Furious Hours: Murder, Fraud, and the Last Trial of Harper Lee (Casey Cep)

The title of Furious Hours: Murder, Fraud, and the Last Trial of Harper Lee is a little misleading. Ms. Lee doesn't make an appearance until the last third of the book or so. However, what leads up to her part is fascinating in and of itself. Author Casey Cep is a master researcher.

This is the story of Reverend Maxwell, who was accused of killing five of his family members for life insurance money. Even through mounting evidence, he did not pay for any of his crimes due mostly to the work of his lawyer, Tom Radney. At the funeral for his stepdaughter he was accused of killing, Reverend Maxwell was shot dead in front of hundreds of witnesses, and in a twist of fate, Radney then represented the man who shot him, Robert Burns. Harper Lee enters the picture because she wants to write her own In Cold Blood true-crime novel, which she helped her friend, Truman Capote, with without much recognition.

Each part of this book is definitely fascinating, so it's getting a high rating from me. However, I will say that it felt disjointed with all its separate parts -- the story of Reverend Maxwell and his victims, the story of Tom Radney, the story of Burns's trial, and finally the story from Harper Lee from the very beginning of her life in Alabama. I wish Cep chose a different route by connecting the parts a bit more, but I still enjoyed Furious Hours very much.

MY RATING - 4

Scout, Atticus & Boo (Mary McDonagh Murphy)

As of this writing, a signed, first-edition of arguably the greatest American novel of all time, To Kill a Mockingbird, is going for $565.00 to $1,800.00 on Ebay. The fact that signed copies are so incredibly rare is not the only reason. Harper Lee wrote one novel in her lifetime, and chances are, she will not be writing another one. In this novel, she said what she needed to say, then stopped publishing. Some would question why she did not write another. Well, if you were the author of To Kill a Mockingbird, there would be no place to go after but down.

Murphy is to be commended for interviewing many subjects as to what this novel means to them. From Oprah Winfrey, who begged and pleaded with Lee for an interview (and knew within 20 minutes of meeting her that she was never going to get anything on the record) to Lee's older sister, Alice, we learn a tremendous amount about her. Often stated that she is one of the most reclusive authors ever, Alice argues that she is absolutely not reclusive in her hometown of Monroeville (also the location of the novel). She chose to write one novel to express her thoughts on racism and countless other subjects (through her beloved narrator, Scout), then settled down to a quiet life. Lee saw what fame did to her friend and notorious Monroeville resident, Truman Capote, and chose to go in the other direction. Her neighbors respect her wishes and do not tell anyone where she lives.

To Kill a Mockingbird is unique in that it means something different to everyone who reads it. Murphy's diligent work pays off in a tremendous collection of interviews. This is a must-read for fans of the greatest American novel of all time.

MY RATING - 5

This review can also be found at http://www.bookloons.com.

Let's Start at the Very Beginning, A Very Good Place to Start

Books. Books. Books. What immediately comes to mind when you hear that word? Unless you stumbled upon this blog by mistake, you are probably a book lover. Did you read about Ramona's adventures with a flashlight under the covers when you were supposed to be asleep? Did you pray to get through puberty quickly after reading Are You There God, It’s Me Margaret? Did you ever think about what you would do if you could become immortal like in Tuck Everlasting? This blog is for all those whose love of books has started in childhood and continues now into adulthood.

So how did this all come about? I am a history teacher from Philly (hence the name, 1776 books….get it?). What do I know about blogging? I am about to let you in on a little secret…..absolutely nothing. In fact, if my students knew that I was writing one they would laugh their heads off. I am, as my brother-in law loves to say, “technologically inept”. But I do love books, and I also found that I love reviewing them. I love to let everyone know when I come across something worth reading.

I have had a few jobs over the years, but at one time, I just needed a break from teaching for awhile. So I decided to try something new. After wracking my brain trying to come up with something to pay the bills, I decided to try to go into public relations. I had worked for many years on the side at a local bookstore as a cashier. I decided to give them a call, and lo and behold, they needed someone to work PR. It was a stressful, but exciting job, as I was the point person for all the famous authors who came to the store (Fun fact….Stephenie Meyer was the nicest person and deserves all her success). Every now and then (Christmas), they needed me to step down from my management position for a few days and help customers. That was where I felt my niche was…..suggesting books to them, writing “Staff Recommendations”, leading book clubs. Now that I am teaching again, I still buy “gold seals” every year. Kids can write a review of books they particularly liked and stick them on a display.

What do I do in my spare time? Read, read, and then read some more….usually 4 or 5 books at once in different genres. I practically live in my local library. I am not one of those who has to buy books, although I will on occasion. I take books everywhere….planes, trains, automobiles, the beach…you name it, I have a book. My spouse runs a blog of his own, so he suggested I think about starting one. After laughing so hard my sides hurt, I began to think. Why not use the fact that I know how to turn a computer on to my advantage?

So what will this blog be about? There will be a little of everything. I read all types of things, so after I finish a book, I will give my opinion of it. No bells and whistles, just good, solid reading. I will rate each book from a 1-5. Why Harper? All readers know why. But let me end with my first shout out to a book….run, don’t walk, and pick up Mockingbird: A Portrait of Harper Lee. I’m not going to review this one because I read it so long ago, but what a complex relationship between Lee and Capote! A beautiful book!