Harper Lee Announces Mockingbird Prequel "Go Set a Watchman"

The publisher of Harper Lee has announced that they will publish an earlier version of To Kill a Mockingbird. Called Go Set a Watchman: A Novel the book was written from the viewpoint of an older and wiser Scout Finch looking back at her childhood experiences in Alabama. Lee's editor decided to change the focus of the novel to highlight just the childhood memories, and thus the original premise was set aside. While the move to publish the original manuscript was controversial, and many question whether the elderly author actually approved the publication, there is no doubt the announcement caused a major stir in publishing circles and among readers.

From Alabama.com

"Go Set a Watchman," a novel the Pulitzer Prize-winning author completed in the 1950s and put aside, will be released July 14. Rediscovered last fall, "Go Set a Watchman" is essentially a sequel to "To Kill a Mockingbird," although it was finished earlier. The 304-page book will be Lee's second, and the first new work in more than 50 years.
The publisher plans a first printing of 2 million copies.
"In the mid-1950s, I completed a novel called 'Go Set a Watchman,'" the 88-year-old Lee said in a statement issued by Harper. "It features the character known as Scout as an adult woman, and I thought it a pretty decent effort. My editor, who was taken by the flashbacks to Scout's childhood, persuaded me to write a novel (what became 'To Kill a Mockingbird') from the point of view of the young Scout.
"I was a first-time writer, so I did as I was told. I hadn't realized it (the original book) had survived, so was surprised and delighted when my dear friend and lawyer Tonja Carter discovered it. 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. I am humbled and amazed that this will now be published after all these years."

On the meaning of the Biblical Title:

From AL.com

The phrase in the title comes from the Book of the Prophet Isaiah, in the King James Bible:

"For thus hath the Lord said unto me, Go, set a watchman, let him declare what he seeth." - Isaiah 21:6

It makes sense that Lee's choice of a title for her novel was a King James biblical quote.

"That's what she loved - the elegance of the language of the King James Version," said historian Wayne Flynt, a longtime friend of Lee and also a Baptist minister. "She grew up in a Bible-reading family. She was imprinted with it as a child."

Isaiah was a prophet in the Kingdom of Judah, probably between about 740 B.C. and 698 B.C. In this verse, he is prophesying about the fall of Babylon. "Nelle (Harper Lee) probably likened Monroeville to Babylon," Flynt said. "The Babylon of immoral voices, the hypocrisy. Somebody needs to be set as the watchman to identify what we need to do to get out of the mess."

NYU Local

... In a rare interview, the author told Oprah that, while some assume Scout is based on a young Lee, “I am really Boo Radley.” Her behavior in the public has mimicked this. Best childhood friends with fame-hungry Truman Capote (the inspiration for Dill in Mockingbird), Lee conducted herself with as much discretion as he did extravagance. This is not a woman who wanted fame, and she has maintained her convictions throughout her life.
Until recently, Lee lived with her older sister Alice, who handled her public affairs. Shortly after Alice died, HarperCollins announced the publication of Go Set A Watchman. They have not had contact with Lee, instead communicating through her lawyer, Tonja Carter.
Though many are quick to suggest that Lee is being swindled, it is important to remember that last July, she vehemently protected her own privacy. Her statement was direct and clear. Can someone with such conviction be so seriously exploited?
Perhaps Alice was overprotective and did not want her sister to publish another book. If that sounds ludicrous, it could be because there are no facts to back it up.

.@Amazon is classifying Harper Lee's "Go Set a Watchman" under "Classics"—but not even published! http://t.co/4FhINyGvjn #instantclassic

— Jesse Zink (@jazink) February 20, 2015

🆕 The @washingtonpost: "To shill a mockingbird: How a manuscript’s discovery became Harper Lee’s ‘new’ novel." http://t.co/zwYB85htIQ

— ✍ Bibliophilia (@Libroantiguo) February 20, 2015

A small Alabama town's braced for another literary frenzy thanks to Harper Lee's second book http://t.co/5C6nBrIDFh pic.twitter.com/9d8ZaS4siU

— Sky News (@SkyNews) February 18, 2015