"Who was the real Atticus Finch? The publication of Go Set a Watchman in 2015 forever changed how we think about Atticus Finch. Once seen as a paragon of decency, he was reduced to a small-town racist. How are we to understand this transformation? In Atticus Finch, historian Joseph Crespino draws on exclusive sources to reveal how Harper Lee's father provided the central inspiration for each of her books. A lawyer and newspaperman, A.C. Lee was a...

A comprehensive study guide offering in-depth explanation, essay, and test prep for Harper Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird, winner of the Pulitzer Prize in 1961. As a novel of the Civil Rights era, To Kill a Mockingbird tells the story of a lawyer who represented an African American accused of rape. Moreover, Lee weaves the theme of honor throughout the book and explores human dignity through her debut novel. This Bright Notes Study Guide explores the...

"This collection, the first to consider Harper Lee's late novel, focuses on re-reading To Kill a Mockingbird in light of the publication of Go Set a Watchman. The essays range from evaluations of the characters, setting, and themes of To Kill a Mockingbird through the backward lens of Go Set a Watchman to studies of race, sexuality, and how the characters change in Harper Lee's posthumous novel. Three essays focus on teaching both of Lee's novels...