Fall into Go Set a Watchman

Summer is coming to a close and another year of holiday book club parties is fast approaching...

It's time to choose our Halloween read and time to decide on a costume theme for our fall book club but before we can do that let's talk about (this is not a book review but what are group discussed) the long awaited Harper Lee's new release 'Go Set a Watchman'. 

Transition into Go Set a Watchman Discussion

This quote from The Los Angeles Times summed up our reading groups opinion of the novel, “Don’t let ‘Go Set a Watchman’ change the way you think about Atticus Finch…the hard truth is that a man such as Atticus, born barely a decade after Reconstruction to a family of Southern gentry, would have had a complicated and tortuous history with race.” Once our group verbalized our thoughts and deep concerns about Atticus Finch and understood that Lee's first  manuscript was a prototype and not her final work which became TKAM we were able to process what we read and what the heart of this book was about -  a father and a daughter.

​Was this book worth the read and all the hype? When it came down to it we truly admired GSAW warts and all (and believe me there were plenty of warts). It was damn hilarious in places and cringe worthy in others but having the opportunity to read this newly discovered piece of literature with my book club was inspiring. If you are still on the fence and hold in high esteem To Kill a Mockingbird, like I do, please read Go Set a Watchman. It's worth it alone for the must read tidbits of childhood flashbacks of Scout, Jem and Dill and their childish antics. Who wouldn't want to see a peek into the pure genius of Harper Lee's set up for what became To Kill a Mockingbird? So we will end on that note.

After our discussion it was time to make decisions for our annual Halloween book selection and costume theme. Looking over the list of Halloween books (gathered over time) included several spine tingling, mysterious, eerie picks! In the end, And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie became the clear winner while The Distant Hours came in a close second. Last, we voted on a costume book theme 'fairy tales' and now a race for the best costume begins!

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Go Set a Watchman Trivia Questions 

Use these 10 trivia questions for your book club trivia game thoughtfully put together by our book friend. Give a point for the right answer and a half point for a semi good answer. Don't forget a small a prize to the winner!
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1. When was the only time Jean Louise wore a hat?   (Jem's funeral)
2. Who said it? "Old Uncle Jack with his cane and his crutch when he was young he boogie-woogied too much;  Put the sales tax on it-"   (Jean Louise)
3. How old was Jean Louise in the novel?  (26 years old)
4. What three words described Atticus Finch?   (Integrity, humor, and patience)
5. What number trip home did this make for Scout?  answer: #5
6. Jean Louise would wear what when visiting her hometown?   (gray slacks, black sleeveless blouse, white socks and loafers)
7. Scout said she would marry Hank if they moved where?  (Finch's Landing)
8. Flashback to Scout's childhood:  When Jem preached on Heaven what did he say heaven was full of? (bananas - Dill's favorite - scalloped potatoes - Scout's favorite and Jem said "eat good things")
9. Fill in the blank:  Jean Louise thought styles may come and styles may go, but he (Uncle Jack) and Atticus will cling to their blank  forever.   (vests)
10. What did every girl from 9th grade up write on a note for Mr. Tuffet?    (they look like mine and signed)​ 

There's always room for Southern goodies!
​More on Book Club Ideas  

Just as a painter needs light in order to put finishing touches to his picture, so I need an inner light, which I feel I never have enough of in the autumn"
​ - Leo Tolstoy