To Kill a Mockingbird fans - Page 5

violann · ‎03-10-2010

I'm a person who wishes she'd never read TKAM because if I hadn't, I'd now be able to read both at the same time. One of my all time favorite books-movies-musical scores.

RainCityGirl · ‎12-16-2012

On 2/4/2015 VCamp2748 said:
On 2/4/2015 RainCityGirl said:
What I have never understood is why Harper Lee never wrote another novel after the astounding TKAM. There were many rumors, most which didn't make a lot of sense, as to whether she really wrote it. Some say it was really written by Truman Capote, who was the inspiration for the Dill character. But why wouldn't Truman have just put his own name on it? It's a puzzler. I'll give this new one a try, though. TKAM is one of the most beautifully written books I've ever read.

Capote was too egotistical to have written it & let Ms. Lee take all the credit & awards. Additionally, from what I've read about it, their friendship was never the same again after she won the Pulitzer in 1961. He was supposedly very jealous over that.

I've read that too, but it still doesn't answer the question as to why she only published one book and then never wrote another thing.

feline groovy · ‎07-29-2014

On 2/4/2015 RainCityGirl said:
On 2/4/2015 VCamp2748 said:
On 2/4/2015 RainCityGirl said:
What I have never understood is why Harper Lee never wrote another novel after the astounding TKAM. There were many rumors, most which didn't make a lot of sense, as to whether she really wrote it. Some say it was really written by Truman Capote, who was the inspiration for the Dill character. But why wouldn't Truman have just put his own name on it? It's a puzzler. I'll give this new one a try, though. TKAM is one of the most beautifully written books I've ever read.

Capote was too egotistical to have written it & let Ms. Lee take all the credit & awards. Additionally, from what I've read about it, their friendship was never the same again after she won the Pulitzer in 1961. He was supposedly very jealous over that.

I've read that too, but it still doesn't answer the question as to why she only published one book and then never wrote another thing.

You/we don't "need" to know the reason(s) why. It's none of anybody's business.

Barbara in Virginia · ‎05-22-2010

On 2/4/2015 adelle38 said:
I really don't think it was ever Miss Lee's wish that this be published. Here's another article discussing the issue of exploitation.

http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2015/02/04/harper-lee-promises-a-new-novel-or-does-she.html

I agree. I don't think she ever had any intention of submitting that manuscript for publication. Seems that it was a working piece from which she wrote To Kill a Mockingbird. And she wanted nothing to do with the publicity and what she considered an intrusion into her personal life and didn't want to go through that again.

She just wanted to quietly live her life the way she wanted to.

lory · ‎03-23-2010

On 2/3/2015 adelle38 said:
I'm concerned that Harper Lee who has been in a nursing home since 2007 might not be competent to decide whether to publish anything. From what I've read this is an earlier version of To Kill a Mockingbird which was deemed not worthy of publication in the 1950's.Since Ms Lee never chose to publish it previously, I have concerns that this is merely an attempt to make money off her reputation. I hope I'm wrong. Here's an interesting piece on the subject.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/style-blog/wp/2015/02/03/harper-lee-to-publish-sequel-to-to-kil...

I agree. Seems fishy to me. From everything I have read about Harper Lee, I just cant imagine her wanting this book published.

Anglophilly · ‎01-05-2012

I'm skeptical about the enterprise since it follows on the heels of Alice Lee's death. She was Harper's sister and attorney before her death at age 100. The forgotten manuscript was never in her hands but in a ""safe place"".

One of Harper's biographers said that the book was unpublishable and had been turned down by many.

It would make an interesting read to compare to Mockingbird. Many believe that Truman Capote had more than a little influence on that great book.

Group 5 minus 1 · ‎03-11-2010

I just pre ordered this book from Amazon. Harper Lee is not in a nursing home she is in an assisted living facility.

When TKAMB was getting ready for production Harper sent a letter to Spencer Tracey asking him to play Atticus. I believe he turned her down. The studio wanted Rock Hudson to play Atticus but it went to Peck.

If you are interested in more info read ""I Am Scout"". It is a biography of Harper Lee.