“Harper Lee, who has been dodging publicity for decades since she published her only book, To Kill a Mockingbird, made a rare step into the limelight to be honored by the Los Angeles Public Library,” according to an Associated Press wire story. Lee stopped giving interviews and doing appearances decades ago, but she apparently accepted this invitation because it came from Veronique Peck, the widow of actor Gregory Peck, who became a close friend of Lee’s after starring in the film version of her book. The event raised over “$700,000 for computers, computer training and literacy programs,” says the A.P. Lee’s acceptance speech consisted of two sentences: “I’ll say it again. Thank you all from the bottom of my heart.”