Dear Harper Lee

[changeling67]

I have yet to read either book, but the sentiments on various writers/readers/academic forums is WTF???

Comments

[ahavah]

Harper Lee never wanted that book (draft, actually) published, and it only happened immediately after her sister/primary caregiver died. I firmly believe that this is a case of elder abuse by her lawyer, and I won't read the novel solely on principle.

[calico-pye.livejournal.com]

There are quite a few people feel the same way. I missed reading the 1st book when I was a kid, so I should really read it at some point. Not sure re the 2nd one as yet - I wonder why the publishers went ahead and whose intetest it is in? Clearly not Harper Lee's.

[ahavah]

Money, that's why. I read that Ms. Lee really doesn't talk to anyone but her care providers and lawyer, and she's mostly blind at this point (I think?), so if the lawyer got her to sign it, the publishers ran all the way to the bank. She's been VERY vocal in the past about not wanting it published, so I don't see how it was allowed, but it got in the works within a month or two of her sister dying, so that's pretty sad.

I read To Kill A Mockingbird in high school, but I was probably too young to appreciate it as much as I should have. I'd like to read them again as an adult. Not touching Watchman, though. I just don't like how that went down.