When Harper Lee’s novel “To Kill a Mockingbird” was published in 1960, it captured the Pulitzer Prize, became an American classic in literature and was made into an Oscar-winning film, starring Gregory Peck.
Now, the sequel to that book is scheduled for release on July 14 and Barnes & Noble bookstores throughout the United States are celebrating the literary event by staging read-a-thons of “To Kill a Mockingbird.”
The Barnes & Noble at The Shops at Wiregrass will have its read-a-thon on July 13, on the second floor of the bookstore, near the fiction section, said Karen Dietz, store manager.
The event will begin at 10 a.m., and volunteers will continue reading passages from the book until they have finished reading the entire novel.
It is expected to take between nine and 11 hours to complete the book, Dietz said.
“Of course, it’s available in audio, so we kind of gauged it by that,” Dietz said.
“To Kill a Mockingbird” deals with the serious issues of rape and racial inequality. Its narrator is Scout, a 10-year-old tomboy.
Lee’s other novel, “Go Set a Watchman,” revolves around the now-adult Scout, returning to her native Alabama from New York to visit her father.
The book was written before “To Kill a Mockingbird” but was only recently discovered.
Dietz said she was very excited when she learned that Lee had a second book.
“Go Set a Watchman,” Dietz said, “is being called the biggest literary event in our lifetime.”
She said her store is lining up volunteers for the read-a-thon.
“We would love to have as many people as possible, to celebrate this event,” Dietz said.
The plan is for each person to read 20 minutes to 30 minutes, but the length could vary based on how many people sign up.
The book, “Go Set a Watchman,” will not go on sale until the next day.
“We have been waiting over 50 years for this book. So, it’s a big deal,” Dietz said.
The new book’s release comes amidst conflicting reports over when the manuscript was discovered and by whom.
According to published accounts, publisher Harper Collins and Lee’s lawyer, Tonja B. Carter, have said that Carter stumbled upon the novel last August, but another report claims that it was first discovered in 2011 by a rare books expert from Sotheby’s auction house.
What: ‘To Kill a Mockingbird’ read-a-thon
Where: The Barnes & Noble bookstore at The Shops at Wiregrass, 28152 Paseo Drive, Suite 100 in Wesley Chapel.
When: The read-a-thon begins at 10 a.m. on July 13 and is expected to last between 9 hours and 11 hours.
To find out more, call (813) 907-7739 or email .
‘Go Set a Watchman’ goes on sale
Where: Barnes & Noble store at The Shops at Wiregrass, 28152 Paseo Drive, Suite 100, in Wesley Chapel.
When: 7 a.m. on July 13
Details: Those buying the book during the special event will receive a free cup of coffee from the bookstore’s café. The first 20 people to purchase the book will also receive a ‘To Kill a Mockingbird’ tote bag.
Published July 8, 2015
