harry potter ---- never the final episode ....

[Christian Fox]

They're fine, they're fun. They are not a waste of time. They have some good messages. Rowling has an ear for dialogue. They can be quite derivative, but who cares. Spend 10 minutes reading with an eight year old and you will discover, on a comparative basis, the books are not drivel. They are not Faulkner or Finnegan's Wake, and thank fucking almighty for that.

[CXinNH]

i would get more enjoyment out of reading the back of a shampoo bottle than reading that drivel. it is to literature what a walmart full-suspension bike is to cycling.

no accounting for taste, but i do believe you can account for quality in literature.

jerk

Jerk is right on.

At least do yourself the favor and read the British version to your 8-year-old instead of the US version with the simplified vocabulary.

[Archibald]

Jerk is right on.

At least do yourself the favor and read the British version to your 8-year-old instead of the US version with the simplified vocabulary.

Oh for the love of Peter, Paul, and Mary, please tell me they don't actually do that!!! They don't dumb it down for we American's do they?

[corko]

JK's a tad highbrow.... I'm more of a Barry Trotter man myself.......

[Christian Fox]

Jerk is right on.

At least do yourself the favor and read the British version to your 8-year-old instead of the US version with the simplified vocabulary.

no way. I talk American, and I talk it good.

[VA_MEL]

we're on the same page

she is the Shadwell of her age

sadly, there has not been a new Dunciad composed in her honor

I'd pay good money to see Maxine Hong Kingston kick her ass

Interesting comparison, though perhaps a bit unfair to equate the success of Rowling as a best selling author, which grew organically from people loving her books, to Shadwell's promotion to poet laureate of England based as much on his political affiliations as his plays. Rowling created a world and characters that are beloved for many. I can find value in that, even if it doesn't challenge me to rethink my world view (which the Christian allegory of those books did not).

As for Kingston, let's not forget she too has her detractors, especially in the Chinese-American community. And at the age of 70, when she starts up with the ass kicking, she better be careful not to break her hip.

[ron l edmiston]

"flying onto campuses for academia muggles.."

"five years ago, students at vermont's middlebury college invented a new brand of QUIDDITCH, and the game took off faster than a flying broomstick.."

more than 500 active quidditch teams worldwide, university of miami the latest & registered with the IQA ...

not to shabby from a marginal source...

ronnie

[Too Tall]

I'd never take what Jerkmo says lightly. This place is like no other.

[Chance Legstrong]

I'd never take what Jerkmo says lightly. This place is like no other.

funny! i thought about my Bronner labels too!

[davids]

"flying onto campuses for academia muggles.."

"five years ago, students at vermont's middlebury college invented a new brand of QUIDDITCH, and the game took off faster than a flying broomstick.."

more than 500 active quidditch teams worldwide & registered with the IQA ...

not to shabby from a marginal source...

ronnie

I saw a team practicing on the Common last week. They were having a good time. It made me smile.

[lavi]

I'd never take what Jerkmo says lightly. This place is like no other.

I can feel the tingle as I type.

[Watoni]

i would get more enjoyment out of reading the back of a shampoo bottle than reading that drivel. it is to literature what a walmart full-suspension bike is to cycling.

no accounting for taste, but i do believe you can account for quality in literature.

jerk

I have kids (do you?) and we try to steer them towards great literature (for kids or otherwise) ... but reading Harry Potter is no worse than watching a decent, but not great Hollywood movie (i.e. watching the movie versions). Our nieces who read them as kids are studying great literature (among other things) at some of the finest universities in the world and are great people, so just try not to come off like my friend in SF who takes pride in not knowing the Giants were in (much less won) the world series and talks to me incessantly about Heiner Mueller (and I love Mueller).

It's your handle, but being a jerk is overrated

[mainemike]

i hear you jerk and am inclined to agree. this stuff is consumed rather than absorbed. if it sparks the imagination-great, thats good. but its eaten like candy and i find it rather indicative of a culture that simply consumes too much, faster and faster, more and more, and thats not imaginative its gross and sad.

[davids]

I am disappointed at the extent to which some of you have taken the jerk's criticism of some books, and responded by criticizing the jerk.

He and I disagree on this, too. It hasn't changed my opinion of the man one whit. He is a gentleman and a scholar, among his other exemplary qualities.

[Christian Fox]

i hear you jerk and am inclined to agree. this stuff is consumed rather than absorbed. if it sparks the imagination-great, thats good. but its eaten like candy and i find it rather indicative of a culture that simply consumes too much, faster and faster, more and more, and thats not imaginative its gross and sad.

Ahh, baseless suppositions and armchair sociology. What the fuck are you talking about? Consumed rather than absorbed?? We are not talking about twinkies, playstations and American Idol. These are just books in an ocean of books. They happen to be enjoyable and popular and not indicative of anything in any culture.

[SteveP]

i will continue to hate the jerk until he comes up with something i agree with.

[BBB]

Ahh, baseless suppositions and armchair sociology. What the fuck are you talking about? Consumed rather than absorbed?? We are not talking about twinkies, playstations and American Idol. These are just books in an ocean of books. They happen to be enjoyable and popular and not indicative of anything in any culture.

I'm positive that Sony do not recommend you consume a Playstation.

[ron l edmiston]

i luv jerk chicken, the jerk, steve martin, chicken jerkin & i know "they're out there.."
tellin ya all a covert secret --- stage name for scotty is "jerk.."

soooo -- "beam me up jerk.." i'll hang with ya ... had a hell of alot more enjoy, that cold ass friday night in richmond va, months back ..than reading HP..

ronnie

[andys]

It's easy to value judge fun books like the Harry Potter series, they're derivative, certainly not academic, they may not stand the test of time, but they are a great series and kids love them. Not just idiot mislead illiterate kids either, really great, smart kids with intellectual parents that read "literature". If I never had kids I never would have read them but reading that series at bedtime to my kids was a great time and got me hooked. The movies are very well made, way better than other comparable serial tales. CS Lewis was derivative too but his books are also a great read. To not read fun books because they aren't literature (however one wants to define it) is like not eating hamburgers because they aren't steak or to not eat twizzlers because they aren't chocolate. Live a little, there's plenty of time for literature too. We read stacks of books in our house, HP is just a short little row on the shelf.

That and Emma Watson is pretty hot now that she's an adult.

[ron l edmiston]

tammy & ronnie just home from "deathly hallows," really enjoyed ---" waitin for the final stroke of the wand.."

sure as frick don't wanta be a "mudblood.."

ronnie