The Night Before: The 100th Birthday of Harper Lee

McGill University literature professor Alexander Manshel (PhD, Stanford) will discuss the acclaimed and enigmatic American novelist Harper Lee (To Kill a Mockingbird) on the eve of her 100th birthday.

How did a debut novelist become one of the most read—and best loved—American writers of the twentieth century? In the early 1960s, Harper Lee was catapulted from the status of relative unknown to that of mega bestseller, Pulitzer Prize winner, and the voice behind an Academy Award-winning film. But each of these honors pales in comparison to the writer’s most significant role: classroom staple. Almost as soon as To Kill a Mockingbird was published, the novel became a frequent (and often controversial) addition to high school reading lists across the nation. In the decades since, the book has remained a fixture of the high school curriculum, ranking among the most-taught texts from the 1980s to the 2020s. Along the way, Lee’s novel has shaped how generations of young Americans think about race, justice, and the nation’s past. This talk—and the conversation that follows—will consider how Mockingbird became a “high school classic,” why it remained one, and what it might yet teach us about American history and American education.

For these occasions, we always enjoy the perfect cocktail. Want company as you prepare your drink? Join us at 5:25 for Five Minutes Before, as The Night Before Mixologist walks us through his recommendation.

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About the Series

The Night Before is a series of conversations in which we examine ritual occasions through the insights of the humanities. As we come together, handcrafted cocktails and mocktails tell their own stories about these unique times of year. In one hour, we learn to experience the next day differently.

Hosted by Stanford alumni, each online party is free, and features a guided conversation led by faculty or Humanities Center Fellows.