The Mockingbird Next Door: Life with Harper Lee, by Marja Mills
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The Mockingbird Next Door: Life with Harper Lee, by Marja Mills
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“A winning, nuanced portrait. . . . It seems unlikely we’ll ever have a better record of a remarkable American life.” —USA TodayTo Kill a Mockingbird is one of the best loved novels of the twentieth century. Yet for the last fifty years, the novel’s celebrated author, Harper Lee, known to her friends as Nelle, has said almost nothing on the record. But in 2001, Nelle and her sister, Alice Finch Lee, opened their door to Chicago Tribune journalist Marja Mills. It was the beginning of a long conversation—and a wonderful friendship. Mills was given a rare opportunity to know Nelle, to be a part of the Lees’ life in Alabama, and to hear them reflect on their upbringing, their corner of the Deep South, and how To Kill a Mockingbird affected their lives.
The Mockingbird Next Door: Life with Harper Lee, by Marja Mills- Amazon Sales Rank: #37106 in Books
- Brand: Mills, Marja
- Published on: 2015-05-05
- Released on: 2015-05-05
- Original language: English
- Number of items: 1
- Dimensions: 8.40" h x .80" w x 5.50" l, 1.00 pounds
- Binding: Paperback
- 304 pages
Amazon.com Review
An Amazon Best Book of the Month, July 2014: In 2001, Chicago Tribune journalist Marja Mills traveled to Monroeville, Alabama in search of something that no other journalist had been able to land: an interview with the reclusive Harper Lee. Instead, she got an interview with her older sister, Alice--content with that, Mills prepared to return to Chicago to write her story. But then she got word that Lee (known as “Nelle” to those close to her) wanted to sit down for a “visit.” Many visits later they were friends, and in 2004 Mills was even invited to move in next door to the Lee sisters’ home. Underneath the plain, clear language of The Mockingbird Next Door is an enchanting, atmospheric portrait of two sisters and the southern town they inhabit (when Harper Lee is not living in New York). Mills makes a point of avoiding gossip, but that hardly matters. The book is compelling and charming; and it brings Harper Lee and her world, both past and present, to full life. --Chris Schluep
From Booklist *Starred Review* Harper Lee, author of the “national touchstone,” To Kill a Mockingbird, withdrew from the relentless vortex of fame and never published another book. Her silence, like that of J. D. Salinger, has been a compelling literary mystery. When To Kill a Mockingbird was chosen for One Book, One Chicago in 2001, Chicago Tribune reporter Mills traveled to Lee’s Alabama hometown, certain that she would never get anywhere near the author. Instead, Mills found herself living a literary fairy tale, as Alice, Harper’s older sister by 15 years, still working as an attorney in her nineties, ushered Mills into their book-filled home. Soon Mills, much to her astonishment, is watching football games, going fishing, and sharing meals with Alice, Nelle (Harper is her middle name), and their friends. When the Lees express their hope that Mills will record their reminiscences and “set the record straight,” she rents the house next door and devotes herself to listening to tales of the Lee family; Nelle’s relationship with their childhood neighbor, Truman Capote (“Truman was a psychopath, honey”); and the nearly overwhelming repercussions of Nelle’s novel. Mills’ struggles with lupus bring her even closer to the sisters. As she portrays the exceptional Lee women and their modest, slow-paced world with awed precision, Mills creates a uniquely intimate, ruminative, and gently illuminating biographical memoir. --Donna Seaman
Review Washington Post:"There are many reasons to be grateful for The Mockingbird Next Door, Marja Mills’s wonderful memoir of Harper Lee and her sister….Sympathetic and respectful it may be, but The Mockingbird Next Door is no sycophantic puff piece. It is a zesty account of two women living on their own terms yet always guided by the strong moral compass instilled in them by their father…. It is also an atmospheric tale of changing small-town America; of an unlikely, intergenerational friendship between the young author and her elderly subjects; of journalistic integrity; and of grace and fortitude…. Mills doesn’t avoid prickly issues, but she approaches them obliquely and accepts partial answers. Despite her enervating illness, Mills’s writing is energetic. The Mockingbird Next Door is warm yet wistful, a lament for the books Harper Lee never wrote. It ends on an elegiac note, since by the time Mills was able to complete it, the Lees were fading fast, in separate assisted-living facilities. The world she depicts is sadly gone, but—lucky for us—she caught it just in time."USA Today:“A lot of people have a lot of ideas about what it means to be American, but here’s one more: To Kill a Mockingbird . . .That fact alone makes The Mockingbird Next Door, a memoir by Chicago Tribune reporter Marja Mills about her friendship with the book’s author, Harper Lee, a valuable artifact. It’s also a thoughtful, sweet-tempered, witty piece of work . . . The Mockingbird Next Door offers a winning, nuanced portrait. Indeed, given Lee’s deep privacy and advanced age, it seems unlikely we’ll ever have a better record of a remarkable American life.“
People:“[Marja Mills] has written an intimate, moving book about a rare talent.”
NPR Fresh Air, Maureen Corrigan:“Charming . . . The Mockingbird Next Door offers a rich sense of the daily texture of the Lee sisters’ lives . . . The world that Mills was invited into over a decade ago has disappeared: both Alice (now 102) and Harper Lee (now 88) are in nursing homes, memories faded. Fortunately, in Mills, the sisters found a genteel family chronicler knocking at their door at the eleventh hour.”
O, The Oprah Magazine:"Mills has done what no writer before her could: She got Harper Lee to open up about her life, her work, and why she never wrote another book.”Boston Globe:“A rare, surprising, and respectful look at the Lees and their milieu.”
Vanity Fair:“Hot Type: The Mockingbird Sings: More important than these answers, however, is the voice of Lee herself—and her message, which we still need to hear.”Elle:
“In telling their story in The Mockingbird Next Door, Mills writes with the amazement of one who feels kissed by fate. We in turn are blessed with an intimate portrait of Lee.”Shelf Awareness:“The development of trust and friendship between Mills and the Lee sisters took time, but even in those first minutes, the relationship was nearly unprecedented …Told charmingly in the Lees’ southern drawl and with the affection and closeness that the story reveals, The Mockingbird Next Door is quietly admiring and satisfyingly intimate, and will captivate not only fans of Lee’s great American novel, but fans of real people living modest lives in small-town Alabama, or anywhere.”
Southern Living:“Reading The Mockingbird Next Door is like opening a window into Harper Lee’s private world. As the window closes on the last page, we’re left with nostalgia for one of literature’s greatest talents and the feeling we had the very first time we read her remarkable novel.”OWN, The Oprah Winfrey Network:
“Another real discovery … This intrepid journalist … learned more about the stories behind To Kill a Mockingbird and Harper Lee than anyone before, after or since.”
Good Housekeeping:
“This glimpse of a rare bird is delightful.”
BookPage:“A winning and affectionate account….. The Mockingbird Next Door offers a tender look at one of our most beloved and enigmatic writers, as well as the town that inspired her.”Garden and Gun:“[Mills is] a skilled writer and storyteller…The Mockingbird Next Door has a near perfect combination of story and fact.”Books & Culture“…[U]nlike the masses that went before her, Mills pulls off a journalistic coup by getting first Lee’s sister Alice to open doors for her and then Lee herself . . . Mills has enjoyed unprecedented access to Lee, and we should be grateful for the tidbits she throws our way.”Houston Chronicle"For To Kill a Mockingbird fans it's a must-read."Book Reporter"Mills's book is remarkable."
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Most helpful customer reviews
134 of 150 people found the following review helpful. What a delight By Rushmore Like many Americans, I read To Kill a Mockingbird in high school. It made an impression at the time but not a huge one (required reading has that effect). As I have grown older I have come to appreciate the greatness of the book.When I saw Harper Lee featured as a character in the Truman Capote movies, my interest was rekindled. The Mockingbird Next Door definitely appealed as a means to find out more about the reclusive author. This book is such a pleasant surprise.The citizens of Monroeville, Alabama fiercely protect Nelle Harper Lee's privacy. The access granted to Chicago Tribune reporter Marja Mills is something of a miracle. She showed up at the right time with a backstory that appealed to Nelle (TKAM was the One Book, One Chicago choice). Her approach was perfectly and respectfully orchestrated - first talking to Nelle's older sister Alice and some trusted acquaintances, finally meeting Nelle herself. Eventually she moved next door to Nelle and Alice and integrated into their lives. It's easy to believe that no other human being could show up in Monroeville as a stranger - a reporter, no less - and accomplish what Marja Mills did. In fact, at the same time Marja was living next door, another author was in town researching a biography of Harper Lee and had absolutely no access to her and little if any cooperation from the other citizens of Monroeville.I wish the book had more photos. The cover photo is of Nelle with Mary Badham, the young actress who played Scout in the movie of TKAM. Nelle based the character of Scout on herself. A picture of Alice and Nelle would have been much appreciated. However, the dearth of photos is consistent with Nelle's desire for privacy.This book is so well written, so conversational, so descriptive. Mills does not share everything she heard during her time spent with the Lee sisters - she respects the boundaries set by Alice and Nelle - but what we do learn is so very satisfying. We are swept into the rhythm of this small Southern town, and we understand the forces that led Nelle to create her one and only novel, her masterpiece. Further, we come to understand why there was only one book. Rather than being a victim of her own celebrity, Nelle set strict limits, reinforced by those around her, and she and Alice have managed to lead a remarkable life. There is nothing flashy about their life but it is really quite wonderful. The phrase that came to my mind is that it reads like a novel, but I'm not quite sure what I mean by that. I guess, that the story of Marja meeting Nelle and becoming part of her life is so wonderful, that sometimes the things that happen in real life are more pleasing than a plot conceived by a novelist. Or maybe I mean something else - will have to ruminate on it and maybe edit this review later.The story is set against the backdrop of Marja Mills's struggle with lupus. She is quite matter-of-fact in dealing with it, which turns out to be pretty inspirational as well as sobering. In a way her illness frees her to write this book. It's actually a confluence of circumstances that result in this very special memoir - truly a gift to fans of Harper Lee and appreciators of good writing. It may turn out to be my favorite book of 2014. Highest recommendation.Updated 7/21/14: In conjunction with publication comes the "news" that Nelle Harper Lee did not consent to or cooperate with this book. Journalists can take a fact and express it in such a way as to give a susceptible reader grounds for judgment. I realize we will never know what really happened. The timing of the announcement is suspicious. I know that controversy sells books. I also know that people change their minds over time. I do think it is incredibly sad that this wonderful story is now tainted with the suggestion that Nelle was/is not a wiling participant. I still recommend the book as a good, well-written story. I wish I could recommend it without reservations.
102 of 117 people found the following review helpful. Whether you like Nelle Harper Lee or not, you'll never forget her. By D. Mckinzie Added later: As everyone knows by now, allegations of this book being unauthorized have surfaced. I have read the information on that and at this time I do not believe that it is true. My reason why are at the end of this review.As I read this fascinating story by a writer who came to know Nelle Harper Lee very well over a period of time (5 or 6 years) I would think, "I'm not sure that I would like this woman. I might like her sister, Alice, better." and then I would read some more and think, "I really like this woman." I think that she has probably caused this same kind of confusion and mixed feelings all of her life. After reading the entire story, I have decided that I would like her, in spite of her idiosyncrasies. But then, she'd probably say that I am the one with idiosyncrasies! She would not be shy about stating her opinion, that's for sure. The book is written in a different style from a lot of biographies, where the writer simply starts at the person's life and progresses forward. This one is more like a series of visits with friends, where we all get to go along for the ride, too. It answers some questions that we've all asked, such as why she never wrote another book and why did she use Harper instead of Nelle for her name. It also answers some that I never thought of asking, such as where did the name Harper come from and what nicknames did she and her sister Alice have. And no, I won't answer them here; read the book!! By the end of the book, I felt that it hadn't actually seemed like I read a book. I felt vaguely like there was something I needed to do to finish. But then I realized that the book actually felt like a series of visits with friends. Friends that you didn't actually see; friends that you don't talk back to, but, nevertheless, friends. Highly intelligent, well-read friends. I am a "reader" myself, but the amount of books that these two sisters have read is more than some libraries have! They are very well-read friends, indeed. So, you ask, is the book good? If you like the usual biography style; this one may disconcert you, but it's worth the read anyway because you will see the Lee sisters in a way that no other biographer has ever written about and you'll see what formed the woman who wrote the book that many (myself included) feel is THE Great American Novel. If you like a different approach, you may just love the book. I did!Here's my take on this big brouhaha about Nelle Harper Lee saying she didn't authorize it: If you go back in and read the updates on the story about Harper Lee, the story against Mills is not nearly so black. Alice knew about this "letter" that "Harper" wrote (it was typed with a scrawled note from Harper Lee on the bottom) and she said that her sister no longer knew what she was doing and would sign anything that someone she trusted gave her. Look at the writing at the bottom of the letter in question, where she affirms that she wrote it. It's a scrawl like someone who can barely remember how to write. My mother is in a nursing home and believe me, up until the last year or two (when she began to lose all ability to write) I could take a letter out there vowing that she was robbed by Martians the week before and she would have signed it without a question AND written the part at the bottom saying she wrote it. Elderly people with serious health issues do what people they trust tell them to do. Alice, who was 100 at the time, BUT was still practicing law, said that Harper didn't know what she was signing AND didn't even remember the incident. Remember also that MANY of their friends are quoted (and spent a great deal of time with Mills and the Lees) and at least one of them has already come forward and said that it wasn't true; that the Lee sisters DID give their permission or else he would never have talked to Mills. This would be dozens of lawsuits if all those people were quoted without their permission (and they would not have given their permission if the Lees hadn't said it was okay) plus there is a lovely picture of "Scout" and Harper Lee on the cover, which I'm sure had to have her permission to be used. You have to know that this isn't Penguin Books' first time at the rodeo. A little controversy makes for good publicity; a real case of dozens of people being quoted without permission and photos used, also without permission, makes for a BAD lawsuit. By the time this book was about ready to come out, Harper Lee had had a stroke, if I remember correctly. That could cause her to have memory and understanding problems. I am not going to jump to conclusions about this. I think that both Lees DID give permissioin and Harper Lee's declining health has made her memory play tricks on her. You have to be around elderly people with problems like this to understand fully. My mother often calls me her mother or her sister. She frequently asked me (until recently, as she is declining) how my baby is and tells me that my brother has a new baby son. I am an only child with no children. My mother's life is an open book and she has never had any child but me (in fact, her doctor said that I was the first and that a second one would kill her because of some medical problems she had) yet she believes all that when she's saying it. The bottom line is that everyone is jumping to believe something that one of the sisters (Alice) has said is NOT true. And Alice was still a practicing attorney at the time; hardly likely to be imagining it. If definite proof comes out later, I'll accept it, but a typed letter, signed by someone with serious health issues, whose sister flatly contradicts it, doesn't convince me. It's a little early to be burning Mills in effigy.
158 of 186 people found the following review helpful. Harper Lee has spoken out against this biography! By Sylviastel As a vine reviewer, I was totally unaware that Harper Lee didn't want this biography until today. I deeply saddened by this news. This review was written before Harper Lee's disapproval and outrage. I am surprised that Harper Lee would cooperate with any journalist.Original Review before Harper Lee's disapproval of the biography.If you're a Harper Lee fan, you will definitely want to read this book. Marja Mills is one of the few American journalists allowed to know reclusive Harper Lee, author of the classic novel " To Kill A Mockingbird."This book is an easy read but it is not a tell all. Mills befriends Harper and her older sister Alice Finch Lee. Alice will be a 103 years old and a practicing attorney in Monroeville, Alabama besides their father A.C. Lee who inspired the character, Atticus Finch, in her novel. Her sister Alice is known as Atticus in a dress by her sister Nelle Harper Lee.The book isn't going to make startling revelations of Harper Lee's life. Unlike her former childhood friend Truman Capote, Harper Lee dreaded the spotlight and pressure of life in the public.This book recognizes that Harper Lee has lead a classy, graceful, dignified life by her own rules. She doesn't give interviews but she doesn't live like a hermit either. She and her sister Alice have never married nor had children of their own but have led fulfilled lives.In reading this memoir, I appreciate the author's relationship with her subjects. Mills befriends the Lee sisters and they befriend her. Their relationship is definite friendship where as even personal and intimate questions are off limits or not recorded but you get the sense of laughter, fun, stories, and joy in spending time together.There is sadness towards the end when the author must return home to Chicago after being their friend and neighbor. If anything, I wished the book included photographs and to mention Harper Lee being awarded American National Medal of the Arts.For recent development, Harper Lee hasn't given her permission for this book.
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