An indelible portrait of one of the most famous and beloved authors in
the canon of American literature--a collection of letters between Harper
Lee and one of her closest friends that reveals the famously private
writer as never before, in her own words.
The violent racism of the American South drove Wayne Flynt away from his
home state of Alabama, but the publication of To Kill a Mockingbird,
Harper Lee's classic novel about courage, community, and equality,
inspired him to return in the early 1960s and craft a career documenting
and teaching Alabama history. His writing resonated with many
Alabamians, in particular three sisters: Louise, Alice, and Nelle Harper
Lee. Beginning with their first meeting in 1983, a mutual respect and
affection for the state's history and literature matured into a deep
friendship between two families who can trace their roots there back
more than five generations.
Flynt and Nelle Harper Lee began writing to one other while she was
living in New York--heartfelt, insightful, and humorous letters in which
they swapped stories, information, and opinions on topics both personal
and professional: their families, books, Alabama history and social
values, health concerns, and even their fears and accomplishments.
Though their earliest missives began formally--"Dear Dr. Flynt"--as the
years passed and their mutual admiration grew, their exchanges became
more intimate and emotional, opening with "Dear Friend" and closing with
"I love you, Nelle." Through their enduring correspondence, the Lees and
the Flynts became completely immersed in each other's lives.
Beautifully written, intelligent, and telling, this remarkable
compendium of their letters--a correspondence that lasted for a quarter
century, from 1992 until Harper Lee's death in February 2016--offers an
incisive and compelling look into the mind, heart, and work of one of
the most beloved authors in modern literary history.
