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Go Set a Watchman
Group Read Archive 2014-16
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YA Group Read (October 2015) - Go Set a Watchman, by Harper Lee
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I read it just a few weeks back as well. I can't wait to see what people have to say about it.
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I thought about that but I read Mockingbird in high school over 20 years ago and other than knowing I liked it I couldn't remember anything about the story. By the way I'm listening to the audio and its read by Sissy Spacek.
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I am waiting on the library but I'm next up.
I got caught up in the craze and now it's on my shelf, beside a million other to-reads. I guess I might as well start it now, haha.
I was on hold for the book and the audio. the audio came up first and guess who is reading the audio? Reese Witherspoon that's who. anybody else doing the audio?
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I have only just started but so far I like her reading. I am already questioning if I believe this book was really written first.
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One of the reasons I love TKAM is it's depth. Because it's from a child's point of view, questions are asked that would be avoided or sugar coated when approached by an adult. In Watchman, the flashbacks are the only time this simple, honest look at reality exists. Somewhere along the road from Maycomb to NYC, Jean-Louse looses so much of what we loved about her. Scout's problems fully encompass her small world. By comparison, Jean Louse has experienced life in the big world, but somehow become excessively shallow and peevish.
Renee wrote: "You won't later. It's not nearly as polished and cohesive."Im having fun coming up with conspiracy theories. Maybe someone else wrote it and they slapped her name on it. Maybe she started it and never finished so someone else finished it. How does someone write a book like To Kill a Mockingbird and forget there is a lost book. Yep I need a more productive hobby. lol
Roseanne wrote: "Renee wrote: "You won't later. It's not nearly as polished and cohesive."Im having fun coming up with conspiracy theories. Maybe someone else wrote it and they slapped her name on it. Maybe she s..."
There has been speculation about Truman Capote being the one who actually wrote To Kill A Mockingbird. He and Lee grew up together.
Megan wrote: "Roseanne wrote: "Renee wrote: "You won't later. It's not nearly as polished and cohesive."Im having fun coming up with conspiracy theories. Maybe someone else wrote it and they slapped her name o..."
Oh I love it!
How is this YA? *confused*
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It's not, but TKAM is, so people made assumptions. Hopefully not people choosing books for Tweens.
Megan-
I'd heard that the character of Dill was based on Truman Capote.
I completely agree with your comment about TKAM and it's simple, honest genuine tone. GSAW reads like a first novel/first attempt/first draft. You see flashes of potential but it doesn't hang together. Imagine the editor who read GSAW, saw the potential and was smart or generous enough to say, Try Again But Focus on the Flashback Years. What a testament to the power of clear judgement!
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Plus, I like that Lee is exploring that moment when we as adults stop seeing with the eyes of our youth and realize that things aren't exactly as we assumed they were. That's a tough "moment" to capture. I'm not saying she necessarily does it well here, just giving credit for the attempt to tackle difficult material.
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TKAM is not a YA book either; YA didn't exist when it was written! Nor was it written for children. Even then, children's books were not childish. Goodness, the Harry Potter books are YA and THEY aren't really 'more' suited to that age group than adults - how much less so either of Harper Lee's.How very .....pervasive this box ticking has become! *sighs* Call a book YA and a whole lot of people will edit it out as readable - never mind all the non-YA books that young people are steered away from.....
*devoutly wishes no-one had ever dreamed up YA as a category* (it's not a genre because it cannot have a single style by definition)
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TKAM may not have been written in a YA climate but it certainly is one that most (American students anyway) people read as young adults because it presents opportunities for some fairly weighty discussion in the classroom. I don't think GSAW has the same potential.
I agree that YA is not a genre. But there is some pretty wonderful stuff that comes under its umbrella. It's a shame that some may choose not to read among those shelves but "book snobbery" has its consequences and those folks are missing out.
Also, I do wish in retrospect that there was a guide of some sort for me as a young reader. I read some wonderful "adult" novels by authors like Jane Austen and Jules Verne... But also some contemporary authors who were really better suited to readers with much more experience of the world. (Of course, I was essentially just blundering about, reading everything I could get my hands on.) But, yeah, I could have done without those.
Yes, agree with all that - a guide would be great - I was out of the child section and fighting to be allowed to read interesting books by age 8. However - nothing wrong with blundering about, I've read a truckload of fine books found in places I never expected and that I would never have known to go looking for.Yup, admit it's a pet peeve - but when the books you name were written, they weren't 'adult' - everyone read the same books, adults and children, often in serialisations - Dickens for example. Childhood I do believe to be a modern concept and even Children's books have only existed since mid 18th century. Centuries of Childhood: A Social History of Family Life is very worth reading - I had read it ...oooooh.....30 years ago???
Um...passionate about books? Sure am! About most things, probably!
End of small rant (possibly)
I read TKAM in high school the first time and I have seen it listed on GR as YA. I just assumed this would be the same. GR doesnt have this one listed as YA. I like the story but it is definitely not as good as TKAM.
Maybe Truman Capote helped her write TKAM and this book she wrote without help.
I was very anxious to read this and bought it soon after its release. I read it more out of curiosity than anything else. It was a little bit of a tough book to get through as I kept getting bored and set it aside from time to time. I guess you could say it was a little disappointing but I still am glad I read it. I sold it on Kijiji. :(
So Im in chapter 17 and (view spoiler) Yes I am going to drive myself crazy wondering which book came first. I thinking I like the Truman Capote theory the best.
I finished this morning and I have one thing to say. OMG ARE YOU KIDDING ME? Well I have lots to say but its going to take me a while (view spoiler)I definitely liked TKAM better and Im still trying to decide if I believe the same person wrote both books or which was written first. Seems all very suspicious.
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The Reading Challenge Group
Books mentioned in this topic
Centuries of Childhood: A Social History of Family Life (other topics)To Kill a Mockingbird (other topics)
Go Set a Watchman (other topics)
Reading and discussion begin on October 1. Please keep spoilers behind spoiler tags, as members will be reading and discussing at their own pace.