Harper Lee Finally Releases A Second Novel

Growing up, Harper Lee's 1960 Pulitzer Prize-winning novel To Kill A Mockingbird became one of my favorite books of all time. It captured the imagination of readers around the globe and spawned the film which earned Gregory Peck an Oscar for Best Actor. Now, 54 years later, Harper announced that it will release the sequel to her beloved book this coming July 14. 

The new book, Go Set A Watchman, once again features Scout Finch and picks up 20 years after the story in the original novel. Interestingly enough, Watchman was completed in the mid-1950s, prior to the only book of Lee's we've all known about up till now. The story takes place once again in the fictional town of Maycomb, Ala. and revolves around the now-adult Scout returning home to visit her father.

Lee, 88, has effectively been a recluse all these years, despite loyal fans clamoring for another book. “After much thought and hesitation I shared it with a handful of people I trust and was pleased to hear that they considered it worthy of publication," Lee said in a statement. "I am humbled and amazed that this will now be published after all these years."

From the very first time I read To Kill A Mockingbird in my ninth grade English class, I loved the way Lee captured the racial tensions of the South, the relationship between a father and his children, and a child's innocence as she learned to understand the world around her. So this is delightful news I'm sure many other bookworms around the world will rejoice over.

So when did you first read To Kill A Mockingbird? And do you think you'll be among the first to read the new sequel? I'm interested to find out. After seeing all the excitement about the new title on Facebook, I'm sure Lee will have another huge bestseller on her hands. And in case you are one of the few who don't remember the story, perhaps you'll remember the trailer from the 1962 film.

[New York Times]