Mockingbird

 ========= Old Image Removed =========Array
(
    [_wp_attached_file] => Array
        (
            [0] => 2006/06/Harper_Lee.jpg
        )

    [_wp_attachment_metadata] => Array
        (
            [0] => a:5:{s:5:"width";i:1870;s:6:"height";i:1244;s:4:"file";s:22:"2006/06/Harper_Lee.jpg";s:5:"sizes";a:13:{s:6:"medium";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:22:"Harper_Lee-336x224.jpg";s:5:"width";i:336;s:6:"height";i:224;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:5:"large";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:22:"Harper_Lee-771x513.jpg";s:5:"width";i:771;s:6:"height";i:513;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:9:"thumbnail";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:22:"Harper_Lee-140x140.jpg";s:5:"width";i:140;s:6:"height";i:140;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:12:"medium_large";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:22:"Harper_Lee-768x511.jpg";s:5:"width";i:768;s:6:"height";i:511;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:9:"1536x1536";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:24:"Harper_Lee-1536x1022.jpg";s:5:"width";i:1536;s:6:"height";i:1022;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:9:"wbhm-icon";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:20:"Harper_Lee-80x80.jpg";s:5:"width";i:80;s:6:"height";i:80;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:13:"wbhm-featured";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:22:"Harper_Lee-800x450.jpg";s:5:"width";i:800;s:6:"height";i:450;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:20:"wbhm-featured-square";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:22:"Harper_Lee-600x600.jpg";s:5:"width";i:600;s:6:"height";i:600;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:18:"wbhm-featured-home";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:22:"Harper_Lee-468x311.jpg";s:5:"width";i:468;s:6:"height";i:311;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:22:"wbhm-featured-carousel";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:22:"Harper_Lee-398x265.jpg";s:5:"width";i:398;s:6:"height";i:265;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:28:"ab-block-post-grid-landscape";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:22:"Harper_Lee-600x400.jpg";s:5:"width";i:600;s:6:"height";i:400;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:25:"ab-block-post-grid-square";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:22:"Harper_Lee-600x600.jpg";s:5:"width";i:600;s:6:"height";i:600;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:14:"post-thumbnail";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:22:"Harper_Lee-125x125.jpg";s:5:"width";i:125;s:6:"height";i:125;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}}s:10:"image_meta";a:12:{s:8:"aperture";s:1:"0";s:6:"credit";s:0:"";s:6:"camera";s:0:"";s:7:"caption";s:0:"";s:17:"created_timestamp";s:1:"0";s:9:"copyright";s:0:"";s:12:"focal_length";s:1:"0";s:3:"iso";s:1:"0";s:13:"shutter_speed";s:1:"0";s:5:"title";s:0:"";s:11:"orientation";s:1:"0";s:8:"keywords";a:0:{}}}
        )

    [_imagify_optimization_level] => Array
        (
            [0] => 1
        )

    [_imagify_data] => Array
        (
            [0] => a:2:{s:5:"stats";a:3:{s:13:"original_size";i:1227297;s:14:"optimized_size";i:524387;s:7:"percent";d:57.270000000000003;}s:5:"sizes";a:10:{s:4:"full";a:5:{s:7:"success";b:1;s:8:"file_url";s:50:"https://news.wbhm.org/media/2006/06/Harper_Lee.jpg";s:13:"original_size";i:1025845;s:14:"optimized_size";i:406369;s:7:"percent";d:60.390000000000001;}s:9:"thumbnail";a:5:{s:7:"success";b:1;s:8:"file_url";s:58:"https://news.wbhm.org/media/2006/06/Harper_Lee-140x140.jpg";s:13:"original_size";i:6848;s:14:"optimized_size";i:4732;s:7:"percent";d:30.899999999999999;}s:6:"medium";a:5:{s:7:"success";b:1;s:8:"file_url";s:58:"https://news.wbhm.org/media/2006/06/Harper_Lee-336x224.jpg";s:13:"original_size";i:17711;s:14:"optimized_size";i:12252;s:7:"percent";d:30.82;}s:5:"large";a:5:{s:7:"success";b:1;s:8:"file_url";s:58:"https://news.wbhm.org/media/2006/06/Harper_Lee-771x513.jpg";s:13:"original_size";i:65744;s:14:"optimized_size";i:34465;s:7:"percent";d:47.579999999999998;}s:9:"wbhm-icon";a:5:{s:7:"success";b:1;s:8:"file_url";s:56:"https://news.wbhm.org/media/2006/06/Harper_Lee-80x80.jpg";s:13:"original_size";i:3299;s:14:"optimized_size";i:3032;s:7:"percent";d:8.0899999999999999;}s:13:"wbhm-featured";a:5:{s:7:"success";b:1;s:8:"file_url";s:58:"https://news.wbhm.org/media/2006/06/Harper_Lee-600x338.jpg";s:13:"original_size";i:36065;s:14:"optimized_size";i:19629;s:7:"percent";d:45.57;}s:20:"wbhm-featured-square";a:5:{s:7:"success";b:1;s:8:"file_url";s:58:"https://news.wbhm.org/media/2006/06/Harper_Lee-300x300.jpg";s:13:"original_size";i:19250;s:14:"optimized_size";i:11752;s:7:"percent";d:38.950000000000003;}s:18:"wbhm-featured-home";a:5:{s:7:"success";b:1;s:8:"file_url";s:58:"https://news.wbhm.org/media/2006/06/Harper_Lee-468x311.jpg";s:13:"original_size";i:29418;s:14:"optimized_size";i:17874;s:7:"percent";d:39.240000000000002;}s:22:"wbhm-featured-carousel";a:5:{s:7:"success";b:1;s:8:"file_url";s:58:"https://news.wbhm.org/media/2006/06/Harper_Lee-398x265.jpg";s:13:"original_size";i:23117;s:14:"optimized_size";i:14282;s:7:"percent";d:38.219999999999999;}s:14:"post-thumbnail";a:2:{s:7:"success";b:0;s:5:"error";s:77:"WELL DONE. This image is already compressed, no further compression required.";}}}
        )

    [_imagify_status] => Array
        (
            [0] => success
        )

)
1668119756 
1150243200
She grew up in a small town in Alabama during the Depression, spending her time taking on bullies, writing stories with her best friend and idolizing her father. She’d attempt to take the path her father wanted, enrolling in law school, but she’d leave it all behind to move to New York City to try to make it as a writer. And did Nelle Harper Lee ever make it as a writer. Her first, and only, novel “To Kill a Mockingbird” is considered one of the seminal works of the 20th Centuty.Mockingbird; A Portrait of Harper Lee It catapulted Lee into fame — a fame she didn’t really want. She retreated from the limelight, giving her last interview in 1965.

Charles J. Shields has written a biography of Lee: “Mockingbird; A Portrait of Harper Lee” is out now. In it Shields deals with her childhood in Monroeville (touching on her strained relationship with her mother and her friendship with Truman Capote), her struggle to write “To Kill a Mockingbird” and her retreat from public life. WBHM’s Rosemary Pennington spoke with Shields about the book and some of the obstacles thrown in his way as he attempted to write it.

 

 

How Alabama Power kept bills up and opposition out to become one of the most powerful utilities in the country

In one of the poorest states in America, the local utility earns massive profits producing dirty energy with almost no pushback from state regulators.

No more Elmo? APT could cut ties with PBS

The board that oversees Alabama Public Television is considering disaffiliating from PBS, ending a 55-year relationship.

Nonprofit erases millions in medical debt across Gulf South, says it’s ‘Band-Aid’ for real issue

Undue Medical Debt has paid off more than $299 million in medical debts in Alabama. Now, the nonprofit warns that the issue could soon get worse.

Roy Wood Jr. on his father, his son and his new book

Actor, comedian and writer Roy Wood Jr. is out with a new book -- "The Man of Many Fathers: Life Lessons Disguised as a Memoir." He writes about his experience growing up in Birmingham, losing his dad as a teenager and all the lessons he learned from various father figures throughout his career.

Auburn fires coach Hugh Freeze following 12th loss in his last 15 SEC games

The 56-year-old Freeze failed to fix Auburn’s offensive issues in three years on the Plains, scoring 24 or fewer points in 17 of his 22 league games. He also ended up on the wrong end of too many close matchups, including twice this season thanks partly to questionable calls.

In a ‘disheartening’ era, the nation’s former top mining regulator speaks out

Joe Pizarchik, who led the federal Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement from 2009 to 2017, says Alabama’s move in the wake of a fatal 2024 home explosion increases risks to residents living atop “gassy” coal mines.

More Arts and Culture Coverage