wayne flint is a dear friend of harper lee. he says the writer struggles to hear and see and describes her life as boring. but flint says she's okay with that. >> she is an american enigma because in an age of narcissism and celebrity culture and paparazzi, nell harper lee comes from the inside out and therefore she can live there in some kind of contentment, some kind of peace with herself. >> reporter: for decades, harper lee vowed never to publish another book, content with one masterpiece. that's why many believe the elderly write has been manipulated by someone into releasing this book. this author spent nearly two years with harper lee and her sister alice who died last november. >> alice was not only her big sister but her protector, her adviser. she said harper will sign anything put in front of her by someone in whom she has confidence. >> reporter: now there's a sense that even more harper lee books could emerge. lee's lawyer suggests there could be a third book and wayne flint says he knows there's a fourth book a fi

and, harper lee takes the literary world by storm again. a look at "to kill a mockingbird," and the surprises contained in "go set a watchman." >> i asked her "did you ever think you would see this published?" and she said, "don't be silly, of course i did." >> sreenivasan: next on pbs newshour weekend. >> pbs newshour weekend is made possible by: corporate funding is provided by mutual of america-- designing customized individual and group retirement products. that's why we are your retirement company. additional support is provided by: and by the corporation for public broadcasting and by contributions to your pbs station from viewers like you. thank you. from the tisch wnet studios in lincoln center in new york, hari sreenivasan. >> sreenivasan: good evening and thanks for joining us. we're following three serious, but separate economic crises tonight. we start in greece, where parliament held a late night session to put together a series of budget cuts in the aims of convincing european leaders for 53.5 billion euros in bailout funds. p

>> harper lee picked who got make the movie. she was involved. so they were partners and they seemed like the perfect people to do it. she was asked to write a screenplay and that led to the very first screenplay and a great relationship developed. they were very close friends their whole life. but by all accounts, it was a wonderful experience. she pronounced herself ecstatic with what was going on. i did a talk in new york recently. a woman in the front row said i did enjoy this movie. at first she was speaking about the movie that she had been in the movie. so it was great to meet her but by all accounts, there was a great respect for the source material command robert was a great director. >> do you think that the script brought something? i've been speaking about this because we all entered the film with as much affection and love as we did but if i were asked to say what is the difference between the two, what do you think? >> they did a great job of reduction. they said it in one year and removed a lot of minor characters and focused more

lee, but harper lee had seen a lot of the country. she did she did like to travel. she took the train to los angeles when i was living in monroeville for a library fundraiser. gregory peck's widow was involved in that support of library that was one of the reasons i first got to know them. her friendship with the pacs was reason enough to take a train from new york to los angeles and then go from there to alabama. >> when she wanted to talk off the record, like she mentioned the town's biggest gossip are there other areas that might be extremely sensitive. what was your reaction as a reporter when she would say this is off the record, don't write that. >> that is absolutely what i would respect. there may be people here who had the privilege of sitting with her and knowing the gesture she makes with her finger. i i would sit with her and she would say now that's off the record. don't include that in the book, or would say now you put that in there. especially stories she hoped i would share. my feeling was, of course, i wanted to resp

you are looking for harper lee's pass and you can easily pass it. she has this very simple straightford -- straightforward life. she is not a recluse but most of the time she was hiding in new york. >> guest: she said i just want to be the jane austin of the south. meaning she wanted to write about the region and the people in that region. she kept close to people she had grown up with and went to church with. in new york her circle was very small again. friends wrote her from alabama and said we are coming up and would like to meet some writers. and she wrote so would i. she moved up here because she loves architecture and she was a baseball fan -- i understand she had a close female friend at the new yorker who she would pick up for lunch and they would go to ball games. but when someone invited her in midtown manhattan she said i would not come down there. it is too wild. >> host: she is not living high on the hog. it was never about the money. >> guest: this book "to killing a mockingbird," is a tribute to her father. she said it was a love stor

and harper lee lives not far away in a nursing home. at monroeville's old curiosities and book shop -- >> so you needed one copy? >> one copy. >> reporter: -- there's been a steady stream of people placing orders and calls come in from all over the country. bookstore owner ann moat says she's not surprised. >> it's impacted so many people, and they want to tell why it impacted their life and what it has meant to them. >> reporter: that a novel could move so many of us is the enduring legacy of harper lee. and if the new atticus doesn't live up to the old one, we can choose which one we prefer. harry smith, nbc news, monroeville, alabama. >>> that'll do it for us on this monday night. i'm lester holt. for all of us at nbc news, thank you for watching and good night. a bizarre twist in the kidnapping case of a vallejo woman. >>> right now at 6:00 the fbi says no hoax. a bizarre twist in the kidnapping case of a vallejo woman. what we're learning about the suspect and his link to another local crime. thank you for being with us. i'm raj ma

discusses the life of harper lee and the controversy surrounding the recent discovery of her manuscript go set a watch band which was written before to kill a mockingbird but never published. interviewed by tucker of "washington post" magazine. >> your fly into montgomery on the interstates you interstate hugo about an hour and a half south, you take it right, go a little while and come across a very nondescript little town courthouse absolutely unremarkable yet it is one of the most famous literary towns in america and the center of the summer's biggest book go set a watchmen. tell us what you find there. >> guest: you find a town in alabama that hasn't changed too much from harper lee's description. watch out for the armadillos coming into town and the kfc is a dead ringer. they thought they didn't need the old one anymore and now of course it's been restored when you walk in it's like a church. people talk in hushed tones and it is a sure eye i into the american jurisprudence and no actually it is a shrine to the american literary culture that's probably the best thing about the town

the old courthouse is still standing and harper lee lives not far away in a nursing home. at monroeville's old curiosities and book shop. >> you needed one copy? >> one copy. >> reporter: there's been a steady stream of people placing orders. and calls come in from all over the country. bookstore owner ann moat says she's not surprised. >> it's impacted so many people. and they want to tell why it impacted their lives and what it has meant to them. >> reporter: that a novel could move so many of us is the enduring legacy of harper lee. and if the new atticus doesn't live up to the old one, we can choose which one we prefer. harry smith, nbc news, monroeville, alabama. >> that'll do it for us on this monday night. i'm lester holt. for all of us at nbc news thank you for watching and good night. >>> donald in danger? did mexico's escape drug lord threaten trump's life? >> now on "extra." >>> donald trump in fear for his life. is cartel el chapo targeting trump after hours of his headline jail break. >> the fbi is investigating. >> ben and jen dropping hints about getting bac

this summer harper lee, they are releasing the book, the second book that harper lee wrote and i wish we had harper lee here, we do have the author, she moved in next door to harper lee and she writes about harper lee and getting to know her. the book is called the mockingbird next door. mark your calendar july 15th, president carter will be signing just signing, his new book, a full life here. later in the year ahead salman rushdie, diana nicad who swam from cuba to florida. we have a wonderful list of authors but i am especially pleased to have alan axelrod to talk about joy katie junior. i grew up in oklahoma during the 50s and 60s and got caught up in the whole kennedy campaign and all as a kid coming home from high school. i remember the then president kennedy the motorcade going by. he had been to senator robert s. kerr's -- i followed the kennedys all along. alan axelrod got his doctorate in english from the university of iowa. he has written a a gazillion books. he has done this holes ceres that might be referred to as ceo books, napoleon ceo, gandhi ceo, winston churchill ceo

and harper lee lives not far away in a nursing home. at monroeville's old curiosities and book shop -- >> so you needed one copy? >> one copy. >> reporter: -- there's been a steady stream of people placing orders and calls come in from all over the country. bookstore owner ann moat says she's not surprised. >> it's impacted so many people and they want to tell why it impacted their life and what it has meant to them. >> reporter: that a novel could move so many of us is the enduring legacy of harper lee. and if the new atticus doesn't live up to the old one, we can choose which one we prefer. harry smith, nbc news, monroeville, alabama. >>> that'll do it for us on this monday night. i'm lester holt. for all of us at nbc news, thank you for watching and good night. >>> lights, camera access. >> now that you're miss usa. >> to ask you your stance on mr. trump's comments. >> yes, he was absent trying to become mr. usa. but donald's presence

harper lee wrote another book. it was called "go set a watchman" the sequel was held by her editors. it was released to buzz and controversy. the protagonist atticus, moke once heralded as a hero revealed to be a darker character. he understands the culture of the south, also the former editor of the new york times. i am pleased always to have him at this table. welcome. michio sent the following. how could the stately atticus, described in the same terms as he is in "mockingbird" suddenly emerge as a bigot? you know this. you know literature, you know the south. and you read part of the book. howell: not to debate my former colleague, but i think people who think this book should not have been published, and that it is of a trail by harper lee of her heroic character attica state, -- atticus finch have got it all wrong. charlie: how so? howell: because of the nature of the book and the sociology and history of the south, and because of the literary significance of this day of publication. let me walk through those

she says she never expected lee to publish again. >> harper lee, herself had said to a friend, for example, that there were two reasons. one she wouldn't want to go through the publicity again. and she had said what she had to say in "to kill a mockingbird." >> "to kill a mockingbird" became a 1962 hollywood hit. >> you never understand a person until you consider things from his point of view. >> reporter: now generations have faced to a new side to their favorite characters. one reviewer calls it the toppling of idols. >> people have such deep feeling for those characters and are anxious to know what has become of them 20 or so years later and at the same time people have their ideas of what should have happened to those characters. >> reporter: but this is the publishing event of the year. is it at the top of the amazon best seller list and boxes are being kept under extra security at this barnes & noble in new york. they expect it to be the number one seller of 2015. harper lee, now 89 is living in an assisted care facility after a stroke. but a new chapter in his literary career is ju

harper lee wrote another book three years before mockingbird called "go set a watchman." the seek sequel withheld. protagonist atticus finch you're calling him a bigot. howell raines is former executive editor for the "new york times" and won a pulitzer prize about a book he wrote about the south and i'm pleased to have him at the table. welcome. >> thank you. >> rose: the following quote was made, how can the saintly atticus described earlier in the book in much of the same terms as mockingbird suddenly emerge as a bigot? you know this. you know literature, you know the south, and you've read part of the book. >> i have to say, not to debate my former colleague and good friend, but i think people who think this book shouldn't have been published and that it's a betrayal by harper lee of her heroic character atticus finch have really got it all wrong. >> rose: how so? because of the nature of the book and because of the sociology and history of the south and because of the literary significance of this day of publication for literary scholarship, and let me walk through t

. >> harper lee is fascinating. what a fascinating subject to write about. she's so reclusive. do you have any sense why she never wrote another book after "to kill a mockingbird"? >> i think that "to kill a mockingbird" was really the best thing that she could say. it was her best effort. everything she wanted to address from love to loyalty to racism injustice were contained in that book. i think she had the unusual experience of writing her masterpiece first and of course it won the pulitzer prize. >> charles shield thank you for the insight. it's a compelling story back then and today with the new book coming out. thank you for your time. >> thank you. >>> we have a great good stuff for you today. it's a follow up. remember the piano playing homeless person? it's been seen by millions, right. remember why he said he wanted this to get out there? someone he wanted to hear it? >> yes, i remember it. >>well they have! >> the story ahead. i can't wait! e get the complete balanced nutrition of ensure. with nine grams

that's just not harper lee. harper lee always believes that life is a lot more complicated than it seems, and that there is always the possibility of redemption and reconciliation. >> reporter: well, when announced last year that "go set a watchman" had been discovered there were rumors that harper lee may not have been mental fit enough to consent to its release, but now everyone we spoke to her friends and her colleagues, all of them told us that she was of sound mind and that she wanted this book published. >> what is the most interesting aspect of all this for you? >> reporter: the connection really between what happened then and the fact that she was turned down for the book by her editor and told put it back and go and -- >> for a younger time -- >> to a younger time and more innocent time. the fact it's being released 60 years later at a time you're seeing the fall of the confederate flag and you're seeing this come out. because everything they she talks about and everything we are dealing with right now

laura: waiting for the much anticipated novel by harper lee. we got a preview of her forthcoming book. the opening chapter of "go set a watchman" was made public. the sequel will be only her second published novel. the writer had plans to be more prolific. >> this is an extract from harper lee's go set a watchman. the racial tensions in the american south were written in the 1950's. they were discarded by the author after the success of to kill a mockingbird, her first novel. >> you never understand a person until you consider things from his point of view. >> atticus and his daughter scout were featured in both books. i talked to harper lee's friend and benefactor who showed me a letter that she received from the author in 1958 outlining her career plan. >> i have my work cut out for me in 1958. a race novel, a victorian novel and entertainment, i will tear monroeville to pieces. she did not stop thinking about it, until all of a sudden, no more. >> why didn't she follow it up? >> she tried, but i think that when it began to snowball, and it s

and harper lee writes about it in passing in this book. she talks about the blend of the celtic peoples who settled the south and provided the great soldiers of the civil war and world war ii and all the american wars. defiance and a sense of agreement of being looked down upon is very much a part of that psyche. charlie: and it was influenced by reconstruction and all that. howell: yes, but it still exists today. charlie: and on the flip side of that, we are still paying the price for slavery and we just had a brilliant young writer to talk about it that we are still paying the price, and it is deep in the psyche. howell: it is. let me circle back to that recapturing the point about the southern cannon. william wagner said the only subject for the novelist is the human heart in conflict with itself. and that is what harper lee is saying by giving this permission for this book to be published. atticus finch is a man who exemplifies, in the full southern induration, the human heart in conflict with itself. a man who said my primary principl

>> first of all, i'm not a friend of harper lee's. i have done a lot of reporting on her. reading a book atticus finch in the book go set a watchman, says a lot of racist things that was the norm for alabama in that time. this is state after all that would rather close public schools than allow them to be integrated. and what atticus finch says is not unlike what a lot of white southerners were saying to find a liberated southern white man. so the character in this novel is in keeping and in tempo with the political history of alabama. >> not unlike her description of her father at the time this book was written in 1957 i got to read most of it last night, i couldn't put it down it was kind of shocking you almost felt the shock that harper lee must have felt when she went home from new york and went back to her small hometown. >> i think that -- i mean that is -- scout is really the hero of this novel and you -- you hear this story from southerners again and it's a painful story of coming home to where you came from and finding that you're completely at odds with the belie

and one person i know who was able to visit with harper lee recently a film maker, said that harper affirmed she does want this released. a real mystery surrounding this book. maybe it's going to juice sales even more. this is the publishing event of the decade not since harry potter in 2007 have we seen such high interest in a new book. ? a >> a lot of people are talking about adicus finch being so different than "to kill a mockingbird." >> you can find out what people are saying about the book on twitter. head to cnn.com. they'll be reading it as we speak. a lot are cued town buy it. >> it's going to be interesting to see what people have to say. >>> despite what his daughters believe, there is no evidence blues legend bb king was poisoned to death. >> he died from alzheimer's disease. his daughters accuse his close associates of killing him while in home hospice care. >>> still to come. rapper fitty cent has been rich with a net worth of over $100 million. but now we hear he is filing for bankruptcy. >>> plus a baby gets her first look at mom and dad. and her reaction is absolutely pricel

. >> harper lee. [applause] harper lee's beautiful book is a meditation on family, human complexity and some of the great themes in american life. at a critical moment in history, to kill a mockingbird helped focus the nation on the struggle for equal the. it became an instant american classic and earned her a pulitzer prize. nearly half a century after its publication her work continues to captivate readers who encounter its power for the first time. the united states honors for the outstanding competition to the great literary traditions of america. [applause]

harry smith has more. >> reporter: there will be no early release of harper lee's new book. instead, a reading of lee's classic "to kill a mockingbird." >> it's kind of like you lied to us. >> i think it will change how i think about atticus finch. >> reporter: this book was written three years before "to kill a mockingbird." he's portrayed as a bigot. mary murphy is one of the few who has read it. >> people are reading about the new book and saying if he's a bigot in this new book i'm not going to read it. >> yeah but scout is the hero of this book. >> you have another thing coming if you think that's all there is to this novel. >> harper lee is 89 and said the new book is the parent of to kill a mockingbird, a book that for many reads like scripture. >> thousands of people come to monroeville, alabama every year to get as close to the story as possible. the old courthouse is still standing and harper lee lives not far away from a nursing home. >> at monroeville's old curiosities book shop. >> you need one copy? >> one copy. >> there's been a steady stream of people placing

did 89-year-old author harper lee even want it to be published? new information this morning from a journalist who met with lee a few days ago. >>> what is going on at reddit, the ceo stepping down can women get a fair shake in silicon valley? >>> it's time for "reliable sources." all those stories and more coming up. >>> let's begin with what increasingly looks like the story of the summer. the man behind me donald trump. the presidential campaign he's running, if it were a reality show it would be scoring record-high ratings. polls showing more and more support for the billionaire. news rooms are sending more and more reporters to trump campaign events like this rally in phoenix last night. some commentators well you can hear the surprise in their voices. they don't know what to think. two examples from msnbc and fox this morning. >> i used to say he'll stop whatever he has to file that form. he'll shut this thing down. i'm getting the sense this thing has gotten more traction than he was expecting. i'm wondering. this thing is bigger than anybo

all because of the midnight release of harper lee's novel go set a watch man. jan carabeo joining me in the studio, we have a copy of the coveted book. lines for this. >> we crack it open to get a whiff. >> a the love people looking forward to this. >> talking to people reading the first chapters of it? >> a lot of people out actually overnight. >> this follow to up critically acclaimed and fan favorite to kill a mocking bird is all of the literary community can talk about. in it harper lee the scout there is time all grown up, and her father is portrayed in a very different light. it seems like things in the delaware valley just can't wait to get their hands on a copy. the long wait is over. >> that's the first copy. >> harper lee's highly anticipated novel, go set a watch man now on sale across the country. and this group at the big blue marge book store in mt. airy one of the first to set eyes on the work, for decades remained a soak rhett. >> this book was actually written before to kill a mocking bird. >> i'm actually really excited to read, welshing i alm

next harper lee's new novel why some fans won't read it. fact. advil is not only strong it's gentle on your body too. no wonder doctors and patients have trusted advil... for their tough pains for over 30 years. relief doesn't get any better than this. advil. there's something out there. that can be serious, even fatal to infants. it's whooping cough, and people can spread it without knowing it. understand the danger your new grandchild faces. talk to your doctor or pharmacist about a whooping cough vaccination today. when kevin jorgeson needs light, he trusts only duracell quantum because it lasts longer in 99% of devices. my constipation and belly pain have my stomach feeling all knotted up. i've tried laxatives... but my symptoms keep returning. my constipation feels like a pile of bricks... that keeps coming back. linzess can help. once-daily linzess treats adults with ibs with constipation or chronic constipation. linzess is thought to help calm pain-sensing nerves and accelerate bowel movements. linzess helps you proactively manage your sym

>> harper lee. >> harper lee does. there was never a follow up until now. go set a watchman an old harper lee manuscript will go on assessment at -- sale at midnight in alabama. >> what is it like in alabama? >> now we want to get a look at the new child, you know, see if it is ugly or not if see if its got his momma's eyes. >> what is it about the south that grows up folks who know how to use words so well? >> the smart people say that it's the, you know, that we live within. people like to say it's, you know that front porch. tell a story with imagery, detail. tell a story you can hang on the air. the air is stick enough where it will stick. tell a story you can hang on the air. >> wow. harper collins is a publisher they printed 2 million of the books. people are lining up all over the place. now we know what part of the story is about. >> i'm thinking it's going to help a little bit with the reviews. >> we talked about it. i wonder if it will be the case. if it will make people want to read it. >> do you think the new book will change how people feel abo

there you are in the hometown of harper lee. and we're looking at live pictures of people lining up to buy "go set a watchman"." we appreciate that. thank you. >> the thing is, if you've written one of the big classic books of all time, how do you live up to it. >> how do you compete? >>> the u.s. arrests another alleged isis sympathizer. the son of a boston police captain no less. >>> and president obama says the u.s. is a country of second chances, as he makes a move that will change the lives of 46 men and women. that's coming up. i am totally blind. and sometimes i struggle to sleep at night, and stay awake during the day. this is called non-24. learn more by calling 844-824-2424. or visit your24info.com. milk has 8 grams of high-quality protein. which could be the difference between just living life. and milking it. start every day with the power of protein and milk life. my name is jamir dixon and i'm a locate and mark fieldman for pg&e. most people in the community recognize the blue trucks as pg&e. my truck is something

there is nothing that would suggest if you looked for harper lee house. she has a very simple and straightforward life that is not necessarily true she is a recluse she does -- is and talk to people most of the time living in new york. >> guest: she is provincial and said i want to be the jane austen of the south that she wanted to write about the region and the people in the region. in her own life she kept close to people she had grown up with the work go to church with doors say hello on the street but in a new yorker circle is very small again. friends wrote from alabama to say we're coming up to york -- and new york. >> and at one point he wrote i have no idea why she moved up here. she is not a new yorker. she is a hobbyist and would love architecture when things were made and was of baseball friends shed a close friend at "the new yorker" there would go to ballgames together but when somebody invited her to midtown manhattan she said would never come down there. it is too wild. [laughter] she did not live high on the hog. >> but it was never about

next, harper lee's new novel why some fans won't read it. fact. advil is not only strong it's gentle on your body too. no wonder doctors and patients have trusted advil... for their tough pains for over 30 years. relief doesn't get any better than this. advil. there's something out there. that can be serious, even fatal to infants. it's whooping cough, and people can spread it without knowing it. understand the danger your new grandchild faces. talk to your doctor or pharmacist about a whooping cough vaccination today. when kevin jorgeson needs light, he trusts only duracell quantum because it lasts longer in 99% of devices. my constipation and belly pain have my stomach feeling all knotted up. i've tried laxatives... but my symptoms keep returning. my constipation feels like a pile of bricks... that keeps coming back. linzess can help. once-daily linzess treats adults with ibs with constipation or chronic constipation. linzess is thought to help calm pain-sensing nerves and accelerate bowel movements. linzess helps you proactively manage your sym

at the same time, you just heard my segment on this new harper lee novel, cokie roberts, you have lived through this. >> that's right. >> what do you think people are going to take away from it all? >> i think the book -- seeing that flag come down is quite a moment. i'm such a geek i watched the whole debate in the south carolina house. it was really something. the emotions on both sides were really quite high. i had ancestors who fought in the confederate army. i know this life very well. but it was -- it was a moment that the country really needed to have happen. to have that flag come down. but the book is another story, because the book is truth, i mean, i think this her real book, an editor, whomever said, you know, america don't want to read this book right now, it's too raw. i lived that, too. i would go home from high school in louisiana, and see members of my family, not my parents who were great civil rights activists, but the others, you know, saying things that were just shocking to me. and it's very, very hard. >> i just want to something about the flag coming down, i'm a

fans get a portrayal in the second book from harper lee. more on our top stories. greek prime minister alexis tsipras is facing a result in his own left-wing syriza party. the greek parliament will vote later today on the bailout deal reached over the weekend with leaders of the eurozone. tsipras was forced to accept harsh terms after greece defaulted on debt and closed banks. the bailout what provide 86 billion euros of financing for greece over three years. the conditions are so strict many of the prime minister's own mps say they will vote against it. for more from athens, the political fallout has already begun. we have heard one official who has released. >> the deputy finance minister's resignation letter has just become public. she could no longer accept the bailout, which she calls a tombstone for the greek people. she sees the negotiation between greece and creditors as a war. as such, she says she can no longer continue in these -- not negotiations -- but a bailout which essentially is difficult for the young generation. she's the first of a long list of

. >>> fans could not wait to read harper lee's second book. nbc 10 catches up with some of "go set a watchman's" first readers. you'll hear what they think so far. >>> clouds over south philadelphia. a live view of citizens bank park. 73 degrees at 5:36. your neighborhood by neighborhood forecast when we come back. >>> now your nbc 10 first alert weather with meteorologist bill henley. >> wet weather moving through the area. we've seen showers and thunderstorm activity. a live cloudy view from center city which has seen light rain right now. it's 73 degrees at philadelphia international. but other parts of the area looking at heavy downpours. there you could see the light scattered showers for philadelphia. moving into delaware county chester county and new castle county, heavy rainfall. the heaviest rainfall right now is not this batch of rain. it is the rain that's falling in cumberland county and into salem county. upper deerfield is getting pounded with rainfall. the radar estimate shows that more than two inches of rain has fallen so far.

>> harper lee. >> harper lee does. >> reporter: but there was never a follow-up until now. "go set a watchman" an old harper lehman knew script found in a safe deposit box will go on sale at midnight on monday. >> what has it been like in alabama? >> you know, it's the cradle of the first book. and now we want to look at this new child, you know see if it's ugly or not, see if it's got his mama's eyes you know. >> what is it about the south that grows up folks who know how to use words so well? >> the smart people say that it's the conflict, that you know that we've lived within that we've grown up within. people like to say it's you know that front porch. tell a story with flavor with imagery, with detail. tell a story that you can hang on the air and our air is thick enough where it will stick. but tell a story that you can hang on the air. >> and harry smith joins me now. harry, thanks so much for making the time for us. i'll just get right to the heart of the matter. what is it that is so concerning about this next chamt chapter for atticus finch? >> the truth is in thi

harper lee's new book "go set a watchman" is out. it's getting a lot of attention about the story and how it was published. mary merkley made a documentary about harper leanne "go set a watchman." >> i was able to ask her one question and you can write everything down because she has--she's hard of hearing. she has difficulty seeing. it's not the easiest way to communicate, so you just write it down. i wrote down did you ever think this book was going to be published? it was an early work that had been set aside. she said of course i did. don't be silly. well, we all get to hear her answer on that issue. that was-- >> what do you think that meant don't be silly? >> i think part of me thinks it means don't ask me questions because i'm harper lee. >> is there still that attitude with her? >> yes. everyone around here, and did i several interviews in monroeville everyone around here who sees her regularly, who spends time with her said that the conversations are laided. >> there is talk about her health and mental condition and i notice

harper lee's brand-new book "go set a watchman" paints a darker picture of atticus finch, a racist. with 2 million copies already ordered in advance it will pack a cultural punch when it goes on sale on tuesday. mary murphy, welcome. some people are already saying, they're not going to read the book, they don't want to ruin their view of atticus finch, how big a jolt was it for you to read these pages and see the racist revealed? >> reading the book atticus fink says a lot of racist things. that was the normal for alabama at that time. this is state after all that would rather close public schools than allow them to be integrated. and what atticus finch says is not unlike what a lot of white southerners were saying, it was a rare thing to find a liberated southern white man. so, the character in this novel is in keeping and in tempo with the political history of alabama. >> not unlike her description of her father at the time, this book was written in 1957, i got to read most of it last night, i couldn't put it down, it was kind of shocking, you almost felt the shock that harper lee

head ahead of harper lee's brand new book. for over 60,000 california foster children, having necessary school supplies can mean the difference between success and failure. the day i start, i'm already behind. i never know what i'm gonna need. new school new classes, new kids. it's hard starting over. to help, sleep train is collecting school supplies for local foster children. bring your gift to any sleep train and help a foster child start the school year right. not everyone can be a foster parent but anyone can help a foster child. >>> the midwest is under storm assault this morning. rain triggering flash flooding from ohio to kentucky. water knee high in some places cars stranded some submerged. it's not over yet. cnn meteorologist is live with more. >> good morning storms rolling through chicago and gary indiana. it was an ugly night last night. severe weather all over the plains. [ tornado sirens ] tornado sirens sounding in minneapolis. severe weather pommeled parts of the midwest overnight. damaging winds, large hail a

harper lee's novel go set a watchman. how the fans are reacting to the new adicus finch. >>> and now nasa's new horizon space craft just got a great look at pluto. >> he escaped from prison on saturday after escaping from a hole he created in the cell and through a mile-long tunnel. three prison employees including the director, have now been fired. >>> it's a novel that has taken the world by storm, but few saw it coming. harmer lee's prize-winning seek al to "to kill a mocking bird" landed in the stores. >> it's rare these days that one novel can grab so much attention beyond the literary world. and in alabama author harperly's hometown, the place that inspired her writing the release of go set a watchman had anticipation. >> it's exciting, and i think it's huge. >> the biggest preordered book on amazon since the final harry potter story the midnight release in several countries drew crowds, eager for harper lee's first book since the prize-winning classic, "to kill a mocking bird," which later became an oscar-winning f

a look at racism in harper lee's second book "go set a watchman". >> ifill: those are some of the stories we're covering on tonight's pbs newshour. >> major funding for the pbs newshour has been provided by: ♪ ♪ ♪ moving our economy for 160 years. bnsf, the engine that connects us. >> and the william and flora hewlett foundation, helping people build immeasurably better lives. >> and with the ongoing support of these institutions and... >> this program was made possible by the corporation for public broadcasting. and by contributions to your pbs station from viewers like you. thank you. >> woodruff: greece reached a debt deal with european creditors today after an all- night emergency summit in brussels. it agreed to a strict timetable for enacting further unpopular austerity measures in exchange for a third international bailout. now greek prime minister alexis tsipras must push the cost- cutting proposals through his parliament over the next two days. we'll take a closer look at the new accord-- and get on-the-ground reaction from greece's residents-- after the news summary. >> if

lee is releasing the book the second book that harper lee wrote while i wish we had harper lee here, we do have the author, she moved in next door and she where i say about harper lee and getting to know her. the book is called the mockingbird next door that's june 18th. mark your calendar, july 15th president carter will be signing, just signing a full life here. later in the year, diana nyad who swam from florida -- or from cuba to florida. we have a wonderful list of authors. i happen to be one of those who -- who grew up in oklahoma during the 50s and 60s and got caught up in the kennedy campaign and all as a kid coming home from high school, i remember then president kennedy the motorcade going by, he had been to roberto s. kerr's funeral. i have followed the kennedys all along. and to me it is fascinate to go hear the story of the kennedy that everybody -- the family had planned to be the candidate for president. alan got doctorate in english from the university of iowa, he has written a gazillion books. he's done this whole series what might be referred to as ceo books, napole

but harper lee's new novel shows finch in a different light. set in the 50s it describes how finch's daughter comes home and grapples with her father's racial views. do you want negroes in the car load in our schools and churches and theaters? do you want them in our world? one calls him a racist. another a segregationist. >> i don't see anything wrong with making a character for human. nobody is perfect. >> even if this character attik attikus finch had leanings towards the other side if you will i argue that we have seen an evolution. >> maybe it shows that she's not here to write a perfect story. >> the publisher issued a statement on finch's portrayal in the new novel. the question is atticus's racism is one of the critical elements in this novel, and it should be considered in the context of the book's broader moral themes. even though it has been published now it was actually written before ""to kill a mocking bird,"" and it is set 20 years later. >> the release comes at a time when america is still grappling with racial tensions like the

. >>> a book america has been waiting for harper lee's recently discover novel. we are live on the good set get a watchman. >>> and a scare for carry under wood when her four month-old son gets lock inside her car. >>> and a number of patients, recovering from the medical condition are find something big surprises when they get their bill, it is more common then you think, three on your side's jim donovan shows you how to fight back, that is coming up next. they come out with a big surprise hit with hospital and doctor charges that don't even make sense. >> object your side consumer reporter jim donovan find out this isn't as uncommon as you might the think. >> reporter: that is right jessica and ukee. the even the most savvy consumers can get hit with bogus bills related to medical care and many people just don't know how to fight them. he expected discomfort after his hernia surgery but real pain came for this unexpect medical bill for $20,000. he is not alone. according to a new report nearly one in three americans with private insurance, have been hit with a

[applause] >> harper lee's beautiful book is a meditation on family human complex complexity and themes of live. the novel became an instant classic and earned her a pulitzer prize. her work encounters new leaders and the united states honors harper lee ask for or outstanding contribution to the great literary tradition of america. [applause] [applause] >> to mark the upcoming release of "go set a watch man" booktv is airing specials about harper lee all weekend. go to booktv.com for air dates and times. >> pamela paul, what is your job? >> i am the editor of "the new york times" book review. >> what does that mean? >> i edit the section that has been put out over sunday since 1986. >> how many people work on the new york times book review? >> it is about 16 people. >> what do they do? >> so we have editors, who we call review editors of the session. they have to go through the hundreds of books we get and decide which ones are worthy of review and try to come up with people who think they would be good at reviewing them. >> what is your job? >> i am a preview editor meaning i go throug

tonight's release of a new work from author harper lee. it's called "go set a watchman." >> it was written before her classic, "to kill a mockingbird." in the new book familiar carrot characters show new signs of themselves. >> reporter: the early release of a chanter from "go set a watchman." the long-awaited sequel to the american classic, "to kill a mockingbird." >> you never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view. >> reporter: author harper lee offering a new point of view of the cherished characters from her 1960 novel. the new take on this literary classic aufring really surprising twists. >> you're going hear some ugly talk about this. >> reporter: the sequel opens with scout, the fiery youngest member of the finch family making her trip home from new york to macom junction. big brother jem, written out lee shocking readers saying he dropped dead in his tracks one day. the biggest change atticus finch. seemingly reenvisioned. depicted as a pro opponent of segregation. at one point, in the new boo

. >> rose: tell me about harper lee. why did she stop? >> that's very interesting. i have been reading the two best biographies we have about her and they're incomplete because she wouldn't give complete access. apparently, she was so traumatized by the fame that hit her in 1960, '61 when this book came out and when alan pecula bought the film right and made into it this mag i have in -- magnificently successful film which made her even more famous she did not like the celebrity and she formed, according to the biographies, an almost parish that dislike of newspaper people. people -- passionate dislike of newspaper people. she thought they were, as she