Literary Friday, Edition 161

Discussing Go Set A Watchman 

Harper Lee’s prequel to To Kill A Mockingbird arrived July 14, so we assume you’ve all read it by now and have some thoughts on the book — good or bad. Today’s Twitter chat (from 1-2 CST using the hashtag #southernlit) will revolve around Watchman, its place in literature, Lee’s handling of her beloved characters all grown up and its subject of the NAACP and race in the mid-1950s. The Wales Arts Review also has a special issue about the book out today, and you can read Editor Erin Z. Bass’s review of the book and Cerith Mathias’s memories of reading Mockingibird for the first time there, as well as view a photo essay from Maycomb . And we’ve compiled our 10 Favorite Lines From Go Set A Watchman, so you have plenty of reading to do before the chat.

Literary News 

The New Yorker presents Kacey Musgraves, Harper Lee, And The Home-Town Dilemma about artists who make it big and seemingly turn on their hometown. A tempting path to take when it comes to the South.

And in case you’re still trying to figure out what’s going on with Atticus, the Library of Law and Liberty posts about Atticus Finch’s American Stoicism with an explanation credited to Walker Percy.

We have book reviews for summer reads Dear Carolina and Whisper Hollow up this week.

And in celebration of Jason Segel as David Foster Wallace in “The End of the Tour,” The New York Times asks authors like Tayari Jones and Nell Zink to recount their own memorable moments on the road.

Literary Events

Mystery writers will stage a celebration of sleuthing in Key West August 14-16 titled Murder & Mayhem in Paradise.

The inaugural Mississippi Book Festival will take place August 22 at the Capitol in Jackson with special guest John Grisham, author panels and signings, live music and more.

In Oxford, Mississippi, Sarahfest pairs art, music, film and literature with guests like Megan Abbott and Neko Case September 1-27.

The Decatur Book Festival, scheduled for September 4-6, presents Erica Jong in conversation with Roxane Gay, plus Pat Conroy, Ron Rash, Lori Roy and Karen White.

The 27th annual Southern Festival of Books, scheduled for October 9-11, will include Kimberly Belle, Rick Bragg, Pat Conroy, Lauren Groff, Ann Hite and lots more.

Scheduled for October 17-18, the Texas Book Festival in Austin has released its lineup of authors, including Margaret Atwood, Elizabeth Strout, Chuck Palahniuk and Attica Locke.

New in Southern Voice 

Maynard, Now Gone, a short short about ham and Atticus Finch by Cathy Rose, and scout, a poem by Dan Jacoby.