Go Set a Watchman release day

It's finally here. Are you reading Go Set a Watchman? What are your thoughts so far?

If you read/listened to the first chapter (released a few days ago here) but aren't continuing on with the rest of the book, why?

Full disclosure: I broke down and pre-ordered a Kindle copy just yesterday afternoon, and have not read the first chapter yet.

I read the first chapter, and I must say it didn't grab me. However, the reviews/analysis I've seen intrigue me. I'll read the entire book eventually, but I don't feel any urgency to do so. So I put a hold on it at my library. I'm #443, which isn't as bad as it sounds because they have 222 copies.

>3 lilithcat: Honestly, that sounds like a pretty reasonable wait. Good on your library for actually ordering a metric ton of copies, too.

>4 lorannen:

They tend to do that when a big demand is anticipated. And it is a huge library system.

>3 lilithcat: O_O Your library ordered 222 copies of the same book? *faints*
If my library would do that, there would be no more new books in the library for the next 5 years or so.

>5 lilithcat: You're lucky to have a big library system. I put The Help on hold with a similar wait list, and I got the much-anticipated call two years later.

I'm waiting. I'm bad about buying new releases and then not reading them until after they land on the sale table. I don't think Go Set a Watchman will end up on the sale table any time soon, but I'm going to wait until I'm ready to read, which will probably be a few weeks. I don't know--I'm just not as excited about this one as I feel like I should be.

I wasn't planning on it and nothing I've heard about it has changed my mind. I'm not a big fan of books that have been rejected by publishers. The publisher usually had a good reason.

>7 JackieCarroll: 'New' remainder copies may not end up on the Sale Table anytime soon, but there will certainly be a lot of low(ish) priced second hand copies out there within a year -- perhaps within months -- if you just want an inexpensive copy. This just from the massive number of people buying it now, many of whom will not want to keep it.

>6 Ennas:

I live in Chicago. We are the 9th largest library system in the U.S by volumes held, second only to the University of Chicago in the city. There are 80 locations throughout the city, including the main library which is the largest public library in the world. Circulation so far this year is over 4,000,000 (though I assume that includes audio/visual material as well as books). Over 1,000,000 have library cards.

So you can see that 222 copies of such a high-demand book is pretty much a drop in the bucket.

>3 lilithcat: Is that for all of Chicago? Eta we crossposted.

I hated To Kill a Mockingbird when I had to read it in school, tried to reread it at one point, and couldn't get into it, so I'm not planning to look at this one.

I will absolutely read it. But probably only when I find it discounted unless I remember when I'm buying a stack of ebooks. Looking forward to it as TKaM is a favourite 'classic' of mine.

>8 aulsmith:

Any number of great books were repeatedly rejected by publishers.

And in this case, taking in account the date of publication, the political climate at the time, the topic, and the nature of changes, I'd say it's almost certain to be an interesting read.

I placed a library request too, 696th of (currently) 1066, with 245 physical copies in circulation.

TPL for the win! ;)

>9 Crypto-Willobie:

there will certainly be a lot of low(ish) priced second hand copies out there within a year -- perhaps within months

I have no doubt that next year's Newberry Library Book Fair will have scads of them. You can always tell what the previous year's hot book was by the number of copies at the sale.

>9 Crypto-Willobie: You're probably right. I like the feeling of buying new with the new smell still on it, and the excitement of purchasing in a real bookstore instead of ordering online, but that's only for books I know I'll love. I'm not sure about this one.

>11 MarthaJeanne: I think that part of the reason that I lack excitement about this book is that I, too, had to force down To Kill a Mockingbird in school.

>10 lilithcat:. O_O That's a LOT of books. And a lot of people.
I live in a town with just one library. And of course, this book is pretty unimportant here. They might buy one someday. Maybe...

My library system has one paper copy and one Overdrive audio copy. Good thing I have no particular desire to read it.

I have my copy and dived right in. It's nice to be part of an event, I can't be bothered for most movies these days.

I am reading To Kill a Mockingbird right now in preparation for reading Go Set a Watchman. Oddly I don't remember the book at all so maybe I only saw the movie. Anyway, I am not far yet but the prose is beautiful.

>13 LolaWalser: I have more pedestrian tastes than you do, and I find that certain editors and certain publishing houses of yore (including Lippincott) make good judgements for me. If Lippincott sent it back for a re-write, I'm happy to confine my reading to the re-write.

>22 aulsmith:, I think the editor's call in this case was that the flashbacks suggested another story that ought to be told first, and this one would serve better as a sequel. A quarter way in, I don't believe this second book is destined for the same classic status and would be weaker without the first novel to support it. But it's still a good read.

>22 aulsmith:, >23 Cecrow:

It seems Go set a watchman WAS "the first" novel. The reworking seems to have been too extensive to call it a first draft exactly, but it predates To kill a mockingbird.

I should probably check out the latter too, I've never read it...

My library network has ordered 45 copies, covering an area inhabited by 1.25 million people. I've reserved mine, but they don't tell me what number I am in the list until the copies actually arrive. Based on past experience, I doubt they will hit the libraries any time soon. Maybe I'll get to read it before Christmas... maybe Christmas 2016...

>26 pokarekareana:

My library has received its copies already. And I'm already down to #278!

I just posted my book review of Go Set A Watchman here on LT. Impossible to spoil To Kill A Mockingbird by reading this book first. TKAM has my vote to be The Great American novel, *not* GWTW.

> 28

There are people who think GWTW is "the Great American novel*"? Really? That racist piece of crap? The one with all the happy Negroes and the gallant Klan? I may puke.

*Not that there is any such thing

>29 lilithcat: As I look back on my childhood, it's odd that it never occurred to me how racist GWTW is (the movie). I am horrified how little I questioned it. I was a northerner and thought the whole story and the characters were silly but I didn't really think about how truly nasty it is. I don't think I ever read the book.

I just finished reading Go Set A Watchman. the first few chapters led me to comment, "it's just a story" but it builds, and the last two chapters are very relevant to our current life.
I loved To Kill A Mocking Bird, and I am impressed with this one too, for different reasons.
I guess I am very lucky--I got a copy from my library yesterday! They ordered lots of copies and I put mine on hold soon enough I was one of the first. I would like to read it again, but I guess I'll turn it in and let someone else have their turn.

My face-to-face book group decided to read The Mockingbird Next Door: Life with Harper Lee for June, and both Go Set a Watchman and To Kill a Mockingbird for July. Then, just for a little extra zest, we found that our bookstore, where we meet, is hosting Jimmy Carter to sign his book, A Full Life: Reflections at Ninety.

We seem to have immersed ourselves in American southern, and I think it will make a great back drop for reading Go Set a Watchman. The book will be judged in part as an example of a time and place which is no more. I do not expect the author to be writing from the point of view of a modern world. I expect the book to reflect its culture and world, when it was written.

We shall see.....

>32 maggie1944:, you're correct, Go Set a Watchmen was written in and is set in the 1950s. There's a bit of lingo included from that time and place that I'm not familiar with.

Ha, right now I'm: 666 of 1426.

My esteem for this novel is a heck of a lot higher now that I've finished it than when I began. Its first quarter or third makes you think it's coming on light, but it picks up a lot of steam heading for home.

I really enjoyed the point-of-view of this novel; I liked seeing Scout all grown up. I also thought it was interesting to see the romance built into the novel. However, I do feel like it isn't as inspiring, deep, or revolutionary as To Kill a Mockingbird. I think that if this had been Harper Lee's "Mockingbird," it wouldn't have made as much of an impact. It makes it seem like racism is insurmountable, so one should just sort of give up. It was also odd to see the antagonistic relationship between Scout and Atticus. Overall, I think it is well-written but just isn't on the same level as To Kill a Mockingbird.

I won't read the book until the hype has died down.

Cecrow I felt the same way. I want to read it again, later. Maybe even read To Kill a Mockingbird again first.

My book group decided to read The Mockingbird Next Door and then both To Kill a Mockingbird and Go Set A Watchman. I think this plan provided a wonderful context for reading the new book. I just finished it last night and enjoyed it thoroughly.