Harper Lee - a new published book after 50 years- something stinks.....

[swat_op506]

First, a disclaimer-

I am not a literature buff, but I did always like the story To Kill a Mockingbird. That and the fact that Harper Lee was a very interesting person in her time.

Ok, so the news of a "newly found" manuscript written before TKAM made the literature world giddy yesterday.
it was found by Lee's publisher- supposedly hidden away for 50 years.

Coincidentally, Lee's sister Alice, a local attorney near where I live, recently past away. She had taken care of Harper's legal affairs and business dealings for years. So she dies, and all the sudden a rediscovered manuscript- plus Harper is in assisted living, practically deaf and blind.....

Sorry- I smell a rat- a big, greedy, lying rat.

"Harper's new lawyer, Tonja Carter, has managed her affairs since Alice retired in 2012, aged 100.
It was Carter who found the manuscript of the second novel, Harper has said, and she who negotiated the publishing deal to publish the book with HarperCollins."


http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2015...?utm_hp_ref=tw

[JasperST]

It sounded weird when I first heard about it this morning. Why would she sit on it for half a century. The book will fly off the shelves so I'm sure money wasn't involved.

[Inactive]

Very odd indeed, likely to be one of those things no one will ever get the whole story or truth about.

I never read To Kill a Mockingbird but I remember as a kid watching the 1962 B&W movie based on it, it seemed amazingly boring to me back then since it seemed to be a slow moving court-room movie without Perry Mason, but I watched it again years later.

[dauntless89]

I read the book and found it boring as well. The movie wasn't interesting either until Boo showed up and I realized it was Robert Duvall, in what was probably one of his first roles.

[Inactive]

I read the book and found it boring as well. The movie wasn't interesting either until Boo showed up and I realized it was Robert Duvall, in what was probably one of his first roles.

I found this video last night which was well done I thought, a historical perspective of the era itself the movie is based on, and some good music in it too:

Pre reading activity by a student teacher for a Year 10 Australian class. Music used is as per historical context.

[dauntless89]

I'll have to watch that when I have a few minutes, thanks for posting it.

[PhilipCal]

We need to get "Monty" on this.

[Inactive]

It's divided into 3 or 4 "chapters" of sorts, one about the dust bowl and it's effects, then another about the "Jim Crowe" era and it's illustrated with photos showing the "whites only" fountains, sinks, "Help wanted, whites only" signs and more.
I thought the whole 14 minute video was pretty well put together. While it's not specifically about "To kill a mockingbird" it does refer to it a few times and what the era the movie was set in was like, so that does add a perspective to the movie and shows how real-to-life it was.

[dauntless89]

Just watched it. Nothing I didn't previously know about, but the pictures were quite interesting and I liked the presentation. Well worth 15 minutes.

[BTDT2]

We need to get "Monty" on this.

I heard he reopened the "St. Valentine's Day Massacre “case and keeping busy investigating new leads.

Seems appropriate being today is February 14th.

Rumor has it when he retires he’s relocating to Mount Airy, North Carolina to become the towns Maven of Mayberry…

[Inactive]

Just watched it. Nothing I didn't previously know about, but the pictures were quite interesting and I liked the presentation. Well worth 15 minutes.

Good for you, I thought you might find it interesting, and the presentation was nicely thought out as well.
I've also really taken to that catchy folk music in one of the "chapters" and it turned out to be Dust Bowl Refugee by Woody Guthrie.