Are The Rumors True?

[-Carlos-]

I once read, I forget where, that Capote is the true writer of Mockingbird and not Lee. Is there any truth to this? Can we ever know for certain...I wonder. .

 

[sparkchaser]

There is a whole book that talks about just that dude (as well as other things): Mockingbird: A Portrait of Harper Lee by Charles J. Shields. There's a good review of it here.

 

[-Carlos-]

Wow! I never knew. Thanks.

 

[UncleReader]

I suspect that Capote provided nothing more than valuable guidance, if that.

 

[DeathDealer]

I would have no idea. I bet Snopes would have the answer, but for now I'm keeping an eye out for this. I'll tell you what I can find.

 

[scullyx101]

it is interesting that it's the only novel Lee ever wrote......

 

[LawnTamer]

it is interesting that it's the only novel Lee ever wrote......

I've always thought that was odd, to crank out characters like that and then just drop writing.

I haven't written anything so good, and I can't stop popping out ideas, and characters, even if I don't finish it all.

 

[LawnTamer]

According to Snopes, there is a letter from Capote denying that he had any part in it. There appears to be some evidence that the character Dill is based on a young Capote.

 

[AirHeadz]

Wow, I feel like that would shake the entire literature world! I just read up on it a little bit, and I didn't know that that was the only book that Lee ever wrote. that is quite an accomplishment.