yes, I loved that about Atticus - that he would discuss quite enormous moral questions but make it simple enough for them to understand and pick up on it. Must remember to do that in my own household.

I'm very glad we picked it too, I had voted for Middlemarch as I'd never read it, but this was much more enjoyable.

Joining in a bit late but I agreed how it seemed to be a completely different book than the one I read as a teenager, where i focused on equality and justice.
This seemed more about relationships, father/son/daughter and the relationships between a town and a family.
I loved how Atticus had conversations that he knew Scout was listening to, and how he managed to let them make their own decisions within a strong moral teaching, hoping they would take the right path.
It was lovely to re-visit it.
I also loved Atticus thanking Boo for his children.

Ooh, sorry to have missed this. My DS is called Jem, inspired by rereading TKAM when I was pregnant. I loved it as much as I had in my teens.

y'all most welcome, I'm sure...

I'm so glad this was picked as the book of the month, as it gave me a reason to read it again! I've never been to any kind of book club before, so this was a great introduction. thanks Tilly and everyone

Tilly, thanks very much for hosting this and doing such a fab job of organising us.

(now you'll have to post again to get the last word in )

(jumps back in for last word)
princessmama, you're absolutely right. I'd forgotten it was set in 30s, so actually the changes she'd seen were already giant steps towards equality. hence the ability to add hopeful predictions. I wonder what her take on race relations is now.

My question to her would be 'Is morality/goodness innate in humans or is it taught?'

really cross to have had to work tonight and miss this discussion, is one of my favourite books!

Good point princessmama. Probably why there was the hint of civil unrest in Atticus' comment that TillyBookClub referenced earlier.

I would have liked to ask her whether the book was semi-autobiographical, and whether her childhood was a happy one... then I probably would have wanted to know her thoughts on racial discrimination today.

Even though the ten o'clock news has just come on, I didn't realise that that was the time... It goes very fast when dp lends me his laptop and I am allowed to sit in the warm living room rather than the cold, draughty hallway where the pc is