Rediscovered Harper Lee Novel to Be Published

Harper Lee has a new book releasing in July! The manuscript of Go Set a Watchman, which was attached to an original copy of To Kill of Mockingbird, was recently discovered by Lee's lawyer. 

Lee made a statement that the novel, which she completed in the mid-1950s, "features the character known as Scout as an adult woman and I thought it a pretty decent effort. My editor, who was taken by the flashbacks to Scout's childhood, persuaded me to write a novel from the point of view of the young Scout. I was a first-time writer, so I did as I was told."

"After much thought and hesitation I shared it with a handful of people I trust and was pleased to hear that they considered it worthy of publication," Lee said. "I am humbled and amazed that this will now be published after all these years."

Click here to read the full article.

New HBO Series Based on Book

Olive Kitteridge, the new HBO mini-series starring Frances Mcdormand and Richard Jenkins is based on the 2009 Pulitzer Prize winning book of the same name by Elizabeth Strout.

The larger-than-life world of Olive Kitteridge, a retired school teacher and unofficial town crier in a small coastal town in Maine, is revealed in a series of luminous stories that explore her diverse roles in many lives, including a lounge singer haunted by a past love, a young man grieving over his lost mother, her stoic husband, and her own resentful son.

"A perfectly balanced portrait of the human condition, encompassing plenty of anger, cruelty and loss without ever losing sight of the equally powerful presences of tenderness, shared pursuits and lifelong loyalty." (Kirkus Reviews)

Here is one of the HBO mini-series trailers for Olive Kitteridge:

Thinking of making this one of your book club picks? Author Elizabeth Strout offers Olive Kitteridge readers a list of "Questions for Discussion" on her website (www.elizabethstrout.com) and LitLovers.com offers their own Olive Kitteridge book club discussion questions here.

2014 Pulitzer Prize Winners Announced

The 2014 Pulitzer Prize Winners were announced yesterday (April 14, 2014) at Columbia University in NYC. The book winners in the fiction, history, poetry, biography and general nonfiction categories are listed below - congrats to all!

Category: Fiction

Title/Author: The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt

Summary: "Young Theo survives an accident that kills his mother. Abandoned by his father, he lives with a friend's family in New York, where his obsession with a small painting that reminds him of his mother leads him to the art underworld." - Library Journal Reviews

Category: History

Title/Author: The Internal Enemy: Slavery and War in Virginia,1772-1832 by Alan Taylor

Summary: "Drawn from new sources, a Pulitzer Prize-winning historian presents a gripping narrative that recreates the events that inspired hundreds of slaves to pressure British admirals into becoming liberators by using their intimate knowledge of the countryside to transform the war." - Provided by Publisher

Category: Poetry

Title/Author: 3 Sections by Vijay Seshadri

Summary: "This new collection of poetry from the author of Wild Kingdom and The Long Meadow ponders the complex divisions of modern life - an errant history, an uncertain future and a present condition of wanting to outthink time."  - Provided by Publisher

Category: Biography

Title/Author: Margaret Fuller: A New American Life by Megan Marshall

Summary: "This intimate portrait of Thoreau's editor and Emerson's friend, who was also a daring war correspondent and a crusader for women's rights brings to life this American heroine's passion for her life's work, which was eclipsed by tragedy and scandal after her death at the age of 40." - Provided by Publisher

Category: General Nonfiction

Title/Author: Toms River: A Story of Science and Salvation by Dan Fagin

Summary: "Recounts the decades-long saga of the New Jersey seaside town plagued by childhood cancers caused by air and water pollution due to the indiscriminate dumping of toxic chemicals."  - Provided by Publisher

Click here for more information on current and past Pulitzer Prize winners, as well as nominated finalists.