Richard Butchins's Blog: Angels stand corrected... - Posts Tagged "harper-lee"

The arrival of a previously unknown first version of the novel that became the inestimable "To Kill A Mockingbird" by Harper Lee is a bit stinky. It seems unlikely in the extreme that she did not know of the books existence and if she had wanted to publish it she has had nearly 50 years to do so and didn't. She has had a stroke and her sister who guarded her estate recently died. How fortuitous then that this previously "missing" manuscript has come to light now.

"It's a gift" says the head of Harper Collins - yeah it sure is...

Something is rotten in the state of Denmark.

That's my thought on the subject at any rate

I have been making a TV documentary, though not about this book - which is a shame as my investigative hackles are up. I suppose we will never really know but it probably is an early draft of a novel and as I read it it becomes quickly apparent that another hand significantly rearranged the story and the characters to come up with TKAM.

It's only really interesting as an historical example of a writers early failed manuscript. What is also of interest is the complete lack of the lyrical and descriptive writing that makes TKAM so delightful to read. I suppose we will never really know but I suspect Capote had a hand in the finished book. I'm in agreement with this article in the New Republic on this one.


http://www.newrepublic.com/article/122290/suspicious-story-behind-publication-go-set-watchman

I will publish a comprehensive review when I have finished reading this book.