's, and to read my favorite book once more. And the discovery of a new author in Tom Franklin is a joy as well. One of the joys of being a bookseller is being able to turn people on to books you love. My favorite question is "Can you recommend a book for me?" Can I ever! (Although if I hear one more person tell me that 50 Shades of Grey is the best book they ever read, I may run screaming into the street.)
So onward to July and 2 more great choices.

Yes, unfortunately, a lot of people don't recognize really bad writing and just follow others opinions. I call it "The Emperor has no clothes" effect. And I agree with you on Da Vinci Code.

I was reading a newspaper article about Andy Griffith's death, and it referenced his Andy Taylor of Mayberry character as "Atticus Finch without the racial tension." Interesting comparison. Does anyone disagree?

Diane wrote: ". . . Andy Taylor of Mayberry ... as "Atticus Finch without the racial tension." Interesting comparison. Does anyone disagree?...

I recall the original Mayberry as a pretty much all white program. So there's some tension between the show and potential viewers! Interesting idea: a southern town with no Blacks.

Larry wrote: "Interesting idea: a southern town with no Blacks."

It's not that unusual, actually. ;^)

I had not made the connection between Andy Taylor and Atticus Finch. Maybe its the character trait of honesty and helping others? They both were friendly with all folks in society. Blacks were everywhere in Florida.

Well , we are talking about a television show in the 60's, so you have to take that into consideration. I can kind of see the comparison, ( the sane, moral character, father, friend, who keeps everyone on an even keel). And the Andy Griffith show was also a comedy, not a drama.

Everitt wrote: "I've never seen a southern town in Texas, Louisiana or any other state that h..."

Appalachia, where the land is poor and no white planters wanted to go to begin with.

That's not to say that there were *never* any black families there. Some "white" families who have been living in a poor area a long time are actually triracial (white, african, indian) and just don't realize it.

And then there are towns that were white, and stayed that way by force if necessary. My hometown was not completely white, but there were only two black families who "belonged." They were the original families from a couple of slave holders who scraped a living off the poor soil in that part of the county. No others were allowed.

I'm not going to dwell on it, but this is a little funny (and embarrassing) to me.

Cullman County in Alabama used to be famous for its "no black" policy. One of our former Governors was from Holly Pond in Cullman County.

Jessie wrote: "I'm not going to dwell on it, [snip]Cullman County in Alabama used to be famous for its "no black" policy...."

OK, I know I said I wouldn't dwell on it, but then I started thinking last night: "I wonder if there are any images of...The Sign?"

Well, I haven't found an image yet, but I did find an article that talks about it:

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/02/28/mag...

"Versions of Cullman’s old sundown sign hung beside county roads well into the 1970s, and all of them repeated the message that the travel writer Carl Carmer saw when he visited Cullman in the late 1920s: 'N___ Don’t Let the Sun Go Down on You in This Town.' The sign was notorious all over Alabama, and coupled with Cullman’s powerful Ku Klux Klan, it created a racial deterrent so effective that even today, Cullman’s are exits off the Interstate that most African-Americans avoid."

I cleaned up the language for the post.

Jessie wrote: And then there are towns that were white, and stayed that way by force if necessary. "

I just came across a book that relates to Sundown Towns throughout the U.S. I have not read it but it sounds interesting.

Sundown Towns

Larry wrote: "I just came across a book that relates to Sundown Towns throughout the U.S. I have not read it ..."

Thanks Larry! I just added it to my "to-read" list.