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Harry Who?

I am one of the few people who will not spend today ensorceled by the latest installment in the Life of the Boy Wonder Wizard. I haven’t read a single word of any of the Harry Potter books and there is no doubt in my mind that I will go to my grave a fulfilled and well-read woman nonetheless.

It is a closely-held belief of mine that any work — literary, cinematic1 or otherwise — that can so dominate popular culture for so long must, inherently, be low brow and aiming for the lowest common denominator. However, since I haven’t read any of these books, I am in no position to say whether this holds true (or not) for Rowlings, Potter, et al.

I didn’t say I was right; I’m just saying it’s one of my beliefs. I realize I may be putting to fine a point on this distinction and am uncertain if any of the Pott-heads would be able to discern it, but I digress.

If this series can withstand the test of time (i.e., it is still in print in 25, 30, or 40 years) I may pick it up and peruse it. I still reserve the right to throw it across the room. 2

To my recollection, I’ve only thrown one book, the Norton Critical Edition of Nathaniel Hawthorne’s The Blithedale Romance. This was during sophomore year’s American Lit class and, if memory serves me, I picked it up and repeatedly slammed it against a wall in our dorm to the point pages fluttered from its limp carcass.3 I still can’t remember what set me off.

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  1. Die Hard, for example [↩]
  2. A reference to a Dorothy Parker book review — “This is not a novel to be tossed aside lightly. It should be thrown with great force.”" I love Dorothy Parker. [↩]
  3. This was the very same Am Lit class that compelled my roommate to burn Moby Dick in the sink of our shared bathroom. She always did have more of a flair for the dramatic than I, but I disagree to this day with her assessment of Melville. [↩]

This entry was posted on Saturday, July 21st, 2007 at 12:09 pm and is filed under Books, Quotes. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.

2 Responses to “Harry Who?”

  1. Tarre Says:
    July 21st, 2007 at 1:52 pm

    Melville is as bad as Charles Dickenson. They both write like they were paid by the word- which of course, they were. However, I am not paid by the word to read them, and will not until I am. I can’t stand either.

    I like Harry. But it is for children and must be read with that in mind. Better written is Terry Pratchett’s series which includes A Hat Full of Sky and the Wee Free Men.

  2. Laiane Says:
    July 21st, 2007 at 7:58 pm

    Hi, Tarre! I agree with you on Dickens, that’s for certain, and I have to be in a certain mood to read Melville. If I have to read anything from the 19th century, I turn to Anthony Trollope (very witty, very observant).

    There are children’s books I enjoy tremendously. The whole Redwall series, for example, or the Golden Compass trilogy. I know they’re not everyone’s cup of tea.

    Several people have recommended Pratchett to me. I may just have to look into his stuff!