Harper Lee is the author who portrayed life in the American South through her literary works, most notably her Pulitzer Prize-winning novel, To Kill a Mockingbird. Published in 1960, the novel addresses themes of racial injustice, morality, and human empathy set in the Deep South during the 1930s. Lee's vivid storytelling and profound characters have had a lasting impact on American literature and societal perceptions of race. Her work continues to be widely read and studied in schools.