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Max de Freitas

Max de Freitas asked:

Was it really written by Harper Lee? Readers might be able to tell. Either way, it will make millions for her lawyer and the publisher.

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10 years ago
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Farseer Yes, it was written by her. However, this is not a sequel of To Kill a Mockingbird. It's a very early draft of that novel. Fortunately, Lee rewrote it completely and changed the characters and events (for example, the outcome of Tom Robinson's trial is different), creating one wonderful and unforgettable novel. You can read that version with the title To Kill a Mockingbird.

Publishing Go Set a Watchman is just a money-making stunt by the people who control Lee's estate. It is nowhere near as well-written as TKAM and doesn't have the same powerful characters. It's only of interest for those who want to study Lee's creative process. If you are just a regular fan of TKAM, do yourself a favor and skip this one.

Terry Yes, it was Harper Lee - definitely. She has an inimitable style. Capote did not write ANY part of To Kill a Mockngbird. He had his merits, but he couldn't hold a candle to her.

As an English teacher, I have read and re-read To Kill a Mockingbird upwards of fifty times - never growing weary of it. I disagree that if a reader loved To Kill a Mockingbird, then skip this. I enjoyed this novel and liked finding out what happened to Jem and spending more time with Uncle Jack, who is only a minor character in Mockingbird. I have just completed my first read of it and was not disappointed!

If, in fact, it is true that Ms. Lee did not want this published, then it shouldn't have been. She earned having her wishes respected. There is talk that money was needed to pay for her care. All I can say to that is that there are millions of her fans who would happily contribute to pay for it. She has given us an iconic novel in To Kill a Mockingbird, and for that, we are forever grateful.

Dianne Erickson

This answer contains spoilersâ€� (view spoiler)[How is it an "early draft" of one of the greatest American novels? Watchman is a mockery of Mockingbird. If we look at Watchman as though Mockingbird never existed, it contains: underdeveloped characters of a dead brother, Jem, and missing friend, Dill; nothing particularly heroic or interesting about Atticus, which makes Scout's realization that her father is not an icon mystifying because there is nothing remarkable about this Atticus; nothing convincing about the bonding between Calpurnia and Scout, and a revelation that somehow Uncle Jack was in love with Scout's dead mother, to which Scout responds, "Uncle Jack, I'm so ashamed of myself. I don't know what to do. Me yelling around like that--oh, I could kill myself!" p274. Where did this come from? This is just plain bad writing.

Racist stereotypes are prominently featured in Watchman. Atticus and Scout agree that the "Negro Population" is "backward ... unable to share fully in the responsibilities of citizenship." p242. Atticus and Henry criticize the NAACP attorneys for "demand[ing] Negros on the juries" in felony cases; subpoenaing the jury commissioners, asking judges to step down, raising issues for appeals, and trying to get the cases into federal court. p149. Scout is amazed by this, as she had thought the NAACP was forbidden to do business in Alabama. p149. Atticus and Henry believe it would be better for the "boy" to plead guilty rather than fall into the wrong hands of the NAACP-paid "colored" lawyers ... "standing around like buzzards down here." pp148-149. In the underdeveloped story behind the charge, the defendant, Frank, is on the waiting list for the Tuskegee Institute and a talented plumber. p. 157. Frank, while driving his car, unfortunately hits the town drunk, who is wandering into the road. p. 148. Scout is offended that after Atticus got five divorces for Zeebo (who runs around on his wife, Helen), Calpurnia's 'tribe" would "sit in the kitchen and talk NAACP." p150. Atticus is apparently willing to destroy Frank's future with a guilty plea so that the aggressive attorneys of the NAACP cannot save Frank's promising future. Scout is color-blind because she doesn't notice that a "great big fat Negro man's been sitting beside me on a bus until I get up to leave. You just don't notice it," she says in what is just absurd--she has just described him as a "great big fat Negro man." p181. Of course, she noticed him. She simply prides herself on her ability to continue sitting with the man, while in New York, making her feel superior to her dim-witted white Southern acquaintances. The weird psycho-babble explanation that Atticus presented offensive racist ideas so Scout would reduce him to "the status of a human being" is not credible, shows Atticus himself to have a huge ego, and suggests there is something wrong with parent as role model. p266. The speeches Atticus makes at the end seem like a racist and mercifully shortened version of John Galt.

This is a terrible book, and if she wrote it, Harper Lee should have torn it to shreds a long time ago. Its main benefit is to inspire a re-reading of To Kill a Mockingbird. In contrast, this is the admirable Atticus Finch in Mockingbird: "Miss Jean Louise?" I looked up. They were standing. All around us and in the balcony on the opposite wall, the Negros were getting to their feet. Reverend Sykes voice was a distant as Judge Taylor's: "Miss Jean Louise, stand up. Your father's passin." p224, Lippincott, c1960.--What a far cry from the Watchman Atticus scheming to keep the zealous "colored" lawyers out of the courtroom.

Watchman cannot be the parent of Mockingbird. I cannot see an editor around 1960 even encouraging Harper Lee to keep writing after she allegedly submitted this book. If I were told that someone else grabbed some loose notes belonging to Harper Lee, called it a manuscript, ran it to a publisher with an unscrupulous ghost-writer, who did not bother to get the details right on the trial of Tom Robinson, I would believe it. There is a bizarre focus on legal details, including a description of the difficulties in understanding Alabama pleadings. p53. That a lawyer is wrapped up in the discovery of this manuscript only inspires conspiracy theorists to question whether Ms. Lee wrote this book, which is selling because of the large name "Harper Lee" on the top. Otherwise, it would be a mediocre self-published book that would be found outrageous for its just about unchallenged racist views, its undeveloped and stereotypical characters, and its disjointed story.

Finally, why is it acceptable in this day and age, to publish something this racist--just because someone "found" a manuscript and attributed it to an aging and beloved author? The dialogue is inflammatory and offensive.

The only justice would be to donate one hundred percent of the profits to the NAACP. These lawyers are Watchman's true heroes.

(hide spoiler)]

Marge My daughter recently had the privilege of meeting one of Ms,. Harper's longtime friends at a military conference. Ms. Harper's friend regaled the people sitting at her table with stories of when Harper was younger and about her friendships with other authors, such as Truman Capote. The friend stated that Harper Lee, who is in a retirement home & looked after, never wanted this manuscript to be published, and is very upset that it has been. I am assuming that the reason behind it may have to do with her estate needing the money to pay for her living expenses.

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Terri Lynn She did want it published and was sending it out to publishers in the 1950's when it was lost. Her doctor and current friends where she has lived sinc ...more
Jul 10, 2015 12:09AM · flag

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Adam Waldron Not true. Alice Lee is on record in 2011 as saying Harper Lee is not mentally sound and hasn't been since her stroke in 2007, she's hardly likely to h ...more
Jul 14, 2015 01:41AM · flag

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Liz If I had met Harper Lee, I would also be dropping her name at every party :)
Feb 07, 2016 05:01PM · flag

Chelsea I honestly feel this reads more like an epilogue rather than a sequel. But yes! Written by Harper Lee! I enjoyed it, though it is VERY different from TKAM.

Michael Perkins Completely agree with Farseer. I'm a professional author who had a bestseller published by HarperCollins (the publisher of Watchman). But i have no intention with working with that publisher in the future. I'm disgusted they went along with this scam.

Laura As much fun as conspiracy theories can be, this was, afterall, what Ms. Lee had to say first, before anyone directed her about what should be published. I found the book just as engaging as TKM and, if anything, the Atticus of that novel seems more of an idealized version of what she may have originally intended him to be.

Susan Townsend Google "Go set a watchman while we kill a mockingbird in cold blood". Really. Actually it is tedious reading but basically says that a detailed statistical analysis of the language and styles indicate that the same person wrote Mockingbird and Watchman, and that it was NOT Truman Capote.

True confessions: I had to post this just because I wanted to use the title of the article. Too funny!

Richard Butchins we will never really know. It probably is an early draft of a novel and as i read it it becomes quickly apparent that another hand significantly rearranged the story and the characters to come up with TKAM. It's is only really interesting as an historical example of a writers early failed manuscript. What is also of interest is the complete lack of the lyrical and descriptive writing that makes TKAM so delightful to read. I suppose we will never really know but I suspect Capote had a hand in the finished book. I'm in agreement with the New Republic on this one.

Greg Max, Lee certainly didn't go from "Watchman" to "Mockingbird." No way. I'm sure IF she wrote "Watchman", she didn't write "Mockingbird." Two different styles, different characters, and besides "Watchman" is awful, a cheap and bad attempt at Capote's "Other Voices, Other Rooms."

Bill Her good friend, Dr. Wayne Flint, (see his books on Å·±¦ÓéÀÖ) who visits and talks with her on a regular basis, says she wanted it published. As for Truman Capote writing any of either of these two books, if you know anything about Capote, you'll have to say that he would have been completely unable to keep it to himself.

Liz It may have been written by Harper Lee. But, if so (in my humble opinion), To Kill a Mockingbird was not written by Harper Lee! No writer could go from tedious and uninspired garbage in one book, then write the American book of the ages right after. Also, in my humble opinion, this book was written well after To Kill A Mockingbird. Whoever wrote it sticks in references to people and incidents in Mockingbird in a deliberate effort to convince the reader otherwise. This is clearly a look backwards, not a look at what was happening at the time. I think someone wanted to make a lot of money.

Ashley I believe so. From the articles I have read, she wrote this novel before To Kill A Mockingbird, even though it centers around a grown-up Scout. However, there is some speculation about whether Harper Lee really wanted to publish it, or if she was pushed into once the manuscript was "re-discovered". There are many recent articles about it online.

Katie Hunsberger I don't think Harper Lee wrote this. There was so much she got right about the South, and there were so many palpable details in the writing in TKAM. Watchman fell flat. I felt like it was two different author's completely. And "y'all" was constantly used in TKAM versus "you all" that was in Watchman. Come ON.

Michael Bray This was indeed a draft at least partially written by Harper Lee. The draft story line obviously had holes in it that were filled by a writer or group of writers at the publisher's request (Most obvious: Jem's life and death is so superficially treated). I consider To Kill A Mockingbird among the great American novels, although I haven't read it 50 times. The character of Atticus is so different from To Kill A Mockingbird, it would have been better for Harper Lee's ghost writers to have let him die an early death, too. Then we could have read about Scout without having the personalities of Jem, Dill and Atticus invade this nearly unrelated novel. But then, few would have read or enjoyed this novel without the name Harper Lee on it. I hope she isn't too saddened by this flimsy, poorly written imitation.

Closet Rebel Yes, Harper Lee wrote this one. I suspect Truman Capote wrote much of "To Kill a Mockingbird".

View all 8 comments

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Greg Peter, yes, he did love to chat, mostly in attempts to be funny or shocking. But never once anywhere did he reveal the extent of his sex life (his lov ...more
Oct 20, 2015 06:57AM · flag

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Petergiaquinta I may be duped by her gnomish jenesaisquoi, but I've always taken Alice Lee at her word, something I would never do with Truman Capote or Harper Lee, ...more
Oct 20, 2015 03:04PM · flag

Julie Why is everyone harping on her for "making millions?"

First of all, wanting to make money for writing a book is not sin. Why is okay for actors or musicians to make millions but God forbid a writer does it! She's agreed to releasing a book that was thought lost decades later. She deserves a huge amount of money for that. Also a publisher is a business. You are ignorant if you don't realize that.

Second of all, usually only authors who churn out dozens of books make that kind of money (like King, Steele, or Patterson) or those that create franchises like Fifty Shades of Grey, Harry Potter, etc. You all upset about this are acting like Harper Lee (and anyone associated with her) is a sell out for finally publishing the book she wrote first.

Even if it is a "scam" as some of you say, why now? Why not claim the book was "found" during the 50th anniversary which was back in 2010? Surely the scammers where more likely to make millions back then.

Nancy Seamster The minute I could preorder I did. I love Mocking Bird and have read it more than once. I found Watchman unimaginative and dull. Just another dysfunctional family story I don't care who wrote it.

Susan And the author. She has been interviewed about it. She is not being forced to do anything.

Terri Lynn Yes, it was written by her. She wrote it in the mid-1950's before writing To Kill A Mockingbird and she sent it to the publisher and it got lost. She then wrote a "prequel" to show Scout growing up which was To Kill A Mockingbird. I doubt if it will make millions for anyone. The publisher gets the lion's share of course then the lawyer will get 10% of Harper Lee's share. That is standard If a movie is made, well, more money for all.

Jeanine Yes she actually wrote it way back before To Kill a Mockingbird. By the way, her lawyer was her sister who passed away recently.

Liz Yes, Written by her. Alice Lee, her sister and attorney, recently died.

Caroline Udall It will make millions for her too.

Caro Yes she is the writer, actually first she wrote this book and then she wrote "To Kill a Mockingbird" . So is going to be interesting to see what happen with Scout and is quite funny to think that this book was suppose to be first. I can't wait to have it!

Carol Verble well, I came here hoping to find out more of the history of this book. Every theory that has been put out has someone supporting it. So, I don't know who to believe. I am not fond of the book....I dislike Scout...I don't think the book has a real purpose...it is very jumbled....I think I perhaps agree that is was written first, and was so bad, that editors or someone guided the rewriting that resulted in TKM. It probably should have remained unpublished. I see many people refer to Lee's other books as a comparison. I was under the impression that there were no other books. So more confusion.

Bethy Hernandez YES! it was just an early version of TKAMB. anyone who loves TKAMB will enjoy it

Jack Heitz Weather or not ,Perhaps it should have stayed unpublished

Janie Wallick Yes it was written by her. I don't understand those who thought it wasn't a sequel. She's grown and looking back on her days in Maycomb. I was a bit disappointed... it seemed to me a ramble of Harper Lee's thoughts more than a fictionalized story - or continuation, for that matter.

Eric_W

Sketchbook Now we learn that Atticus (who became iconic figah -- a fictional dude) was a segregationist ! LOL

Patrik Because people were really concerted about the whole situation (whether it was written by Harper Lee herself etc.) the state of Alabama had launched an investigation (in March) to determine whether or not Harper Lee could consent to the release of her upcoming novel, Go Set A Watchman. As you may know her sister was her lawyer and representative, and her sister passed away coincidently around the time the novel was found. The result of the investigation is that Harper Lee does want the 'To Kill A Mockingbird' sequel published. And yes, it was written by her - well as you said readers might be bale to tell - so we'll see.

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