Sunday, July 5, 2009
When I first started this blog, I didn't want something that was just about parenting, or just about medicine, or just about books. I wanted my blog to be pretty much like me. A little bit about everything and a whole lot of love and passion.
In an effort to keep things that way, I am not going to talk about how intern year is going (all 5 days of it.) Because that would have made four posts in a row about internship and medicine, and that is plenty.
So, I'm going to talk about Harry Potter.
I like to put people in categories. People who are readers and people who are non-readers. People who like where they live and people who don't.
I think people fall into three general categories when it comes to Harry Potter. They love Harry Potter, they are completely neutral about Harry Potter, or they hate Harry Potter (either because of the social hype or from some other issue: and believe me, there are people who have issues with Harry Potter. Even though I think that is a waste of time: be concerned about the economy, or global warming, or AIDS in Africa. Let's not get all out of sorts about children's literature... I'm not saying don't have an opinion about it. Because I love opinions. Just, whoa, calm down! But like always, I digress.)
I happen to be in the first category.
I love Harry Potter. I was first introduced to him in college. That's right. College. My roommate was reading the book, I teased her about it, and she basically said "Don't judge until you read." So I read.
And now I'm convinced that everyone would be in the first category, if only they would read.
When I first met Hubster, he was definitely in the category of "non-reader." He hadn't read a novel since his required 12th grade English reading. The last novel he read for pleasure was probably in elementary school.
I convinced him to take me to see the first Harry Potter film when it came out. After we saw the movie, he bought all the books that were out (it was four at the time.) He read them all.
And he has since gone on to move into the reader category. He reads all the time. I've said it before: Sometimes just reading is more important than what you read. I would rather my family read lighthearted novels all the time then a serious book once in their life. (I'm not saying that serious books aren't important: they are. But first, let's just get people reading!)
Before each Harry Potter movie comes out in theaters, Hubster and I both re-read the entire series.
Which makes this my eighth time reading Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone. (Because I read it a couple times before I saw any of the movies.) It is just as entertaining and engaging as the first time.
J.K. Rowling is a superb story teller and creates vivid characters and shocking plot twists. Often dismissed as "just children's literature" her writing is strong enough to hold its own for any audience.
The sixth movie, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, comes out next week.
Considering I'm still reading the first book, I don't think I'm going to get through the entire series before I see the movie. (But maybe the same craziness in my life that has prevented me from reading more may prevent me from seeing the film until I've read all 7 books again. Stranger things have happened.)
But regardless...
I'm excited to see the movie. And I'm thoroughly enjoying what may be my favorite books of all time again.
(And believe me...this is not the end of my posting about Harry Potter...there will be more.)
2 comments:
I've always been a reader. My mom taught me to read when I was only 3 and by 1st grade I was in chapter books.
But I avoided Harry Potter. Partly because I had no idea what it was. I knew it was a super insanely popular kids' book about a boy wizard, but that was it. Totally not my thing. Until one of my COLLEGE roommates practically forced Sorcerer's Stone into my hands one summer day. I sat down and read chapter 1, then immediately went out and bought all four available books.
I LOVE Harry Potter. I'm sort of on the fence about the movies, but I love the books. And if I could meet one celebrity, it would be JK Rowling.
As a mom, I find it important to read or see or listen to what my kids do. After making a loving, secure place, teaching is a primary task of parenthood. The place to start, is where the child is. We are delusional if we think there are things that have no influence on us; EVERYTHING influences. So I read Harry Potter. As an adult, it was fun, engaging, and well written. As a parent, I was concerned that the twists could have the ability to blur boundaries of honesty and reverence for life. I'm glad I read them. I was more glad to have the important conversations and interaction with my kids to make sure moral fiber was secure. "What would you have done? That would have changed the plot. How?" Were enriching to us all. The high school book required reading lists make us think about what we take for granted. Having a guide through that is critical. Allot of kids muddle through this alone, or never tell their parent what they fell or think, because it doesn't feel safe. I'm sure my kids have fallen into both categories in spite of good intentions, but Harry Potter was a great interactive spot for us.
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