Harper Lee to Publish Second Novel

[FreeThinker]

Written fifty years ago and put away, the novel will focus on the characters from To Kill a Mockingbird twenty years after the events in the first book. It was written before Mockingbird and abandoned.

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/02/04/books/harper-lee-author-of-to-kill-a-mockingbird-is-to-publish-a-new-novel.html?hp&action=click&pgtype=Homepage&module=mini-moth&region=top-stories-below&WT.nav=top-stories-below&_r=0

[Merkin]

I respect a writer who knows how to bide her time.

[Cole Parker]

Reading the article leaves you with strong doubts she sanctioned release of this novel.

When there is money to be made, someone, somewhere will find a way to make it.

C

[Camy]

Considering she had a stroke in 2007, and -

In a letter dated May 12, 2011, one that was made public, Alice Lee told Ms. Mills that her sister “can’t see and can’t hear and will sign anything put before her by anyone in whom she has confidence.”

And considering:

Jonathan Burnham, senior vice president and publisher of Harper, said that the company had never spoken directly to Ms. Lee about the book and had communicated with her solely through her lawyer, Ms. Carter, and her literary agent, Andrew Nurnberg. The statement Ms. Lee provided expressing her delight that the new novel will finally be published was delivered through her lawyer, Mr. Burnham said.

I agree with you, Cole.

[Merkin]

All quite sinister, I agree, but why are we to believe Miss Lee would wish the manuscript be supressed?

[Cole Parker]

Perhaps because she never again tried to have it published?

C

[E.J.]

All quite sinister, I agree, but why are we to believe Miss Lee would wish the manuscript be supressed?

maybe it sucks....

[FreeThinker]

According to several reports, this was the first novel she had written, set when Scout was an adult coming back to Macomb to see her father. Lee's agent or editor read it and thought the flashbacks to Scout's childhood would make a more compelling story and that was when Mockingbird was born. She obviously never intended the manuscript to be published and probably forgot all about it. As private as she's been and protective of her legacy, I have to think that someone is taking advantage of her. I will read it, because I've loved the Mockingbird and the movie for decades, but I will do so knowing that she didn't intend to publish, that it was a first effort, a first draft. I know I wouldn't want the first drafts of anything I've written to be read by anyone.