Harper Lee

[Foxbat]

Died peacefully in her sleep aged 89.

Of all the books I've read, I've always considered To Kill A Mockingbird one of the most perfectly written books I have ever cast eyes on.

A great loss, but she has left a great legacy in that one masterpiece.

 

[Droflet]

Agreed. The fact that you will find this magnificent book in university libraries throughout the world, speaks volumes. Sublime. RIP, Harper.

 

[Jaxx]

Shocked to hear this. RIP, an inspiration.

 

[kythe]

To Kill A Mockingbird was a book that really moved me when I read it in school, and it had a permanent influence on some of my interests. Harper Lee may not have been a prolific writer, but she changed the world with her work.

 

[mosaix]

Of all the books I've read, I've always considered To Kill A Mockingbird one of the most perfectly written books I have ever cast eyes on.

Agreed. Every single word in exactly the right place.

 

[JJasKelly]

Currently reading the sequel of To Kill A Mockingbird, Go Set A Watchman. Recommended.

 

[Ray McCarthy]

Currently reading the sequel of To Kill A Mockingbird,

Except Go Set A Watchman is really the prototype draft of To Kill a Mockingbird. It's not really a sequel. I think a shame it was published.

 

[JJasKelly]

Except Go Set A Watchman is really the prototype draft of To Kill a Mockingbird. It's not really a sequel. I think a shame it was published.

Not really a sequel? It's the same characters years later and mentioning/commenting on things that happened in the previous book(I only read To Kill a Mockingbird for the 1st time a few months ago so it's still fresh in my mind). How can that not be considered a sequel?

 

[Ray McCarthy]

How can that not be considered a sequel?

It was the first version of her book, To Kill a Mockingbird is the re-write of it. I'd be sceptical that Harper Lee has even re-read the MSS of Go Set A Watchman since publication of To Kill a Mockingbird. We'll hardly know now why she agreed so many years later to the publishing of it.
IMO Harper Lee wrote one story based on her father and her own experiences, there are two book versions of it. She seemed to have no interest in writing another story after what she called the "unexpected success" of To Kill a Mockingbird, which is a good book and Gregory Peck helped make it be a great film. In a sense obviously Go Set A Watchman is a sequel, but not in the conventional sense.