True confession time: I just finished listening to the unabridged version of Mockingbird this morning. For me, the audible experience was quite compelling, giving Scout's voice a more authentic tone than I might have experienced by reading it. Did anyone else who listened to it vs. read it have a similar experience? If yes, what were your impressions?
I also had a chance to watch the movie on DVD. While I didn't find a skimming of "Cliff Notes" that helpful, its highlighting of the differences between the written vs. filmed versions was informative.
When preparing to launch our first book a few weeks ago, I came across a book club study guide for Mockingbird that included questions to enhance the reading experience. Two of the more than a dozen questions that caught my attention were:
1. What elements of the book did you find humorous, memorable or inspiring? Are there any characters whose actions or beliefs impressed or surprised you? Did any events lead you to revisit childhood memories or see them in a new light?
2. Scout ages two years, from six to eight, over the course of Lee's novel, which is narrated from her perspective as an adult. Did you find the account her narrator provides believable? Were there incidents or observations in the book that seemed unusually 'knowing' for such a young child? What event in Scout's story do you feel truly captures her personality?
Please respond to either or both questions. It has been suggested that in the future questions such as this be posted during the month to help focus the reading experience; we will do that going forward.
