"Mockingbird"

Today's the day for "Go Set a Watchman."   I pre-ordered my copy months ago from Amazon and I'm hoping it either arrives today or within the next couple of days. Today would be preferable.

Along with millions of other Harper Lee followers, the announcement of this second novel was unimaginable. And the fact that "Watchman" was written before "To Kill a Mockingbird" was even better news.  As perfectly written as "Mockingbird" was, I can barely wait to read Lee's first story.

I've been careful to read nothing that would capture me this past week.  I don't want the memory of any other characters in my mind when I sit down to read "Go Set a Watchman."   The other night, we watched my DVD of  "To Kill a Mockingbird." Truth be told, my husband has never read the book, and has only seen a stage play of "To Kill a Mockingbird," and that was less than ten years ago in Houston.

I thought of re-reading my 40th anniversary edition of "To Kill a Mockingbird" before setting down to read "Go Set a Watchman" but I don't have to read "Mockingbird" cover to cover to refresh my memory.  All it really takes is one reading of "Mockingbird" for it to sit in your mind, stir your soul, and become part of you forever.  I think I've read "Mockingbird" at least a dozen times over the years, and I've seen the movie at least 30 times.  As I sat there watching the movie with my husband the other night, my mind was saying the dialogue seconds before the actors.  And still, after all the readings and the movie-watching, my eyes puddled up when Scout reached out for Boo's hand.

When I was in high school, I had a paperback edition of "Mockingbird" and many of the pages were dog-eared because I bought it in a used-book store.  In my 20s, I had an old hardcover of "Mockingbird," still with dog-eared pages because it was an ex-library copy bought at a book sale. When the 40th anniversary edition of Mockingbird was published, I bought a brand new copy from Barnes & Noble and immediately sat down to read it as soon as I got home. I've read that book three or four times since its purchase, and the dust-jacket and pages are pristine, as if it's never been read. As I type this, my beloved copy of "Mockingbird" is being read by my friend and I've told her to guard that book with her life and bring it back as soon as she reads the last page.

My only regret is that I didn't keep those two older copies of "Mockingbird."  The only thing better than having one edition of "To Kill a Mockingbird" on your library shelves is having three editions.

Unless one is made of stone, reading "To Kill a Mockingbird" changes you forever. That story stays with you and lets you look at the world and everyone in it with more tolerance and understanding.  And reading Harper Lee's novel truly does allow you to walk around in someone else's skin (a lesson everyone everywhere needs to learn). In my opinion,  "To Kill a Mockingbird" should be required reading for everyone on the planet.

I'm hoping that I will feel the same literary satisfaction after I read "Go Set a Watchman."