Something to chew on while awaiting Lee’s newest book to be published this July.
A lot of controversy is stirring around the publication of this book as it was originally said that Lee’s wishes were to never publish another book. Her sister had looked after her and her business for years and has passed. There is a lot of heresay that Lee’s lawyers and publishers are orchestrating the publication of this book without her proper consent, other articles state the contrary. Lee actually wrote this book, Go Set A Watchman, before she wrote To Kill A Mockingbird.
Originally written in the mid-1950s, Go Set a Watchman was the novel Harper Lee first submitted to her publishers before To Kill a Mockingbird. Assumed to have been lost, the manuscript was discovered in late 2014. Ironically, her first novel written in the fifties, took place some twenty years later in Scout’s life as she revisits Maycomb, Alabama county.
There are quite a few comments on the mysterious findings of this old manuscript and many articles written on the topic. Here is one link amongst many that talks about the discovery of the manuscript. http://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-31296088
Below you can read one of Lee’s early nonfiction articles written about love. It was published in Vogue in 1961.
Harper Lee’s take on love – By Nelle Harper Lee “Love–In Other Words”.
DGKayewriter.com 
I heard buzz about this awaited book. Thanks for bringing it front and center, Debby.
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This was a great post, Debby. All this controversy over the latest Lee book can’t do the book any harm.
I loved her essay on love. Thanks for linking to it. 🙂
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I thought it was beautiful too Carol. And yes, you know what they say about publicity . . . bad, or good, it’s all publicity! 🙂
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It’s certainly caused a literary storm for sure, and I did a post about it just after the announcement. I hope she gets to enjoy the pleasure the novel will doubtless give her fans.
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Good or bad, publicity is always helpful. No doubts it will be read by many, including myself. 🙂
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Hi Deb, I’m looking forward to reading the book. I’m not paying attention to any of the rumours; after all, it’s the words inside the book that will ultimately count, right? ❤
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Absolutely Christy. Besides, it’s been over a half a century since To Kill A Mockingbird was released. Who wouldn’t be curious? ❤
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It will be interesting to see what happens next in this story. Thanks for your post on what’s going on so far.
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Yes, Elaine, even the bad publicity is good publicity. I will definitely be reading it, regardless.
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Who are they kidding this book will be published, then put on the best seller list and made into a movie before we know it. Thanks for this post Deb. It’s already peaked my curiosity.
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Agreed, agreed, and agreed, lol. I’m on the waitlist! 🙂
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@”To Kill A Mockingbird.” – we call it a “roman-culte” and the movie with Gregory Peck is a “film-culte”… 🙂
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I’m curious about this book and will buy it. I wonder if the buzz will be bigger than the book or vice-versa. 😀
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Well, coming from Harper Lee, I have great expectations. Let’s just hope the editors and publishers don’t change the context! 🙂 Nonetheless, it’s the last book we’ll ever get from Lee.
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I believe she won’t allow editing of any kind. It’s supposed to be published as is. 😮
Do you believe that?
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Honestly Tess, do we really know in what mind capacity she’s in, especially with her sister gone who looked after things for her. We hear all the time about people who take advantage of the elderly. There are certain controversies already circling this publication, so I don’t know if things will be kept under the rug or perhaps the dirt will spill eventually.
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We’ll have to wait and see, I suppose. 🙂
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Harper Lee changed my life. I taught high school to convey my passion for…MOCKINGBIRD to others.
Thanks for checking in with me today and liking my writing post. Nice to meet you.
Janice
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Hi Janice. Nice to meet you. What an interesting story. So, no doubts you will be reading her upcoming book? 🙂
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She said she would never write another book, and I don’t think she should have. She stayed at number one on the bestseller list for nine months. She won the Pulitzer Prizefor literature. You can’t top that. Is she trying to top herself now? What do you think?
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I was so excited to have someone to talk Harper Lee with I forgot to thank you for following my blog. Welcome!
Janice
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🙂 Happy to have come across it!
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I’m not sure Janice. There seems to be a lot of controversy surrounding her new book. Some say she never wanted to publish it and others say since her sister died, she had nobody to advocate for her. Who knows if the publishers bullied their ways into her decision. And, if that’s the case, I’m wondering if the book has been revised into something different than Lee’s voice. Either way, it has my curiosity and there will never be anymore books from her so I’m buying!
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