- 4,464
- Azle, TX
- supermanfromazle
- SanjiHimura
Back in 1955, Harper Lee's 'To Kill A Mockingbird' was one of the best selling books in America. It got so popular, that Lee wrote a sequel to the book, but refused to publish it.
Fast forward 60 years, the world was excited to learn that Lee's unpublished book, 'Go Set a Watchman', was due to be published for the first time. Excitement turned to concern, and concern turned into suspicion as to how Lee's publishing house, actually got permission from the author, who is 88, when she is known to be a recluse and has a fear of the media?
That is what the state of Alabama wants to know, who through their Human Resources Department was quoted as saying, " [they] requested an investigation to see if Lee, in a nursing home and suffering from deafness, blindness, and dementia, was being taken advantage of by parties anxious to reap the scores of millions of dollars one final novel by the great Harper Lee would produce.”
“With an investigation involving Monroeville’s most famous resident underway, friends and acquaintances who have come forward in recent weeks have offered conflicting accounts of Ms. Lee’s mental state, with some describing her as engaging, lively and sharp, and others painting her as childlike, ornery, depressed and often confused,” notes the New York Times. “Several people said that her condition varied depending on the day.”
Both Lee’s publisher, HarperCollins, and her agent have dismissed claims that she’s being taken advantage of. In fact, HarperCollins’ president and publisher, Michael Morrison, states he visited Lee last month and said she was in “good spirits” when they discussed details of the upcoming book. “It was a great meeting,” he told the Times, “and as expected, she was humorous, intelligent and gracious.”
Still, it’s concerning that an investigation of this nature is taking place. We just hope that Lee’s decision to publish Go Set a Watchman is her own, and no one else’s.
Fast forward 60 years, the world was excited to learn that Lee's unpublished book, 'Go Set a Watchman', was due to be published for the first time. Excitement turned to concern, and concern turned into suspicion as to how Lee's publishing house, actually got permission from the author, who is 88, when she is known to be a recluse and has a fear of the media?
That is what the state of Alabama wants to know, who through their Human Resources Department was quoted as saying, " [they] requested an investigation to see if Lee, in a nursing home and suffering from deafness, blindness, and dementia, was being taken advantage of by parties anxious to reap the scores of millions of dollars one final novel by the great Harper Lee would produce.”
“With an investigation involving Monroeville’s most famous resident underway, friends and acquaintances who have come forward in recent weeks have offered conflicting accounts of Ms. Lee’s mental state, with some describing her as engaging, lively and sharp, and others painting her as childlike, ornery, depressed and often confused,” notes the New York Times. “Several people said that her condition varied depending on the day.”
Both Lee’s publisher, HarperCollins, and her agent have dismissed claims that she’s being taken advantage of. In fact, HarperCollins’ president and publisher, Michael Morrison, states he visited Lee last month and said she was in “good spirits” when they discussed details of the upcoming book. “It was a great meeting,” he told the Times, “and as expected, she was humorous, intelligent and gracious.”
Still, it’s concerning that an investigation of this nature is taking place. We just hope that Lee’s decision to publish Go Set a Watchman is her own, and no one else’s.
