Several mod bestsellers appear on PBS ’s listing of America ’s 100 best-loved books , but it ’s a 58 - year - honest-to-god classic that apprehend the top spot . AsTIMEreports , Harper Lee’sTo Kill A Mockingbirdhas been named the well - have it away novel in the land follow a countrywide survey .
PBS compiled a list of darling books back inSpring 2018 in preparation for its seriesThe Great American Read . After collect votes from 4 million reader over four months , the most popular books were announced onOctober 23.To Kill a Mockingbirdis joined in the top 10 by such classic as Jane Austen’sPride and Prejudice , Margaret Mitchell’sGone with the steer , Louisa May Alcott’sLittle Women , and Charlotte Brontë’sJane Eyre . Several fancy books also rank high up on the list , including JK Rowling’sHarry Potterseries , J.R.R. Tolkien’sThe Lord of the Ringsseries , and C.S. Lewis’sThe Chronicles of Narnia .
Harper Lee wroteTo pour down a Mockingbirdin 1956 , at age 30 , after get agenerous giftof one class ’s pay from friends that allow her to entrust her day job . The girl of a attorney , the Alabama native drew heavily from her own living while writing the story . Lee was convinced the book would fail , but it was an immediate collision when it was release in 1960 , make a Pulitzer Prize and inspiring an Oscar - winningfilm adaptationthat was let go of in 1962 . Today it continues to betray close to 1 million copies each year .
To Kill a Mockingbirdremained Lee ’s exclusive put out work up until the release ofGo Set a Watchmanin 2015 , but her skill did n’t end there . Lee , who go along away in 2016 , also get together with her friendTruman Capote , support the grandness oflibraries , and get ahead a Presidential Medal of Freedom during her 89 - twelvemonth life . Her first Holy Scripture ’s new claim as the most - beloved novel in America is just the in vogue addition to her bequest .
[ h / tTIME ]
