First edition to kill a mockingbird signed

Q: How much is a signed copy of To Kill a Mockingbird?

Signed copy of To Kill a Mockingbird sells for $25,000.

"Someone rare has written this very fine first novel: a writer with the liveliest sense of life, and the warmest, most authentic sense of humor. A touching book; and so funny, so likeable." - Truman Capote

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How much is a signed copy of To Kill a Mockingbird?
How do you know if To Kill a Mockingbird is first edition?
What is a signed first edition?
What year was To Kill a Mockingbird first published?

A rare and desirable signed first edition of one of the best-loved American classics. Signed by Harper Lee with a personal inscription directly onto the FFEP (First Free End Paper): "To Jason Burrows with best wishes Harper Lee".

Philadelphia and New York: J.B. Lippincott Company. Copyright 1960. Harper Lee "To Kill A Mockingbird". First Edition, First Printing. "First Edition" as required on the copyright page. Signed by the author Harper Lee with a personal inscription. An octavo size with original half green cloth and brown hardcover boards. Original and unrestored scarce first printing dust jacket with $3.95 on the lower flap. One of only 5,000 copies printed in this first edition.

Condition: The overall condition is much better than most copies of this first edition. Near Fine hardcover. A wonderful copy, clean and straight board without any bumped corners. No bookplates attached or indication of any removed. No other markings, writings or stamps. Very light marks to a few spots on the page edges. Square and tight spine. Clear and bright lettering on spine.

Original dust-jacket in Very Good+ condition. Some chipping to extremities with some dust-jacket loss to two end corners. Short closed tear on back cover. First edition dust-jacket that has not been restored and not price-clipped. Dust-jacket protected in brand new Mylar sleeve. All photos of the actual item. Includes matching clam shell case.

About To Kill A Mockingbird

To Kill a Mockingbird has earned many distinctions since its original publication in 1960. It has won the Pulitzer Prize, been translated into more than forty languages, has sold more than forty million copies worldwide, and has been made into an enormously popular movie. It was also named the best novel of the twentieth century by librarians across the country (Library Journal). "Shoot all the bluejays you want, if you can hit 'em, but remember it's a sin to kill a mockingbird." A lawyer's advice to his children as he defends the real mockingbird of Harper Lee's classic novel: a black man charged with the rape of a white girl. Through the young eyes of Scout and Jem Finch, Harper Lee explores with rich humor and unswerving honesty the irrationality of adult attitudes toward race and class in the Deep South of the 1930s.

The conscience of a town steeped in prejudice, violence, and hypocrisy is pricked by the stamina and quiet heroism of one man's struggle for justice, but the weight of history will only tolerate so much. To Kill a Mockingbird is a novel by Harper Lee published in 1960. It was immediately successful, winning the Pulitzer Prize, and has become a classic of modern American literature. The plot and characters are loosely based on the author's observations of her family and neighbors, as well as on an event that occurred near her hometown in 1936, when she was 10 years old.

The novel is renowned for its warmth and humor, despite dealing with the serious issues of rape and racial inequality. The narrator's father, Atticus Finch, has served as a moral hero for many readers and as a model of integrity for lawyers. One critic explains the novel's impact by writing, "In the twentieth century, To Kill a Mockingbird is probably the most widely read book dealing with race in America, and its protagonist, Atticus Finch, the most enduring fictional image of racial heroism. About the author Harper Lee Nelle Harper Lee is an American author known for her 1961 Pulitzer-Prize-winning novel To Kill a Mockingbird, which deals with the issues of racism that were observed by the author as a child in her hometown of Monroeville, Alabama. Despite being Lee's only published book, it led to her being awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom for her contribution to literature. Lee has also been the recipient of numerous honorary degrees, but has always declined to make a speech.

Near Fine hardcover with Very Good+ original dust-jacket. Read description for full condition.

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A copy of the Harper Lee classic ‘To Kill a Mockingbird’ sold on the website AbeBooks for $25,000 last week. It was a first edition, signed by the author herself.

When ‘To Kill a Mockingbird’ was published in 1960, Lee was living in New York City, like many other authors. But she later moved back to Alabama and withdrew from mainstream publishing. For many years, Lee has declined interviews and lived a quiet life away from the spotlight. When she was awarded the National Medal of Arts earlier this year, she did not attend.

Lee’s reclusiveness certainly contributed to the $25,000 price tag on this signed first edition of ‘To Kill a Mockingbird.’ According to AbeBooks, it’s the most expensive copy of the novel it has ever sold and tops the price list of books sold through the site this year. AbeBooks aggregates offerings from hundreds of sellers of used books.

Harper Lee has, from time to time, appeared at events celebrating books and reading. In 2005, she came to Los Angeles to accept the Los Angeles Public Library Literary Award.

But recently she has been closely guarding her privacy. An upcoming book -- ‘The Mockingbird Next Door: Life With Harper Lee,’ by Marja Mills, a former Chicago Tribune reporter -- was said to be written ‘with direct access to Harper and Alice Lee [her sister] and their friends and family.’ In a written statement, Lee said she had not cooperated with the book: ‘Contrary to recent news reports, I have not willingly participated in any book written or to be written by Marja Mills. Neither have I authorized such a book. Any claims otherwise are false.’

Harper Lee turned 85 last month. ‘To Kill a Mockingbird’ is 51.

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-- Carolyn Kellogg

Carolyn Kellogg is a prize-winning writer who served as Books editor of the Los Angeles Times for three years. She joined the L.A. Times in 2010 as staff writer in Books and left in 2018. In 2019, she was a judge of the National Book Award in Nonfiction. Prior to coming to The Times, Kellogg was editor of LAist.com and the web editor of the public radio show Marketplace. She has an MFA in creative writing from the University of Pittsburgh and a BA in English from the University of Southern California.

How much is a signed copy of To Kill a Mockingbird?

Signed copy of 'To Kill a Mockingbird' sells for $25,000.

How do you know if To Kill a Mockingbird is first edition?

The first edition of the book has brown boards with a green cloth spine and lettering in brown. The copyright page states “First Edition”. Since To Kill a Mockingbird was such a success, it was actually issued by at least four book clubs in 1960.

What is a signed first edition?

First editions are distinguished from subsequent printings, as they represent the closest edition in time and intent to the author's original work. A signed first edition is a unique addition to any library, and to dealers and collectors, a signed first edition is the most desirable—and valuable—edition.