I am scout: The biography of Harper Lee by Charles J. Shields

Bibliographic Information:

Shields, C. J. (2008). I am scout: The biography of Harper Lee. New York, NY: Henry Holt and Company. ISBN# 9780805083347

Plot Summary:
Nelle Harper Lee was born in 1924. Throughout her life she was a nonconformist. As a child she was a tomboy and as an adult she didn’t care about what others thought of her. One of her neighbors was Truman Capote; they grew up together and became lifelong friends. Lee’s father was a lawyer and it was presumed that she would follow that career path. However, close to getting her law degree, Harper left college to write. While working at an airline and just eking by, Lee worked on her first novel featuring a country lawyer very similar to her father. Eventually friends of hers, a couple who lived nearby, gave her a Christmas present: Money to live on so that she could stop working and focus all of her time/energy on her book. Eventually she finished the book, To Kill a Mockingbird, though with a number of setbacks. During her many years working on the book, she also took time to help Capote research one of his books about two men who murdered a family. His book was entitled In Cold Blood. While Lee never received her fair credit from assisting Capote nor did she ever write another book, she will remain a legend in the literary world. Her book was a best seller, is requisite reading for many high school and college students, and the movie adaptation can still been seen occasionally on television as well as rented from various video stores.

Critical Evaluation:
I had never read To kill a mockingbird, but I had hear of it especially the famous movie starring Gregory Peck. Prior to reading this book, I thought Harper was a male. It was interesting to read about her. It must have been somewhat difficult to go against societal norms for a woman. Being a tomboy as a child was probably not encouraged, but considered a “phase” that would change. However Lee continued to be a nonconformist and go against some of the norms for women of her day. Shields does a nice job of balancing Lee’s nonconformity with her love of family, coming back home to help with her father. It is interesting to see how Lee is portrayed compared to how Capote is portrayed. While they remained friends, it must have been difficult with his huge ego. Perhaps Shields is right, though, in his innuendos that Lee just wanted to help a friend and didn’t want to be in the spotlight. While it is implied and then briefly stated that Capote was gay, I wonder is Lee was a lesbian. The book doesn’t discuss her sexuality, though perhaps Shields’ original book Mockingbird does. It is not essential to know this detail, though it would have enhanced the book to include it since Shields’ writing does cause the reader to wonder.

Reader's Annotation:
Harper Lee is famous for writing one of the most acclaimed novels of the 20th century, To Kill a Mockingbird. Shields’ book follows Lee from her rambunctious childhood through her college days and those spent writing including her relationship with her childhood friend Truman Capote and her collaboration on his book In cold blood.

Information about the author:
For four years Shields researched and wrote Mockingbird, a biography of Harper Lee intended for adults. He interviewed over 600 people in order to get the best most thorough picture of Harper Lee. He used the information from Mockingbird to write this book for young adults. According to one of the reviewers some of the information from Mockingbird is missing from I am Scout, but the footnotes are available to anyone wanting to go into more details. Shields received a BA in English as well as an MA in American history. Currently he lives in Virginia with his wife.
http://www.charlesjshields.com/content/author.asp

Genre: Biography

Curriculum Ties: Language Arts, Social Studies

Booktalking Ideas:
• What was the norm for men and women as this time period?
• How did Lee fit/not fit into these norms?
• Why would Lee continue to help Capote?
• How would you feel if you received virtually no credit when you worked equally as hard, if not harder, than your partner?
• How did Lee’s parents influence her life?

Reading Level/Interest Level:
The widest age range, according to the reviews, is 12 – 18.

Challenge Issues:
Mention of homosexuality; sexism; mental illness

If the book is challenged:
• Listen calmly to the complainant.
• Ask if s/he has read the entire novel.
• Show positive reviews of the novel.
• Show the selection policy.
If the complainant still has issues with the book:
• Request that the complainant read the entire book if this has not already occurred.
• Have the complainant fill out a reconsideration form.
• Set up a reconsideration meeting.
o Provide the reconsideration meeting members with:
 Positive reviews
 Selection policy
 Reconsideration policy

Selection Process:
I did a search on Children’s Literature Comprehensive Database with the following criteria: Award winner, reviews available, and age range from 15 – 18.

Eight positive reviews

Awards/ Best Books Lists:
• Appears on three Best Books List
• Has received one award

Reading/Interest level, selection process information, reviews, and Awards/Best Books Lists were accessed using the Children’s Literature Comprehensive Database at http://clcd.odyssi.com.libaccess.sjlibrary.org/cgi-bin/member/search/f?./temp/~0tEvu7:2 accessed through SJSU and not available to everyone.