Harper Lee, the novelist from Alabama who captivated America and the world with tales of bravery in the face of bigotry, died on Friday at age 89.
Lee's first novel, To Kill A Mockingbird, is considered one of the great works of 20th-century American literature. It is also widely taught in schools, which made it especially popular among young people.
And so it's not surprising that authors, publishers, literary figures, celebrities, and regular readers began to mourn her immediately after the news of her death broke.
"Shoot all the bluejays you want, if you can hit em, but remember it's a sin to kill a mockingbird" - RIP Harper Lee 💔
Her publisher, HarperCollins, issued this statement:
"The world knows Harper Lee was a brilliant writer but what many don't know is that she was an extraordinary woman of great joyfulness, humility, and kindness," Michael Morrison, the president of HarperCollins U.S., said in the statement. "She lived her life the way she wanted to — in private — surrounded by books and the people who loved her. I will always cherish the time I spent with her."
Her agent, Andrew Nurnberg, called her "Nelle," as her closest friends did, in his remembrance:
"Knowing Nelle these past few years has been not just an utter delight but an extraordinary privilege. When I saw her just six weeks ago, she was full of life, her mind and mischievous wit as sharp as ever. She was quoting Thomas More and setting me straight on Tudor history. We have lost a great writer, a great friend and a beacon of integrity."
"Atticus, he was real nice.""Most people are, Scout, when you finally see them."When Harper Lee sat down to write To Kill a Mockingbird, she wasn't seeking awards or fame. She was a country girl who just wanted to tell an honest story about life as she saw it. But what that one story did, more powerfully than one hundred speeches possibly could, was change the way we saw each other, and then the way we saw ourselves. Through the uncorrupted eyes of a child, she showed us the beautiful complexity of our common humanity, and the importance of striving for justice in our own lives, our communities, and our country. Ms. Lee changed America for the better. And there is no higher tribute we can offer her than to keep telling this timeless American story – to our students, to our neighbors, and to our children – and to constantly try, in our own lives, to finally see each other.
Today, we mourn the loss of Alabama's treasured author Nelle Harper Lee. Harper Lee's literary impact reaches far beyond the borders of our state and nation. To Kill a Mockingbird has impacted people around the word. It is because of Harper Lee that the world knows about her special hometown of Monroeville, which celebrated the launch of Lee's second novel, Go Set a Watchman, last year. Harper Lee's legacy will live on as we introduce Scout, Jem, Atticus, and Lee's beloved Macomb to future generations. I join Alabamians in praying for Harper Lee's family and the City of Monroeville in the difficult days ahead.
And here's former President George W. Bush's statement. He awarded her the Presidential Medal of Freedom:
Former Pres. George W. Bush says Harper Lee "was ahead of her time...her hero Atticus Finch inspires every reader."
But perhaps the most heartfelt reactions came from her readers, both famous and not. Many posted quotes from her work.
HARPER LEE♥️
Rest in peace, Harper Lee. "The one thing that doesn't abide by majority rule is a person's conscience."
“Real courage is when you know you're licked before you begin, but you begin anyway and see it through no matter what.” #HarperLee
“You never really understand a person… until you climb into his skin and walk around in it.” Thank you, #HarperLee.
Others who were lucky enough to know her shared personal anecdotes.
When my son Henry was born, Ms. Lee signed a copy of Looking for Alaska for him with the inscription, "Welcome to the world Henry Atticus."
That book is my most prized possession. Ms. Lee lived a private life, but she was quietly and extraordinarily generous.
Let's celebrate the life of Harper Lee, who wrote an American classic and helped her friend Truman Capote write another.
Others recalled how her work touched them as young people.
To Kill A Mockingbird was the first book I remember reading over start to finish. It propelled me toward my love for lit. #HarperLee = icon
Some praised the ethical and political aspects of her work.
It is hard to overstate the impact of Harper Lee. I thank you as a reader, as a Southerner, and as an American.
To Kill a Mockingbird... wow.., Standing up for what's right is not a new idea we just need to be reminded from time to time RIP Harper Lee
Mourning the loss of Harper Lee who stirred the minds & hearts of America with "To Kill A Mockingbird".
Others still cursed mortality, as one does when one of the greats leaves us.
Seriously, though, someone needs to tell 2016's Grim Reaper to chill the fuck out.
Thank you, Nelle, for teaching us how to stand up for what is right.
