Nelle Harper Lee was born in April 28, 1926 in the
country of Monroeville, Alabama. She had two sisters and a brother, Alice, Louise, and Edwin Lee. Her first name, Nelle, is her grandmothers name first name spelled backward. Her mother, Frances Finch Lee was a homemaker. Her father, Amasa Coleman Lee practiced law. For most of Lees life, her mother had mental illness (BIPOLAR DISORDER). Harper Lee was a tomboy in a small town. However, one of her best friends was Truman Capote (then known as Truman Persons). She defended her about everything. To Kill a Mockingbird would be the best source of her childhood. In 1944, she enrolled in Huntingdon College in Montgomery, Alabama. She studied law here. She focused on her writing. She contributed to the school newspaper, and the humor magazine, RAMMER JAMMER She transferred to The University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa, but then In 1945, she went to Oxford University as an exchange student. Harper Lee loved writing
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though, and six months before completing, she
went to New York to be a writer. She worked briefly in the 1950s as a clerk for Eastern Airlines and BOAC (British Overseas Airways Corp) In the 1950s, she started writing her novel, To Kill a Mockingbird. It was first a series of short stories. She used the name Harper Lee instead of Nelle Harper Lee so she wouldnt be known as Nellie. After spending another two and a half years, her first and only book was published in 1960. This was a bibliography. Monroeville was the model for Maycomb in the story. There is also evidence that Boo Radley was based on an actual neighbor. Atticus was based largely on her own farther. Lee accompanied her friend Truman Capote (Dill) to Holcomb and served as an assistant for Capotes novel, In Cold Blood. In 1961, it already became a bestseller and won many awards, including the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction. (The PULITZER IS A US AWARD FOR ACHEIVEMENTS IN NEWSPAPER AND ONLINE JOURNALISM, and yeah)
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After her masterpiece, she published three more
articles Love In other words in Vogue 1961 Christmas to Me in McCalls 1961 When Children Discover America in McCalls in 1965 She then accompanied Capote to Holcomb, Kansas and assisted him in researching. He expanded on the material and became his best-selling book In Cold Blood. She then was appointed by President Lyndon B. Johnson for National Council on the Arts in June 1966. The area school board wanted to ban To Kill a Mockingbird as immoral literature. She responded with a letter. She then attended the 1983 Alabama History and Heritage Festival and presented her essay called Romance and High Adventure. She now has remained silent for a long time. She has accepted honorary degrees and awards but did not want to make speeches. A T T Y AWARD Los Angeles Public Library Literary award Honorary degree from the University of Notre Dame.
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On August 20, 2007, there was a ceremony
inducting four members into the Alabama Academy. She responded to an invitation to speak to the audience with, Well, its better to be silent than to be a fool. On November 5, 2007, George W. Bush presented Lee with the Presidential Medal of Honor. This was an admirable contribution to security/interests of the US. IN 2011, LEES CLOSE FRIEND, REVEREND DOCTOR THOMAS LANE SAID THAT LEE LIVES IN AN ASSISTED HOME, WHEELCHAIR BOUND, PARTIALLY BLIND AND DEAF, AND SUFFERING FROM MEMORY LOSS. There were explanations why she never wrote again, according to the reverend. She said, and I quote, Two reasons: one, I wouldn't go through the pressure and publicity I went through with To Kill a Mockingbird for any amount of money. Second, I have said what I wanted to say and I will not say it again.