I freely admit I am a news junkie. The very first things I read as a little kid were newspapers my parents had finished reading and cast aside. I did not fully understand the stories, and what they meant; but I did know what I was reading was important to someone, somewhere, or it would not be reported and printed. Following current events is a lifelong passion, given to a desire for awareness and understanding of who we are as a society, and how we are doing on this struggling planet.
Some stories are much the same as they have been for years. Different names, different places, but all in all, the same old behaviors masquerading as something newer and more important than yesterday’s story. Not that they lack importance, they just do not reflect much originality in the scope of humanity’s headlong rush to break each other, or the planet on which we all dwell.
Then, one day words fairly jump off a page, and the news is so shocking, so unsettling it will not go away. This is precisely what happened on January 3, 2015. I have told myself to let it go, and used my daughter’s favorite quote, “Not my circus, not my monkeys”; but I cannot shake off how disturbed and concerned I am over the latest, and what will probably be the biggest literary news of this decade, and many to come.
The Associated Press broke the story, releasing an announcement by Harper Lee’s publisher that on July 14, 2015, they are going to publish a book she wrote in the 1950s titled, Go Set a Watchman, a sequel to her bestseller, Pulitzer Prize winning novel, To Kill a Mockingbird. The manuscript for this book was “stumbled upon last fall” by Ms Lee’s attorney, Tonja Carter, who just happened to be pawing through items hidden away in the attic of the house Ms Lee shared with her sister, Alice Lee, who was the attorney, protector, and lifelong confidante of her sister until, at the age of 103, she died in November.
The publisher included a dandy little quote to go along with the announcement, in which Ms Lee supposedly stated, “After much thought and hesitation, I shared the manuscript with a handful of people I trust and was pleased to hear that they considered it worthy of publication. I am humbled and amazed that this now will be published after all these years”.
There are some critically significant things to consider in this story. Harper Lee has stated over the years she never published, nor would she publish another book, because she had one story to tell, and she did not wish to tell it again. In 2007, she had a stroke that left her confined to a wheelchair, almost completely deaf, forgetful, and added to macular degeneration, practically blind. She resides in an assisted living facility, and at 88 years old, is very frail, and showing signs of advanced age. It was reported at her sister’s funeral this last fall that she talked loudly to herself, and mumbled throughout the service, shocking those in attendance. It also has been reported, because of the above conditions, she will sign anything put in front of her by someone she trusts, without knowing or understanding what it is she is signing.
With all these things taken together, especially the loss of her protector, guardian, gatekeeper sister, and the fragile state of her health, both physical and mental; the timing of this announcement, and actual publishing of the book seem to cloak whatever intentions there might have been in a fog, an appearance of wrongdoing, and possible abuse of a helpless, elderly woman.
It is possible I am incorrect. However, having worked for years with the elderly, and having been a mandated reporter, I believe that a referral to Ms Lee’s local or state Adult Protective Services needs to be made before any further action is taken regarding the publishing of her book. She can be evaluated, and if she is capable of making competent decisions, and can communicate her will to an objective outsider, more power to her, and a grand culmination of her life’s work at this end stage. But, if she is being taken advantage of, may the forces of all that is right and proper in the law of this land come down on the heads of those who would do harm, and use her for their own greedy avarice and profit.
Harper Lee is the woman who wrote my favorite book, and I have held her in the highest esteem since 1960. I have admired her from afar these many years, and respected her individuality with regards to choices she made, literary and personal. Now that she has come this far, and her book has given so much to all of us, I say without equivocation, this woman deserves peace, honor, and serenity for all her enduring days, because it still is a sin to kill a mockingbird.
Galactic Junction 
Interesting take on this situation. I honestly hadn’t thought about that. I hope you are not correct and that Ms. Lee is not being taken advantage of. I guess time will tell, though.
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I would like to think everything is proper. When it comes to the millions that will be made off that book, my hopes dim. Thanks for the comment.
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Interesting post. The only thing that I would counter with is she apparently wrote this before Mockingbird and thought it was not any good since no one would publish it. We needed to see Scout through a child’s eyes first. I do believe she is being taken advantage of, but if it will give notoriety to Mockingbird and the maltreatment of African-Americans and the added spotlight is good. Even as an adult, the maltreatment continued and I am sure Jim Crow was still alive for Scout. I do look forward to reading this as the author wrote it. On the converse, I would rather leave some things to my imagination like what happened to Rick and Ilsa after she got on that plane in “Casablanca.” Thanks for writing this. It is also my favorite book.
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Yes, the new book was written first. I hope someone will have the courage to intervene and establish her competency before it is published. Society owes her that. Thanks for the comment.
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Go get ’em, VG! Good luck.
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Thanks! A woman with a mission; scary for anyone on the wrong side of right and proper!
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Yes, if Ms. Harper had wanted the book published, I am assuming she would have done that. I think, in this case, that one should follow the money. Who will benefit from the its publication?
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Exactly! I smell a rat, and my hope is someone steps up and intervenes on her behalf. There are plenty of advocates out there who need to view this as any other case of possible abuse, and do their jobs. Thank you for the comment.
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With as much money as there will be riding on it, you are right to be suspicious.
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Sad that money would be more important than the peace that little woman deserves.
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Very sad, but hardly surprising. There is a lot of greed out there. –Curt
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Interesting perspective! I read an article yesterday defending the attorney who is now representing Ms Lee. I’m afraid it’s going to become a case of ‘point-counterpoint’ – costing a great deal of money and bringing considerable stress.
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I worked for years with the elderly, and in cases like this where elder abuse might be at stake, all that need happen is an evaluation by Adult Protective Services to determine her competency. It’s easy and objective, which is exactly what would clarify Ms Lee’s ability to enter into a publishing contract or not. And this really is solely about her competency, not the quality of the new book. Thank you so much for your comment.
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Reblogged this on This Troubles Me and commented:
As a big fan of her first book I had been wondering what to expect from Harper Lee’s second – after all these years. I imagined that financial pressures were the cause, but am interested to learn of the possible issue of elderly abuse. I agree that, where there is such doubt, independent assessment is the first step; and if it doesn’t happen then I can’t see myself reading Go Set a Watchman, should it be published without the author’s informed consent.
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We are in complete agreement. Thank you for your reblog and comment.
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I hope you are wrong and Miss Lee is doing this out of a change of heart. I remember reading an unfinished short story by Miss Lee that also pre-dates To Kill a Mockingbird and some of the images in it never left me, but I can’t remember the title.
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I would like to be incorrect. She deserves to be honored and her life’s wishes respected. Let’s hope that happens.
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I agree. But I must admit that when I heard the news, I had the exact same thought as you. After all, she considered her greatest literary contribution to be taking care of Truman Capote.
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Those two! I just read Other Voices Other Rooms yesterday; Ms Lee being the model for Idabel, and all that is currently happening making it even more interesting reading. Their relationship, and the mysterious falling out they had is a study unto itself.
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I need to read that. Adding it to my To-Read shelf on Goodreads.
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It was Capote’s first novel published in his early twenties. I liked it; happy reading!
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Awesome of you to SEE her as you have, G. You are such the champion for those who need one.
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Thank you so much! I am getting rather close to that stage of life, myself; I would like to think someone would advocate for me if the situation arose.
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I loved your post, and I share your gut feeling that someone is once again taking advantage of this frail giant of American literature. I read the book when I was young, loved the movie, and continue to reread. The news stories indicate that, although it involves Scout and Gem and others from TKAM, this book was written BEFORE her great masterpiece. I think you express the feelings of many of her fans who believe that this publication (which is, nevertheless, intriguing) is NOT what Harper Lee wanted.
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Thank you very much for your comment. The new book was supposedly offered to her publisher before Mockingbird, and she was advised to rework it and redirect the story so it would be told through the eyes of a child. She did, and we have To Kill a Mockingbird. The facts are so glaring, especially 55 years of not wishing to publish another book, and 3 months after the death of her sister, BAM! it’s time to publish that old book we found lying around. She needs to be protected, not exploited.
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Oh dear, I hope this is not the case.
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Me too! I think time will separate good intentions from bad, if there are any. Let’s hope for the best.
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