Harper Lee, the author of cherished novel, To Kill a Mockingbird has passed away at the age of 89.
Lee, who won the Pulitzer Prize in 1961 for Mockingbird was in her hometown of Monroeville, Alabama when she passed.
Nelle Harper Lee was born in Monroeville, Alabama on the 28th April, 1926. She had such a fondness for her hometown which served as the inspiration for the town of Maycomb in which the novel is set.
She moved to New York in 1949 to pursue her writing career. It would be eight years before she eventually submitted the manuscript for To Kill a Mockingbird to publishers, J.B. Lippincott & Co. They asked her for a rewrite and the book went on to be published in 1960. A film adaptation, starring Gregory Peck was released in 1962 and was a massive success with Peck winning the Oscar for Best Actor for his portrayal of Atticus Finch.
Lee suffered a stroke in 2007 but recovered and lived out the rest of her years in her hometown where she was adored by the locals.
Up until last year, To Kill a Mockingbird was the only novel Harper ever published. A sequel, titled Go Set a Watchmen was released last summer though there was controversy over whether or not Lee actually wanted the novel to be published. It was announced last week that a stage version of the novel is to be produced on Broadway with Aaron Sorkin writing the adaptation.
Via al.com
