Goodreads Authors/Readers discussion
Bulletin Board
>
Sequel to "To Kill a Mocking Bird" Being Published
date
newest »
newest »
Mod
Pretty shocking news.
I would love to hear member thoughts on it on your thread or in the Literary Fiction folder:
https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...
I'm torn. Mockingbird is such a sensitive, brilliant piece; at best, it could only be equaled. Most likely, Go Set a Watchman will be disappointing. Some works should just be left to stand on their own. Okay, I guess that I'm not torn at all.
I would expect that Harper Lee had good reasons for not publishing the second novel, and I also expect that her publishers are in it for the money rather than the art.
A final thought: one of the most appealing aspects of Mockingbird was the juxtaposition of Scout's innocence and the incomprehensible racism of the adults. With Jean Louise as an adult, this effective combination cannot be duplicated. And why would anyone try? It was perfectly portrayed in the first novel.
A final, final thought: I guess Harper Lee can do whatever she wants. (Even if I don't like it.)
I would expect that Harper Lee had good reasons for not publishing the second novel, and I also expect that her publishers are in it for the money rather than the art.
A final thought: one of the most appealing aspects of Mockingbird was the juxtaposition of Scout's innocence and the incomprehensible racism of the adults. With Jean Louise as an adult, this effective combination cannot be duplicated. And why would anyone try? It was perfectly portrayed in the first novel.
A final, final thought: I guess Harper Lee can do whatever she wants. (Even if I don't like it.)
Mod
http://www.theatlantic.com/entertainm...
Another one:
http://www.theatlantic.com/entertainm...
I feel like...some things should stand as they are. As it is, To Kill a Mocking Bird stands as an accepted classic, and one which bites into the core of so many troubles intrinsic to the history of the U.S. I feel like a sequel might just diminish some of the power its maintained as a stand alone--particularly if it doesn't live up to the original. ...That's not to say I wouldn't read it. I'm interested, I'm a curiosity killed the cat type (me being the cat in that analogy), but I'm really uncertain.
In the sequel, Jean Louise Finch, better known by her father, Atticus, and everyone else in town as "Scout", is all grown up.
Even though Ms. Lee actually wrote Go Set a Watchman before To Kill a Mockingbird, she decided to publish only the second book. The story in the first book takes place 20 years after that which took place in To Kill a Mocking Bird, which was narrated through the eyes of "Scout" as a child.
Author Harper Lee in now 88 years-old. To Kill a Mocking Bird was published in 1960 and sold 40 million copies. 55 years later, Ms. Harper's friends and publisher were finally able to convince her to release her first book, the sequel, for publication.