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Welcome to your weekly round-up of book news and literary highlights from 

This week we're counting down the months until Harper Lee's new book and day dreaming about owning a piece of Mr. Darcy's estate.

Sneak peek: The cover of Harper Lee's new book

 of Harper Lee's long-lost manuscript broke last month, the literary world has been abuzz about the forthcoming book. 

The manuscript, titled "Go Set a Watchman," was found last summer but was actually written 

 the classic "To Kill a Mockingbird." It takes place 20 years after the familiar events of Maycomb, Alabama. 

Some have questioned whether the 88-year-old Lee is capable of making the publication decision, but in 

 made through her lawyer, Lee said she's "alive and kicking and happy as well with the reactions to 'Go Set a Watchman.'" HarperCollins just 

 of the new book, set to be published in July.

The house behind "Pride and Prejudice" now for sale


For the truly Austen-tacious reader, all your "Pride and Prejudice" dreams can come true if you have $7.5 million on hand. 

The Wentworth Woodhouse in South Yorkshire is 

. It was once home to the Fourth Earl Fitzwilliam, who is thought to have inspired Austen's brooding love interest, Fitzwilliam Darcy. 

The house has five miles of hallways and over 350 rooms — a modest estate. (Did we mention it's in need of $42 million in repairs?) 

"Little Women," the beloved story of the March sisters, first hit Hollywood in 1933 when Katharine Hepburn played the role of quick-witted and headstrong Jo March. Jo was later played by June Allyson in a 1949 remake and most recently by Winona Ryder in the 1994 version.  The "Little Women" of 1994 had a star-studded cast, with Kirsten Dunst, Claire Danes, Susan Sarandon and Christian Bale. 

Can the new version do better? Word is that director Sarah Polley is at helm. We'll have to wait and see. In the meantime, there's always Alcott's sequels: Little Men and Jo's Boys.

Break out the "Green Eggs and Ham," a Seuss museum is in the works

Strained impersonations of Dr. Seuss aside, anyone who loves the mind behind "The Cat and the Hat" will enjoy the new Amazing World of Dr. Seuss Museum, set to open in 2016 in the author's hometown of Springfield. 

 visitors will be able to wander through "a series of environments that replicate scenes from Dr. Seuss's imagination and encounter life-sized three-dimensional characters and places from the books."

Finalists announced for the Man Booker International Prize

finalists are out for the Man Booker International Prize

, which is awarded every two years to an author for his or her contributions to fiction on the world stage. This year's finalists hail from ten different countries.

The winner will be announced in May. You have a few months to catch up on your reading.

Man Booker International Prize finalists

Arts and Culture

The Thread® - Books and Literary News

Tracy Mumford

Author

The cover art is out for Harper Lee's forthcoming book. Get details on "Go Set a Watchman" and other literary highlights of the week.

Book briefs: The cover of Harper Lee's new book and more

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