Seven facts about ‘To Kill a Mockingbird’ author Harper Lee we bet you didn’t know

Harper Lee, the elusive novelist who wrote one of America's most beloved literary classics, "To Kill a Mockingbird,"died at the age of 89 on Friday. "The world knows Harper Lee was a brilliant writer, but what many don't know is that she was an extraordinary woman of great joyfulness, humility and kindness. She lived her life the way she wanted to, in private, surrounded by books and the people who loved her,'' Michael Morrison, head of HarperCollins US general books group, said in a statement. Here are seven facts about the author we bet you did not know. (Text and photo: AP)

She went by Harper, her middle name, because she was afraid her first name, Nelle, would be mispronounced as "Nellie," not "Nell." Seen here is the author with ex US President George W Bush in 2007. (Text and photo: Reuters)

Lee based the "To Kill a Mockingbird" character Dill on childhood friend Truman Capote, who in turn used her as the basis for a character in his "Other Voices, Other Rooms." In this photo, ex US President George W Bush awards the Presidential Medal of Freedom to American novelist Harper Lee in the East Room of the White House in 2007. (Text and photo: Reuters)

"To Kill a Mockingbird," published in 1960, won the Pulitzer Prize the following year, but Conrad Richter's "The Waters of Kronos" beat her out for the National Book Award. (Text and photo: Reuters)

Lee's fans were stunned to learn 55 years after publication of the novel of a long-stashed manuscript written before "To Kill a Mockingbird" and even more stunned that Atticus, the hero of the first book, was portrayed as a segregationist in "Go Set a Watchman." Atticus was based on Lee's father. (Text and photo: Reuters)

Lee and actor Gregory Peck became friends during the filming of "To Kill a Mockingbird." She remained close to his family and Peck's grandson, Harper Peck Voll, is named for her. Here's a still from the 1962 movie adaptation of the novel, starring Gregory Peck as Atticus Finch and Brock Peters as Tom Robinson (Text: Reuters)

"To Kill a Mockingbird" created a cottage industry in her hometown, Monroeville, Alabama, with a museum dedicated to it, although Lee filed a lawsuit claiming it was selling unlicensed merchandise, such as "To Kill a Mockingbird" beverage coasters. In this photo, orange tulips left by one of Harper Lee's fans are displayed on the judges stand at the old Monroe County Courthouse, along with copies of Lee's two books, in her hometown of Monroeville, Alabama. (Text and photo: Reuters)

Actor Sandra Bullock ("Infamous" in 2006) and Catherine Keener ("Capote" in 2005) portrayed Lee in movies about the writing of Capote's "In Cold Blood." (Text and photo: Reuters)