To Kill a Mockingbird is a play.
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 novel is renowned for its warmth and humor , despite dealing with the serious issues of rape and racial inequality . Since 1990 , a play based on the novel has been performed annually in Harper Lee 's hometown .