Harper Lee, born as Nelle Harper Lee in 1926, was a highly acclaimed American novelist, best known for her Pulitzer Prize-winning novel, 'To Kill a Mockingbird.' Raised in Monroeville, Alabama, she was the youngest of four children of Amasa Coleman Lee, a former newspaper editor and lawyer who served on the state legislature. Her mother, Frances Cunningham Finch Lee, was a homemaker. Lee's father significantly influenced her life and writing, providing the inspiration for the character of Atticus Finch in 'To Kill a Mockingbird.'
Lee was a precocious reader since childhood and enjoyed a close friendship with her schoolmate Truman Capote. After high school, she attended Huntingdon College in Montgomery, followed by the University of Alabama, where she pursued a law degree and contributed to several student publications. Despite not completing her law degree, she spent a summer in Oxford, England, and later moved to New York in 1950 to work as a reservation clerk. It wasn't until the late 1950s that she devoted herself to writing, living a frugal life and working tirelessly on her craft.
In 1956, Lee's career as a writer took a significant turn when she befriended Michael Brown and Joy Williams Brown, who gifted her a year's wages to write full-time. This generous gift allowed her to complete the first draft of 'To Kill a Mockingbird' within a year. Under the guidance of editor Tay Hohoff, she refined the manuscript, and the novel was published in 1960 to immense success, winning the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction in 1961. 'To Kill a Mockingbird' has since sold over 30 million copies and remains a beloved classic in modern literature.
Harper Lee's literary achievements include the Pulitzer Prize, the Presidential Medal of Freedom, and numerous other literary awards and honors. She passed away on 19 February 2016, leaving behind a profound legacy in American literature. In 2015, she published a second novel, 'Go Set a Watchman,' which sparked renewed interest in her life and work.