Merced Barnes & Noble gears up for ‘Watchman’

Community volunteers at Barnes & Noble read aloud from Harper Lee’s “To Kill a Mockingbird” on Monday in preparation for the Tuesday release of her second published novel, “Go Set a Watchman.”

About five volunteers read from the novel until 7 p.m. as a way to celebrate the new book, said Vicki Bailey, the Merced store’s manager.

The Merced Barnes & Noble store, along with others nationwide, will celebrate the new release Tuesday. The Merced store will open at 7 a.m. and serve free coffee until 10 a.m. for those who buy “Watchman.” The first 20 customers who buy “Watchman” also will receive a free reusable “Mockingbird” tote.

Bailey said she had a list of customers who preordered “Watchman,” and she did not anticipate selling all of her copies. “We have plenty of copies,” she said, with a laugh. “We have more than enough.”

Set in Lee’s fictional Maycomb, Ala., in the 1950s, “Watchman” was written before “Mockingbird,” but takes place 20 years later. Lukewarm reviews and reports of the book’s raw account of an elderly, racist Atticus Finch have not prevented “Watchman” from holding the No. 1 spot on Amazon.com’s best-seller list. “Mockingbird,” published in 1960, was No. 2 as of midday Monday.

Anticipating fierce resistance to the portrayal of Atticus, publisher HarperCollins issued a statement late Friday.

“The question of Atticus’s racism is one of the most important and critical elements in this novel, and it should be considered in the context of the book’s broader moral themes,” the statement reads.

Bailey said she hasn’t heard any customers express surprise or dismay about Atticus’ character, yet. “It was written a long time ago, before ‘Mockingbird,’ ” she said. “Those were very different times.”

This story was originally published July 13, 2015 at 3:37 PM with the headline "Merced Barnes & Noble gears up for ‘Watchman’."