Tuesday, November 30, 2004
Books You Didn't Read
The Rare Bird Review is proud to present the first in a series of books you didn't read. These books represent the original ideas from authors that were later revised either by the authors themselves or by their editors.
This is the story of Scout Finch (good avian name) and her father Atticus Finch, played in the movie by Gregory Peck (another good bird reference). It tells the story of life and crime in a small southern town and the redemption of the spirit.
In a conversation with the RBR Harper Lee, the author, said, "I originally titled the book as it's shown here. I just thought that flamingos stand out so much and are so stereotyped that they would work in the plot. Everyone in southern Mississippi can get into a flamingo story"
"Boo Radley in the original draft maintained a water garden in the back that Scout and her brother Jem frequented and there were flamingos that visited the garden also. The editors changed the title and I had to re-work Boo's part to fit the changes they made. They just thought that those ugly, obnoxious mockingbirds would work better outside the south. No body in the south likes those fesity birds, but the yankees loved the old country song Mockin'bird Hill, so I was stuck with that trashy bird in the title"
Ms. Lee, who now lives in New York, did not write another book.
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