I guess I have to read some Harry Potter, then. Lots of people whose opinion I tend to trust like 'em. I have some visceral dislike which is not entirely rational, (based mostly on things I've read about how derivative they are), and probably won't be able to escape them when the sozlet is of age, anyway.
I purchased a Harry Potter book out of curiosity. From the first chapter I was hooked. I regret I was not a child so I could have grown up with these characters. One interesting aspect: The characters age with each book. I am very curious to learn what happens as they approach adulthood.
Rowling wrote the first book while in poverty in Scotland (Edinburgh?). The book started out slow in the U.K. and America but gradually word of mouth spread among kids and teachers because the kids and the teachers absolutely loved it. In other words Harry Potter took hold from the bottom up not from the top down. People are unfortunately judging the hype that now surrounds the whole Potter phenomenon instead of the books. But the hype is the result of the success the books achieved on their own. Compare it to a movie like Titanic, which was made by James Cameron a few years ago to be a huge undertaking, with the ubiquitous hype used to promote it and sell it and get the maximum number of theater goers in those seats the first few weeks, regardless of the quality of the movie. Harry Potter grabbed hold of the young reader's imaginations without any hype and with everything working against it, and became a success on its own merits. It may not be on the same level with Lord of the Rings and others, but Rowling created the perfect world to absorb young readers. But all four books are very enjoyable reading for adults too. I've read them all.
Sometimes I regret those initials.
larry richette: I can't find either of the recommended Dick books, but I continue to look.
I guess that they are out of print?
Libraries all seem to have a very spotty collection of Dick's books. They all have the ones that were turned into movies, but few of the others. I checked both the books mentioned above by larry and both appear to be in print, available at Amazon at least, in paperback. Scanner Darkly and The Man in the High Castle.
My impression is that most if not all of Dick's books are back in print, now that Vintage has the copyrights on many of them. Try ordering at Amazon.com.
best book not read
I suppose I'm supposed to say the Bible, but as for secular books, I'd say Tom Clancy, more of Stephen King, more books on true-crime, more books on Roman Imperial history and some books on self-help. Dov
maxsdadeo- One of the finest books I have ever read in the Sci-Fi genre is the book by Philip Jose Farmer- "Quest to Riverworld".
It's not for everyone but it is one of my favorites.
Blurb from the back of the book reads:
"Die and live again, Now by the banks of ten-million mile river, everyone who has ever died has a new life. Now everyone from Karl Marx to Elvis Presley to Dante roams in Riverworld."
As an example, what kind of diaolgue results when Edgar Allen Poe meets Max Brand or
when Shakespeare encounters Aristophanes
I must respectfully caution Mamajuana that the method she is using to judge the worth of a book is fraught with danger.
Some books do not really open up until later chapters. If Ms. Mamajuana attempts to read a book considered a classic or a book that has been highly praised by competent reviewers, she should consider that the problem is with her understanding and not with the author of the book. An example of a book that has been misread by superficial readings and is one of the classics of the twentieth century, is 1984.
At times, if one attempts to read a book and is repelled by it even though it is considered a classic or one of the best in its field, it is well to review the professional critics who, at times, can open one's eyes.
I am very much afraid that anyone following Mamajuana's dictum would miss some of the best reading in the world.
Only comic books read easily. Dante is much more difficult.
