The Monkey King's Used Primate Emporium and Book Reviews

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Harper Lee, "To Kill a Mockingbird"

Started July 6 � Finished July 8, 2002; 296 pages. Posted 09 July 2002

Let�s get a couple things out of the way. First, stop giving me that look: no, I never read this. Yes, I know, everyone is required to read this in school. You forget I was too busy getting thrown out of school to have anything assigned to me.

Second: I think �Boo Radley� is as fun to say as the word �monkey.�

Boo Radley. Boo Radley, Boo Radley, Boo Radley! (Boo Radley!)

Third: I knew, despite not having read this before, that I was going to love this. Usually I fear the opposite with such classics of literature, especially after hating The Great Gatsby with such a passion. But after hearing testimonials from people I respect (�Bloom County� creator Berke Breathed being the one that sticks in my head the most), I knew this was going to be great.

I underestimated myself. I think this probably now fits in my five favorite books of all time at this point. It�s that good.

I don�t think I really need to say anything about what the plot involves, since from the looks I got from everybody, I was apparently the last person on earth who hadn�t read this novel. Hell, I didn�t even know what it was remotely about when I started it. Three days ago, the name Boo Radley (Boo Radley, Boo Radley, Boo Radley!) didn�t mean anything to me. I was sucked in by page ten, and I got annoyed whenever I was interrupted by things like phone calls, eating, going to work and having to sleep.

It was that good. I have to admit I�m feeling a little shell-shocked going from that last book, which was so hideously terrible, to this novel, which was so great.

And even better, Harper Lee never wrote another thing in her life so I don�t have to buy 18 million other books by her, a la Steinbeck.


Rating: Worth Brand Spanking New!

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