Big news in the literary/publishing world: a new Harper Lee novel is set to be released on July 14, 2015! Why is this such a big deal, you might ask? Well, you've all been required as freshmen to read Lee's first and, up to this point, only published work, To Kill a Mockingbird, widely considered one of the best books in American literature. A second novel from the notoriously private, Pulitzer Prize-winning author, who previously never intended to publish anything further, is like literary gold. The new novel, entitled Go Set a Watchman, is about an adult Scout returning to her childhood home and trying to gain a better understanding of her father and his outlook on the racially charged society of 1950s Alabama. Interestingly enough, Lee said that she wrote Go Set a Watchman before writing To Kill a Mockingbird, but her publisher was more interested in the childhood Scout glimpsed through flashbacks, and convinced Lee to write what became To Kill a Mockingbird.
This is all great news, right? Actually, the announcement of the impending release of Go Set a Watchman has caused quite a controversial stir. At 88 years old, Lee lives in an assisted living facility and there are questions surrounding her mental state and decision making abilities. The book release also comes closely after, some may say suspiciously so, the death of Lee's sister and lawyer Alice.
You can read more about the impending book release and controversy via the Associated Press or on Book Riot, which are the sources I used for the information in this post.
Will you read Go Set a Watchman when it's released? Do you think Harper Lee really gave informed consent for the release of the book? Do you think it should be published? Weigh in on the controversy in the comments below!
This is all great news, right? Actually, the announcement of the impending release of Go Set a Watchman has caused quite a controversial stir. At 88 years old, Lee lives in an assisted living facility and there are questions surrounding her mental state and decision making abilities. The book release also comes closely after, some may say suspiciously so, the death of Lee's sister and lawyer Alice.
You can read more about the impending book release and controversy via the Associated Press or on Book Riot, which are the sources I used for the information in this post.
Will you read Go Set a Watchman when it's released? Do you think Harper Lee really gave informed consent for the release of the book? Do you think it should be published? Weigh in on the controversy in the comments below!