A rare, first edition, American copy of Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird, which was found in a charity shop, has since been acquired by the British Library. The book which was among items donated to Oxfam’s Portobello Road charity bookshop in London will join the British Library’s national collection.
Harper Lee’s seminal novel, To Kill a Mockingbird was first published in 1960 and has since become renowned as a great work of American fiction. It’s explorations of race, prejudice, justice and childhood innocence mean the novel has remained incredibly relevant over the 60 decades since its publication, and the book is often found on school syllabuses. Lee’s work has sold more than 40 million copies around the world, been translated into 40 languages, and been adapted for stage and screen.
Oxfam shop manager Olivia Haysman-Walker, who identified the copy as being a first U.S. edition, said the book could easily have been missed. “There were lots of books to work through in the donation, but we recognised To Kill A Mockingbird and thought it was worth taking a closer look.”
“We realised quite quickly that we had something really special. The dust jacket showed its age, and although it was worn around the edges, the pages inside were in beautiful condition.
“It’s amazing to think that this book has passed through our Oxfam bookshop and into the national collection at the British Library.
“It really has been quite a journey, and it’s a lovely reminder, during Second Hand September, of the kind of treasures that can be hiding among the shelves and donations in our shops.”
Second Hand September is a campaign that encourages people to consider buying second-hand items, including books, hoping to change habits after re-examining how we shop for a month.
