Harper Lee

11 years ago

last modified: 11 years ago

Anyone read Chapter 1 of Go Set a Watchman on the Wall Street Journal website? The book comes out tomorrow. And now, it looks like "they" are intimating there may be yet another just discovered manuscript. ahem...
This is big news in the US book world. To Kill a Mockingbird is a modern classic here, remains ensconced on school reading lists, and has its own share of controversy as to its authorship (Lee alone? Capote collaborated?) Would love to hear what others think.

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martin_z

11 years ago

Call me sanctimonious, but I have no intention of reading the book.

It absolutely smacks of money-grabbing. For years, Harper Lee did not want anything published; she was a recluse, protected by a lawyer. Then the lawyer dies. Then, suddenly, her first novel reappears, and suddenly she wants it published? I'm very cynical indeed.

Also - it's a first draft. The Atticus and Jean Louise in this book are not the Atticus and Scout of TKAM. She wrote the book, and the original publishers said "Hmmm - it's interesting. But I think it would be a better story if you told it from the point of view of Scout as a child." And, of course, it was. But in that recasting of the story, Atticus became a more rounded, more decent character.

It should not be considers as a prequel. It's a first draft. It was never intended to be published. I don't think it should never have been published.

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Comments (13)

woodnymph2_gw
11 years ago
I only know what I heard on the TV news -- that supposedly our former hero, Atticus, is portrayed as being racist in this newer work. I will be sure to read it when I can find it.
sheri_z6
11 years ago
last modified: 11 years ago
I'm really conflicted on this one. Unless a vast majority of early readers declare that Go Set a Watchman is another classic, I'm 95% sure I won't read it. In my mind, To Kill a Mockingbird is just about a perfect book, I don't need to know what happens next, particularly if it will shift my understanding of the characters in a negative way.

I am waiting for the reviews to come in, so we'll see. Frankly, I'm not optimistic, but I'm trying hard to keep an open mind. The fact that Harper Lee always declared she would never publish anything else and now after this there might be a third manuscript in the wings just raises red flags for me. I can't help but think this is a money grab by her lawyer/representative/whatever she is. I'd hate to see Lee's reputation tainted by a story or stories that she never intended to publish.

(I just saw this on the Onion site and had to add it: http://www.theonion.com/article/harper-lee-announces-third-novel-my-excellent-care-50840)
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cacocobird
11 years ago
I'm going to wait for some reviews before buying this. The thought of Atticus as a racist is hard to deal with.
bookmom41
Original Author
11 years ago
last modified: 11 years ago
I put the wrong format on reserve at the library; I read and am a terrible listener, but unfortunately, the CDs showed up for me. Listened to four chapters on way home and so far, I am not impressed. Don't know if it is Reese Witherspoon's southern accent which seems to fade in and out, the difficulty in telling which character is speaking, or that Jean Louise (not Scout anymore) seems sort of like a bratty and shallow young adult. It seems that we learned about the characters in TKaM by their actions and the storyline, but here the characters are described endlessly without much going on other than trite conversations. I will keep listening (or reading, if my ebook reserve comes thru soon) and hope it gets better.
I, too, am trying to keep an open mind but "money grab" is in my thoughts too.
annpanagain
11 years ago
Regarding racism, we have to remember that books reflect the current thinking. I am not always comfortable when reading the Golden Age books that I enjoy. The racist and class put-downs irritate me but that was how these things were commonly viewed. We have to make allowances or stop reading these books!
vee_new
11 years ago
last modified: 11 years ago
Bookmom, below is a link to a review about the book from the UK Daily Telegraph, which might make an interesting comparison with the comments in the US press.
Harper Lee
sheri_z6
11 years ago
Vee, very interesting article. Based on that and on another review (below), I've decided I'm not going to read it. But if anyone on RP does, I would still love to hear your thoughts on it!

http://bookriot.com/2015/07/16/go-set-watchman-will-break-heart-read-anyway/
bookmom41
Original Author
11 years ago
I finished it. Luckily, someone gave me the book and I could stop listening to Reese Witherspoon on audio--her narration was distracting. Vee, the article you linked to pretty much sums up how I felt: this is a coming of age story about a young woman who finds out her revered father (and boyfriend) have feet of clay. I have no trouble believing, as it has been reported, that Watchman is an unedited draft. Way too much internal thought process, not much going on story-wise. The best writing revolved around Jean Louise's remembering her childhood with Jem and Dill, out of which she crafted TKaM.

While everyone's beloved Atticus isn't as "fleshed out" in this version, he is more complicated. Atticus is a lawyer and in TKaM, he upheld the law as was his duty. His personal beliefs, repugnant and shocking to modern readers, weren't as unusual then. Jean Louise represents change and must be her own watchman, as we are all charged to be.

Money grab? I vote yes. Not because now the legacy of Atticus is sullied, but because much of the writing is poor, the manuscript went unpublished for 55 years, and now Lee is arguably impaired. And to publish it as a stand-alone novel, unedited? Money grab.
woodnymph2_gw
11 years ago
I read both the reviews posted here. The one from the UK makes it sound as if the novel is poorly written. The second review has a bit more of an appeal. I think one of the points made is that the South is not monolithic. Its people are very complex and there are several cultures within the South itself. Maybe I will give this book a try but I am not rushing out to buy it.
sheri_z6
11 years ago
Martin, I completely agree!
annpanagain
11 years ago
I am revolted by what seems to be the sheer greed of some people who allow exploitation of dead authors.

I had better not name anyone as this is an open forum but I am sure you can all think of a few writers who have had their books televised and the plots mucked about with!
woodnymph2_gw
11 years ago
Martin, I cannot disagree with you.

Harper Lee

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