By Carol McCracken  (Post # 2,352)

A celebration of the release of “Go Set a Watchman” is set for Tuesday, July 14th from 6:30 pm – 8:00 pm.  The location is Congress Square Park adjacent to the Westin Hotel.

This novel is the draft of the legendary Harper Lee, whose groundbreaking  novel is “To Kill a Mockingbird.” The recently discovered novel was written in the 1950s, but Lee could not find a publisher for it.  In 1957, she signed a contract to write “To Kill a Mockingbird” whose sales are  only rivaled by sales of the Bible according to an article in “Life” magazine currently on the news stands.

“To Kill a Mockingbird” won the Pulitzer Prize in 1961. . The book was made into a popular movie starring Gregory Peck and won three Academy Awards eventually.  Never married, she worked as an airline reservation clerk. Lee was and remains a quiet and unpretentious person unlike many of her literary counterparts.  She lives in an assisted living facility according to LIFE magazine.

The upcoming celebration includes dramatic readings from both of Lee’s books as well as a panel discussion by local authors. Copies of the new book will be available for purchase at the release party.

The release party is co-sponsored by the the Portland Public Library, Maine Writers & Publishers Alliance, Longfellow Books as well as Friends of Congress Square. .