Isms: Original views on life from rural America

Harper Lee’s “To Kill A Mockingbird” is one of my favorite novels. Perhaps it’s because of the lyrical motion of the words she employs in telling the story of Jem and Scout and their father Atticus. Maybe it’s because of the lessons Lee imparts: don’t be judgmental, treat others the way you wish to be treated. I believe it provides a realistic portrayal of life in the deep South during the depression era.

Let’s not sugarcoat it. Lee saw plenty of social injustices growing up in Monroeville, Alabama, the inspiration for fictional Maycomb. Lee’s father, A.C. Lee, a lawyer, formed the template fo...