I was sad to read of Harper Lee’s death yesterday. I had reread her 1960 classic “To Kill a Mockingbird” last year and had re-watched the 1962 movie version of it too — all in preparation for the 2015 release of her book “Go Set a Watchman,” which is generally considered to be an early draft of “Mockingbird” written in 1957. But — ugh – everything in “Watchman” seemed to turn “Mockingbird” on its head. I didn’t like it much and thought the writing in it to be fairly forgettable too.
And now with Harper Lee’s passing, I wonder: do I wish “Watchman” had never been released? Probably, yes. I sort of always liked the idea of Harper Lee having written just one novel, one classic – sort of like Ralph Ellison did with “Invisible Man,” which I loved too. But now with “Watchman” out there, it muddies the waters and presents more of a complex picture of what Harper Lee wrote and how “Mockingbird” came to be, which I guess isn’t necessarily a bad thing. I too was eager at first to reacquaint myself with an older Scout but sometimes prequels or sequels don’t always turn out to be what’s best. I’ll always be fond of the 1960 story and characters, but now I’ll just know that they grew out of something else. What about you – do you feel it was too bad that “Watchman” was released when it was?
Meanwhile this week I’ve been working my way through Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s 588-page novel “Americanah,” which I’m reading for my book club. I’m not done with it just yet, but I’m marveling at how readable the novel is and how the story hasn’t sagged for me yet despite how long it is. I’m usually not a fan of overly lengthy, thick novels so I’m pleasantly surprised by this one. It flows and entertains and keeps me wanting to find out what will happen at the end to the two main characters. It also offers an interesting commentary on race and class along the way. I plan to finish and review it sometime next week.
I did finish the audiobook of Bich Minh Nguyen’s 2015 novel “Pioneer Girl” this week and enjoyed it quite a bit. It’s about an American Vietnamese girl (Lee Lien) who upon finishing her Ph.D. in literature returns home to the Chicago area for awhile to help out in her immigrant family’s restaurant. But while there, her brother steals their mother’s jewelry and takes off for California, leaving Lee with their mother’s gold leaf brooch that was left behind in their family’s Saigon restaurant years ago by American reporter Rose Wilder Lane, the daughter of author Laura Ingalls Wilder. Soon Lee begins investigating Rose and Laura’s histories and whether the brooch is indeed an heirloom of the famous author’s, whose books were a favorite of Lee’s as a child.
It’s neat that the story explores both the Asian American experience of growing up in a strict, hard-working immigrant family in the Midwest, as well as being part literary mystery into the details of Rose and Laura’s lives. In their own ways, Lee and the Wilders are all “pioneer girls,” or at least Lee is drawn to Rose and Laura as being such. Lee’s life with her own tough mother and deceased father alternates chapters of Rose and Laura’s fractured lives. It’s an interesting parallel and one I found quite insightful and engaging.
I hadn’t thought of Laura Ingalls Wilder’s “Little House on the Prairie” books in a long time. I had read and liked them as a kid, and sometimes watched the TV show based on the books, but this novel brought them back to me — and left me wondering about Laura and Rose’s collaboration on the books — with Laura as the writer and Rose the editor. Bich Minh Nguyen’s novel makes me want to read “Pioneer Girl: The Annotated Autobiography” by Laura Ingalls Wilder with editor Pamela Smith Hill, which came out in 2014 and apparently has a lot of new details into the family’s pioneer and writing lives.
It’s cool when a novel such as Bich Minh Nguyen’s can tell an interesting story about a girl’s immigrant roots and self-discovery and espouse a love of literature at the same time. What’s not to like?! For those who loved the stories of Laura Ingalls Wilder’s this book is especially for you.
Ps. I didn’t realize beforehand that Nguyen was married to fellow novelist Porter Shreve. I had met him many years ago in D.C. where he signed a copy of his debut novel “The Obituary Writer” for me. It’s quite a fun novel as I recall.
What about you — do you have any thoughts about Harper Lee’s legacy, or Adichie’s novel “Americanah,” or Nguyen’s novel “Pioneer Girl” and if so, what are they?
When I heard of Harper Lee’s passing, I couldn’t help but wonder what condition she was in when she signed the contract to allow Watchman to be published. I sure hope she wasn’t taken advantage of.
I loved Pioneer Girl too.
Yeah I’m not sure why Harper Lee would sign that contract. The wolves hovered around her for sure. Glad you liked Pioneer Girl too!
I didn’t read Go Set a Watchman because I thought it wouldn’t match the genius of TKAM. I think that for most authors lighting doesn’t strike twice. I was convinced Harper Lee wasn’t going to be the exception to that rule.
You are wise Carmen. Staying away from Watchman was best I think.
Thank you for this lovely post! I didn’t read Lee’s second book. But, I always wanted to remember her as an author, who wrote one extraordinary book. I read ‘To Kill…’ when I was just beginning to adore books. It sealed my loved books.
‘Americanah’ is the first book that I read of Adichie’s, and I loved it. I thought it was well written, and the characters were studied well, like every insignificant character too. Ifemelu is one of my favourite heroines. She is impressively free-spirited, isn’t she? I love how she is unapologetically herself too. 🙂 I watched and read Adichie’s ‘We Should All Be Feminists’ then. I liked that too. I am planning to read ‘Purple Hibiscus’ soon. 🙂
Thanks Deepika, Yeah it’s best to remember Harper Lee that way — having one great book. So glad you read Americanah – you confirm my thoughts. This is my first Adichie book and now I want to read the others!
I haven’t read Go Set a Watchman, nor do I plan to… and will admit to the same worries Kathy mentioned above. Adichie has been on my ‘authors to read’ list for years, so I’m glad to hear you’re enjoying Americanah. Not quite sure where I’ll start. Pioneer Girl sounds wonderful!
Good for you JoAnn, staying away from Watchman. This is my first Adichie book so it’s fun to finally get to her — she’s been on my list too! Pioneer Girl is pretty entertaining and it made me think of the Vietnamese experience too.
Americanah is our book club selection for June. Thanks for the warning that it’s 588 pages long! Now, I know to start early. Our book club specializes in books on race in America so it’s right on track for us.
Pioneer Girl sounds like something I’d enjoy, too. I love how it’s blending distinctly different but still very American cultures.
Yeah Joy I think you’d like Pioneer Girl. Also it’s good to start Americanah early but it’s not a hard read, which is good. My book group is meeting to discuss it in early March. Will let you know how it goes.
I have not read Go Set a Watchman. Though I really should not draw conclusions at this point, baed on what I have read, I also wish that it had never been released.
I am looking forward to your commentary on Americanah.
Thanks Brian. Watchman is an interesting dilemma, for sure. We will see how Americanah ends.
I haven’t read Go Set a Watchmen and doubt that I ever will. Harper Lee had been very firm about her desire to not publish another book. I’m going to respect that desire and not read GSAW.
I really enjoyed reading The Pioneer Girl when I read it last year. You’re probably one of the few bloggers I’ve seen who’s also read it.
Have a good week.
Thanks Vasilly. Yeah Pioneer Girl needs more exposure! It sort of slipped under the wire when it came out, but I’m glad you liked it. Watchman is blah.
I may one of only a handful of people who liked Go Set A Watchman. I felt it gave me a fuller picture of Harper Lee and where she was coming from back then. Michiko Kakutani had an interesting review in the NYT two days ago: http://www.nytimes.com/2016/02/20/books/in-harper-lees-novels-a-loss-of-innocence-as-children-and-again-as-adults.html
I loved Americanah! My review: http://keepthewisdom.blogspot.com/2014/08/americanah.html
And after seeing Bich Minh Nguyen on a panel at the LA Times Festival of Books last year, I have Pioneer Girl on my TBR list. I must read it soon!
ps. I think you and Anne, who comments below, make good points about Watchman showing a fuller picture of where Harper Lee was coming from.
Thanks Judy! Yeah there’s a handful of readers who liked Watchman. 🙂 It gives a completely different picture — I read Kakutani’s article and particularly liked her last paragraph — that the two books show how much attitudes have changed etc. Watchman is an interesting literary artifact I think. Though it was a struggle for me, not exactly for its themes but more in its presentation, construction & writing which I didnt care for. Once I get thru Americanah I plan to check out your review. Writing seems to roll for Adichie! I hope you will like Pioneer Girl; it’s not over the top great but it is engaging and interesting look. Ms. Nguyen must be impressive I think.
I started to read Go Set a Watchman, but it really didn’t grab me, so I put it aside. I understand how you feel about it being written. Some have said that Mockingbird was the result of a really good editor, so does that mean that Watchman gives us a glimpse of the unedited writing of Harper Lee? In any case I loved To Kill a Mockingbird and will pick up Watchman again when time permits.
I love the sound of Pioneer Girl! I’m going to have to check that out now! Thanks for sharing and have a great week!
Yeah Watchman didn’t grab me either but I forced myself through it. I’m okay that Mockingbird is the result of good editing & writing over a few years. It doesn’t diminish her efforts to me etc. You might like Pioneer Girl! Thanks Suzanne.
I kind of wish Watchman had been published with more honesty about what it was… a first draft of a novel that got much better when it was revised and edited and reworked to become TKAM. Suggesting that Watchman was some unpublished first novel really doesn’t acknowledge that unedited first drafts, even by beloved novelists, are often terrible. Full disclosure, I haven’t read Watchman even though I bought a copy because I’m kind of sad about the whole thing after all the bad reviews Watchman got.
Yeah published that late in her life — Watchman is sort of a dilemma. Though a handful of readers or more liked it, so who am I to tell anyone not to try it. I think you’re right the publisher should been more upfront and forthcoming about the book. thanks Kim.
I wish I hadn’t read Watchman. It made me consider how much of Mockingbird was probably the result of Lee’s editor. Disappointing.
Interesting Deb. I’m sure good editing is essential to any great book eh? But I still think Harper was a talent. I get your drift though — the editor seemed definitely astute. thanks.
There was no way I was NOT going to read Watchman. And I DID like it, though there is nothing like Mockingbird for me. I DO wish it had never been released though. And good editing or not, Mockingbird was her story and it is a treasure.
Thanks Darlene. That’s interested that you liked Watchman but wish it were never released. I’m still thinking things through about the many issues surrounding the whole publication of it.
I, too, reread and watched the movie of TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD before GO SET A WATCHMAN came out in July. I was pretty philosophical about Watchman, not hating or loving it, but felt it was very grounded in the time period in which it was written. At the time it was written, the Civil Rights movement had just begun, the court case that was referred to was Brown vs The Board of Education. As I read it I got a distinct feeling that I was reading a first hand account of how communities were reacting to inevitable change. She had no way of knowing how bad things were going to get. Here is the review I wrote at the time. http://headfullofbooks.blogspot.com/2015/07/go-set-watchman-few-thoughts-and-short.html
You make good points Anne — here and in your review about Watchman. Like Judy who commented above you seem to say that Watchman gives things a fuller, truer picture of where Harper Lee was coming from back then. I guess I agree with that; though I felt it was a chore to get through not for its themes so much as its writing and story. It failed to bring it to life or grab me with the characters.
I am also feeling sad at the loss of Harper Lee, and wonder what she thought about the publication of Go Set a Watchman (BTW, that title feels awkward to me!). There will always be a part of me that thinks she wasn’t really in favor of it, although I hate to think the publishers took advantage of her.
I have the book, but haven’t yet read it. Now my thoughts are bound to be ambivalent.
Love the look of Pioneer Girl…I haven’t read the Laura Ingalls Wilder books, but watched the show fairly regularly with my kids.
Thanks for sharing…and for visiting my blog.
Yeah Laurel: I guess we will never know if she was truly in favor of publishing Watchman. Her passing does feel sad though. You might like Pioneer Girl!
I would love to read Bich Minh Nguyen’s 2015 novel “Pioneer Girl” — it would fit in nicely with my revisiting of the LH books and authors. I can recommend Little House, Long Shadows as a really good analysis of the books and Wilder’s and Lane’s relationship. The Annotated Pioneer Girl is also well worth reading.
With regards to Go Set a Watchman–my belief is that it should not have been published as a “real” novel. It was a rejected first draft and should have been treated as archived material for understanding Harper Lee as a novelist. I think it was disrespectful of her and I do feel that she was taken advantage of in her declining years. I’m not saying it shouldn’t be available but it was marketed as something it is not and that feels really wrong.
On the flip side, LIW’s Pioneer Girl was also a rejected first draft, and reading it without context and annotation would not be helpful. I’m glad the Pioneer Girl was not treated as Go Set a Watchman was.
Thanks Jane : you make excellent points about both being first drafts; what an interesting comparison. So glad too that you let me know about the LIW books. I would like to read the Annotated Pioneer Girl sometime.
I played the wait-and-see game with Watchman and am glad I did. The first mediocre reviews and then the realization that it was not a separate novel but rather an early draft made me so glad I did not cave to the hype and read it upon its release. I do think the fact that it was released is a shame and a shadow on her legacy. We should have left well enough alone.
Thanks Michelle. Harper’s legacy is definitely more complex now. I wonder — I’m sure they would have found and published it even after her death. Hmm.
I haven’t read Adichie’s latest book but I’ve read her twice before for book club and her books ARE very readable. Both times our club had plenty to say about them too, which is nice.
I have been a little out of it lately with a cold so I am trying to catch up with all of my blog reading. It’s funny how fast a week goes by when it comes to reading blogs and yet, my work day seems to last forever and a day.
Yeah I know what you mean Ti about reading blogs etc. Little time, so thanks for visiting. This is my book club’s first time with Adichie so I hope it brings good discussion. I like how readable she is and I will check out her two earlier novels at some point. This one is mostly about race issues.
I don’t regret reading The Watchman out of curiousity, but I would have prefered to have read it as a first draft of To Kill a Mockingbird and not an original book. The whole thing stunk of elder exploitation. Thanks for reminding me to pick up Americanah again. I put it aside 1/3 the way through. I enjoyed the writing, characters and setting but it lacked a cohesive plot to keep me gripped. Thanks for telling me about Pioneer Girl. I loved the Little House books, as did my daughter. She brought one to college with her a comfort reading.
Thanks Sarah. I think you would like the novel Pioneer Girl if you like all things Laura Ingalls Wilder. 🙂 It pays homage to her and her daughter Rose. I finally finished Americanah — I mostly liked it, but thought it could’ve been a bit shorter. And I think quite a few agree with you on the point about Harper Lee’s Watchman.
I can’t help but think that the publishing/timing of Watchman was driven not by Lee but by heirs/estate managers/publishers attempting to cash in while Lee was still alive but incapacitated and no longer capable of protecting her literary legacy.
Most serious writers would likely be rather appalled in later life to revisit their first works, published when they were young and their craft was developing. E.g. I think Salman Rushdie’s first novel was fantasy science fiction–and we don’t ever hear about that one.
Also, consider what was going in in US/southern society during the period when Lee wrote these two works. It is not inconceivable that her outlook evolved along with her writing skills between Watchman and Mockingbird.
There were many years after Mockingbird when Lee could have published Watchman had she wanted to do so, but she did not. In recent years I believe Mockingbird has still been generating $750K/year for Lee, so it’s unlikely she needed income from Watchman. Which all supports my comjecture about the source of the impetus for publishing the earlier work.
So there is another possible way to think about Watchman.
Thanks John, I’m glad to have my brother weigh in on Watchman. Excellent points. I think quite a few readers and bloggers feel the same way.