BOOKS | Harper Lee's first novel since To Kill a Mockingbird was released Tuesday. The much-anticipated GO SET A WATCHMAN takes place 20 years after Mockingbird, and tells of Jean Louise "Scout" Finch's return to Maycomb, Alabama, from her New York City home. Since news broke of the sequel to one of the most beloved and widely read books in American literature, a mystery has lingered over how the manuscript was found and whether the 89-year-old Lee ever intended to publish it. Last Friday, when the first chapter of the book was released by the Wall Street Journal, readers were shocked to see Mockingbird's moral conscience and defender of justice, Atticus Finch, portrayed as an anti-integration bigot.
TWITTER | @LETTERSOFNOTE is instantly addictive. The account, based on a blog (which was turned into a book), tweets correspondence between celebrities and historical figures from a wide range of interest areas. A quick scroll features a letter from Conan O'Brien to a 16-year-old girl, declining her prom invitation; a letter from 26-year-old Lewis Plush, a lieutenant during World War I, to his parents immediately after the war ended; and a letter from W.E.B. Du Bois to his 13-year-old daughter after she left home to study in England. "Deserve it, then," Du Bois tells his daughter of her acceptance to the Bedales School. "Study, do your work. Be honest, frank and fearless and get some grasp of the real values of life." Seriously, take a break from your mindless Facebook scrolling and soak up some important stuff. History matters. Letters matter. Handwriting matters.
TV | You may now officially proclaim this "THE SUMMER OF GEORGE!" All 180 episodes of SEINFELD were added to Hulu last month, and yada yada yada, some fans of the show are a little pissed off because Hulu makes you sit through commercials despite the $8-a-month subscription. What's the deal with that? Nevertheless, it's the first time one of the most popular sitcoms of all time has been offered via instant streaming. Hulu reportedly paid more than $150 million for the rights. Giddyup! ♦
