This modern American classic was loosely based on the author's observations of her family and neighbors as well as an incident from her childhood. Renowned for its warmth and humor, despite dealing with serious issues of rape and racial inequality, the novel is perhaps the most widely read and influential book dealing with race in America. The program started with a special screening of the 1962 Academy Award winning film adaptation starring Gregory Peck as Atticus Finch. Followed by a panel discussion featuring several authors from Stephens Press (Vu Tran, P Moss, Tiffannie Bond and A.D. Hopkins) about the book’s influence on their writing. Following the discussion was a special sneak preview screening of Emmy award-winning filmmaker, Mary McDonagh Murphy’s documentary, Scout, Atticus and Boo: A Celebration of Fifty Years of To Kill a Mockingbird.