A handwritten note from Harper Lee is the politest rejection

The author of "To Kill a Mockingbird" hadn't granted an interview in about four decades, but I figured it was worth a shot.

[...] I crafted a letter and sent it off to Monroeville, Alabama, care of attorney Alice F. Lee — the author's older sister and chief gatekeeper.

Growing up in a relatively integrated former mill town north of Boston, the fictional Maycomb, Alabama, was my first real exposure to the evils of segregation.

The tale of Atticus' quixotic defense of Tom Robinson — the disabled black handyman who finds himself charged with rape for having the audacity to feel sorry for a poor, abused white girl — left a lasting impression on me.

There was gentility there, and the generosity of her decision to not only respond, but to offer a compliment, spoke volumes.

We live in a society that sets enormously high expectations for second acts — be they books or movies or music albums.

In an age when people feel compelled to update their Facebook status constantly, Lee kept her thoughts to herself.

[...] in February 2015, publisher Harper announced the pending release of her "Go Set a Watchman," even including a rare statement from Lee: "I am humbled and amazed that this will now be published after all these years."

[...] the idea of prying into Lee's life always felt a bit like killing a mockingbird — the bird you leave alone because all it does is sing.