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'Go Set A Watchman' Sparks Heavy Interest In Pound Ridge

POUND RIDGE, N.Y. -- "Go Set A Watchman" is the one book on the top of every Pound Ridge residents summer reading list.

"Go Set A Watchman" has been very popular in Pound Ridge.

"Go Set A Watchman" has been very popular in Pound Ridge.

Photo Credit: Contributed

The book, written by Harper Lee, has set a record for most holds by public readers, according to the Westchester Library System.

On Tuesday, the county's system, which includes 38 member libraries, reported 602 holds on its 238 hardcover and paperback copies of "Watchman." 

There were 136 holds on 40 large print copies of "Go Set A Watchman."  

There were 49 holds on 27 CD versions of "Watchman," and 80 holds on 14 eAudiobook formats for MP3 players and OverDrive Listen.

"Go Set A Watchman" also had  595 holds on the eBook versions, an all-time high.

Marilyn Tinter, director at the Pound Ridge Library, said she had to buy multiple copies of the book.

"There have been too many requests for it," Tinter said. "There's so much interest in it."

Tinter said she hasn't had a chance to read the book but one of her staff members had read it. She said the controversy over the book has helped drive interest.

"Everyone knows about it," Tinter said. "It's always exciting when a book like that is out. People are reading and they are engaged. It's very exciting to see."

The original draft of "Go Set A Watchman," which was recently discovered, was written in the 1950s. It follows the adult Scout, the main character in Lee’s bestselling book “To Kill A Mockingbird.” More than 1 million copies of "Watchman" were sold at bookstores in the opening week of its July 13 release.

"Watchman" has generated widespread controversy. Some wonder whether the 89-year-old Lee, who has vision and hearing problems, even wanted the lightly edited draft to be published.

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