Harper Lee, author of To Kill A Mockingbird, passes away at 89

Some sad news from the literary world today – author Harper Lee has sadly died aged 89.

While there has been no official word from the Lee family yet, US news site AL.com has cited multiple sources in the author's hometown of Monroeville, Alabama.

Just last July a sequel to Lee's beloved To Kill A Mockingbird was published, Go Set A Watchman, telling the story of an older Scout as she sees her father Atticus through an adult's eyes.

Millions of young readers have cut their teeth on To Kill A Mockingbird since its publication in 1960, and even here in Ireland it is still on the reading list for Junior Cert students.

Given Lee's Alabama upbringing as the youngest daughter of a lawyer, it's no surprise that To Kill A Mockingbird is considered by many to be a partly autobiographical novel. Born Nelle Harper Lee in 1926, the author was the youngest of four children.

Tributes for the late author are already flooding in on social media today:

To Kill A Mockingbird.
Go Set A Watchman.

Thank you for these, Harper Lee.
Do rest in peace in the literary paradise. Give Gabo my love.

— Lynda Ibrahim (@lyndaibrahim) February 19, 2016

Harper Lee, thank you for sharing To Kill A Mockingbird with the world. #RIP

— rozay (@RossLipari) February 19, 2016

RIP Harper Lee. The woman mostly responsible for my lifelong love affair with books, reading & writing. 🙁

— Tim Matthews (@Tim_M_Matthews) February 19, 2016