Local bookstore owner says Harper Lee's 'Go Set a Watchman' will spur discussion of contemporary events

A Glencoe bookstore owner has already read “To Kill a Mockingbird” author Harper Lee’s previously unpublished “Go Set a Watchman” and said it will motivate a lot of timely discussion.

The new book, originally written before the classic “To Kill a Mockingbird,” came out in 1960, will be officially released at midnight and North Shore bookstores have special events planned as early as 7 a.m. Tuesday.

“It’s going to give people a new way or looking at things, especially in light of the confederate flag issue” Books on Vernon owner Linda Illes, who has read the new book, said. “We’ll see what kind of influence it has. It’s a really important work.”

Illes said interest in the new book spiked when a story appeared in the Wall Street Journal last week. She said people have reserved copies of the book but her store will do nothing out of the ordinary when her store opens at 10 a.m.

Other booksellers on the North Shore have events scheduled. The Lake Forest Book Store will open early at 8:30 a.m. Tuesday for the more than 70 people who have preordered “Go Set a Watchman.”

“We’ll have a southern style continental breakfast for those to preordered,” owner Maxwell Gregory said. The store will open for everyone else at 9 a.m.

Southern flair will also be order of the day at Winnetka’s Book Stall when it opens at 9:30 a.m. Owner Stephanie Hochschild said sweet southern tea will be served.

Barnes & Noble in Deerfield, Evanston and Skokie’s Old Orchard will all open at 7 a.m. with the Evanston and Deerfield stores are offering additional perks for their customers. Patrons in Evanston can get a free tall coffee between 7 and 10 a.m. with a purchase and the first 20 people to buy “Go Set a Watchman” will get a “To Kill a Mockingbird” backpack. Deerfield is doing the same thing but the coffee will be free to all until 10 a.m.

This article contains nothing about the content of the new book to let readers determine themselves what they want to learn when. If you want to read the first chapter of “Go Set a Watchman” you can do it here.