Friday 25 January 2013

Artful Readers Club January 2013

Welcome to the first monthly Artful Readers Club, organised by the lovely Darcy.
 


My first book of the year is To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee.


And to be honest, the reason I picked it for this challenge is not because I ever thought I was missing out on a great piece of fiction (although it really is !!) but because my son has to read it for school.

Just before the Christmas holidays when we was clearing out his bag one evening, I saw this book on the table and read the summary on the back cover and I have to admit I was surprised about the subject and that my son is only 13 years old.

My husband tells me that the book has been on the GCSE reading list for years, but it was never a book that we had to study in Scotland. I thought that the subject matter would be too difficult to explaining to a group of 13 year olds. But it is such a beautifully written story told through the eyes of a young girl who is just starting school at the beginning of the story.

Scout and Jem Fitch are the two young children of Atticus, who live in Maycomb county in Alabama in the mid 1930s, and this book follows their lives over a 3 year period where Atticus' job as a lawyer has an impact of the quiet lives they all lead, when he defends a black man accused of raping a white girl.

Scout is a real little tomboy and like nothing better than getting in fist fights with her comrades.She doesn't wear pretty little dresses, much to her Aunt's horror.
Jem is a young boy who we see grow into a young man full of youthful convictions.
Both love spending their summers with their next door neighbour's nephew and trying to sneak a peek at the Radley household, which is the next door neighbours house, but no-one ever comes out during the day.

I think that the main thing that struck me about this book, is the huge divide in racial tensions.

I think that as a Western European that we have never had to deal with such problems and I wonder why people find it so difficult to live in harmony.


 For my artwork, I will be doing a title page and a scene from each book,
that I will be keeping in a little 6 x 6 scrapbook that I have.

This month's art is what I image the square outside the courtroom to look like.

Check out everyone else's first reviews on Darcy's blog.

Alison xx


28 comments:

  1. Great introduction to this book Alison. It was the first "serious" book I read at school,aged 13, back in 1976...followed by Lord of the Flies! Guess they thought we were tough enough to cope with such dark subject matter lol. Love your image of the square :D XXX

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  2. Wow that's some tough subject matter for a 13 year old. It's a book I know of, but never the context of what the book is about, so thank you for your review! I may have to pick this up and have a read now. Loving the artwork!

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  3. Wonderful review Alison... I did read that one at school... many years ago... your review is jogging my memory... and actually making me want to read it again... gorgeous art page too...

    Jenny ♥

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  4. Great review! I never read that book. Looks like I should. :)

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  5. Fabulous art work. I have never read it bit it is on my list!

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  6. I always thought I had read this book - but reading your description, I don't think I have - I think I have been getting it mixed up in my head with One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest. Doh. Maybe I ought to add it to my list of 'classics I really ought to read one day'

    Your tree drawing is lovely!

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  7. A super review and a trip down memory lane for me! Lovely artwork.

    Janet xx

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  8. I still wonder if I really understood what this book was about back then... Maybe we all should read those books again, to get the real meaning! Nice Art, lovely to see how the book inspired you! ♥

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  9. This book and its subject were very much of the times. An excellent book and your review brings it back. There was a very good film of it starring Gregory Peck.
    Love the delicate artwork, and it should all make a memory book when we've all filled our books with 12 months worth of reviews and art.
    The review jogged into my mind another book of about the same period - 'Greengage Summer'. I can't remember whether it was on the same topic area, but do remember it as a very good book. I'll have to find that one now. Enjoyed the review/art and the memories they brought back.

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  10. Thank you for your thoughtful review and I love your drawing of the square! It is so unfortunate that we have had to, and continue to have to, deal with so many prejudices in the US. It must be refreshing not to have that kind of tension where you are from.

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  11. Love the artwork and your choice of books.

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  12. Awesome book and great tree.

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  13. Love this book and your artwork. Thanks. Michelle V.

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  14. This is a book I read in school many moons ago. It's one I think many American kids read during their school days. A great book with a lot of things people still deal with, unfortunately. I really love the artwork you did, too.

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  15. A book i have always dismissed as being old/classic and therefore boring..without actually taking the time to find out anything about it. I had no idea of the story, I suspect there are many great books I have missed out on for this same reason. Lovely artwork, the book obviously triggered your imagination to make a serene view, which is probably vastly different to the scenes of hatred in the court rooms. A peaceful compliment to a dark subject.

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  16. I have not read the book for many years and now I feel I need to read it again. Such a hard subject matter for a 13 year old but my grandaughter is now just about to read it so it seems like a great opportunity for me to borrow her book. Your artwork is lovely too.

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  17. I was probably about 13 when I read this book for school. It is tough subject matter but a book I remember enjoying. The artwork you did captures well the peaceful scenes mixed in between the more difficult court room scenes.

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  18. It's a book I haven't read either. I grew up in Scotland and think if I remember rightly at that age we were reading Kes and had to watch the film too :)

    Love your interpretation, the picture is quite calm and serene compared to what sounds like the complete opposite in the book.

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  19. I read this book many years ago and it still has a powerful message...love your detailed beautiful tree a symbol of hope for me.

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  20. I have to admit that I only know this story from seeing the movie and a play. After reading your review I think I should read the book as well. With so much darkness in the story it is lovely that you used the tree outside the courthouse to inspire your artwork.

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  21. Lovely art work. I read this years ago but know from my English teacher daughter that it is still a popular book for GCSE.
    Jen x

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  22. To Kill a Mockingbird is one of my favorite books. I'm enchanted by the point of view, the main character, and feel my heart break every time I see the racial tension and the general injustice. Great review!

    And I love your art choice: that green (hopeful) color of the tree and the open door of the square are reasons to smile about ;-)

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  23. This is one of my all time favourite books. I remember reading when I was about 1 and it having a huge impact on me and the way I thought. That tree takes me back to the book.

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  24. I've never read this and had no idea what the story was about - I definitely think I'll give it a go now. I love that you've chosen to recreate a scene from the book.

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  25. I loved this book, it's not something i had to read at school but we did read books of equal seriousness in high school.

    i love your art work x

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  26. This is a must I see. Great review and wonderful art Alison I am sorry I am here so late :(
    ManonX

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  27. Will most definitely add this to my to read list ... It sounds completely like my kind of must read book and have never even thought of reading it before!

    Love the scene you have created too.

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  28. i read this book in high school and enjoyed it. then, after living in the southeastern U.S. for a few years, i read it again and it meant so much more to me at that time. maybe because i was older or the sense of place was more familiar. your sketch seems very accurate and the tone is much like that of the book itself.

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