Never mind terrible book covers for female authors – this is, frankly, small potatoes in the world of gender and literature. Because even if you’re one of the most successful female novelists of the 20th century, some people will naively think that only a male pen could craft a classic. For proof, look no further than tweets following the announcement of Harper Lee’s newest book today.
BBC North America editor (no less!) Jon Sopel ate humble pie immediately after posting this gem (he later deleted it):
Just announced Harper Lee will publish second novel 55 years after "to Kill a Mockingbird" - glad his writers block got sorted #norush
— Jon Sopel (@BBCJonSopel) February 3, 2015
After being pilloried by dozens of his followers, he admitted to being mistaken:
good point everyone....
— Jon Sopel (@BBCJonSopel) February 3, 2015
We can only guess he then went home to read up on female authors “painting the American soul”. (We could, of course, brush up on our knowledge and head to the library to stock up on Toni Morrison, Alice Walker, Sylvia Plath or Barbara Kingsolver novels).
Of course, if a BBC editor could make the mistake, others could (and did) too:
Harper Lee the author of 'To Kill A Mockingbird' is going to publish his second novel. Source:@nytimes #ToKillamockingbird
— Anuj Bhardwaj (@FedexFanAnuj) February 3, 2015
Harper Lee will have his second novel this July! After almost 50 years.
— Erol Nathaniel (@TrialAndErol) February 3, 2015
Uh-uh.
i had thought that Harper Lee was a man. :/
— Ángel of the North (@a_ojaswi) February 3, 2015
Why the sad face?
I Still Don't Know If Harper Lee Is A Man Or A Woman And At This Point I'm Too Afraid To Ask
— Blake Lyman (@BLymanWarrior) February 3, 2015
Some are very confused ...
Harper Lee... male or female? Years of research and scientists are still unsure
— Tom Bro Dude (@tombrodude) February 3, 2015
Who will get to the bottom of this?
In the meantime, here’s a nice history lesson – something George Sand already understood in 1800s France:
#YesAllWomen because Currer and Ellis Bell, Harper Lee, and Robert Galbraith were only taken seriously under male or androgynous names
— Jo Pie (@_Jo_Pie_) May 27, 2014
Glad someone settled this:
Harper Lee cheat sheet: she's not a man; it's a book AND a film; both are rather good; she's not on Twitter; she's not copying Zoella
— Caroline Goldsmith (@GoldCaro) February 3, 2015
