News Corp. Head Gives Go Set a Watchman the Nod

The Telegraph reported it, but we’re not sure it’s news:

Robert Thomson, the head of News Corp., which owns Go Set a Watchman publisher HarperCollins, expects the novel to take the world by storm.

Maybe not the most unbiased reader that could be found?

It is probably bigger news that Barnes & Noble is planning a special event around Harper Lee’s debut novel, set for May 14. From The Wall Street Journal (another News Corp. vehicle, BTW):

… Barnes & Noble … said it will host a discussion of Ms. Lee’s debut novel “To Kill a Mockingbird” on May 14th at all of its 649 consumer stores nationwide. The novel, originally published in 1960, has sold more than 40 million copies worldwide, according to HarperCollins Publishers. HarperCollins, like The Wall Street Journal, is owned by News Corp.

“Go Set a Watchman” is set in the 1950s during a period of civil rights unrest in Alabama and features Scout, a key character in “To Kill a Mockingbird,” as an adult. “Go Set a Watchman” ranked No. 8 on Barnes & Noble’s best-seller list Wednesday morning.

HarperCollins earlier said it will print 2 million copies of the new novel, depending on orders. Barnes & Noble apparently wants to make sure it gets its fair share of sales. In addition to the book discussion on May 14, the book retailer is hosting a related movie discussion at all its stores on June 18, followed by a read-a-thon of Ms. Lee’s Pulitzer Prize-winning novel on July 13.

January Magazine has previously written about Go Set a Watchman here and here and here.