Monk vs. Harry Potter

Marmel · 06-20-2003, 12:05 PM

*sigh*

I watch very little television if it is not sports. I love Survivor, and a couple random sitcoms are out there that I can relate to. That probably adds up to 3 hours per week of non-sporting, non-movie television that I watch during the Survivor season.

Last summer I happened to be flipping through the upper channels and came upon this show called 'Monk"

Wow! What a terrific show. I was hooked. For a cable network, and a first season effort, this show was terrific. Great chemistry, great acting, and pretty good story lines. I caught about half of the episodes last summer.

I am pretty excited for the second season premier, which is on at 10pm this evening on the USA network. If you are not doing much tonight, I highly recommend checking it out if you have not seen it before.

Oh, but nothing is ever easy. I promised the wife I would go with her to Border's around midnight to get the new Harry Potter book. It turns out there will be a very long waiting line (probably infested with annoying children), and that we should get there well before 11pm if we are going to want to get a copy.

Great. Exactly what I wanted to do this evening. Stand in line at Borders for a couple hours to buy a book that I will not even open. Meanwhile, I am missing one of my new favorite shows on TV.

Good thing for VCRs.

TroyF · 06-20-2003, 12:06 PM

Marmel,

I love the show Monk. A really terrific show IMO.

TroyF

scooper · 06-20-2003, 12:13 PM

I'll be with my wife at Barnes and Noble.

Easy Mac · 06-20-2003, 12:18 PM

Luckily, my woman asn't read Harry Potter (she says she wants to though

) And what is up with women reading Harry Potter. Almost every female I know swear by it, but most guys I know don't like it.

Oh, and Monk kicks ass.

scooper · 06-20-2003, 12:20 PM

I've read the books. They're not bad. I just don't want to wait in line at midnight with a bunch of kids to get one. It's not like the book won't be there later.

Craptacular · 06-20-2003, 12:31 PM

Why would anyone wait in a horrendously long line to buy a frickin' book or see a new movie when it comes out ... don't worry, they're not gonna make changes to them anytime soon. I just don't understand this phenomenon.

scooper · 06-20-2003, 12:43 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Craptacular
Why would anyone wait in a horrendously long line to buy a frickin' book or see a new movie when it comes out ... don't worry, they're not gonna make changes to them anytime soon. I just don't understand this phenomenon.

That's my argument but.....

tucker342 · 06-20-2003, 12:56 PM

I would never, ever wait in line to get a book, unless I got sex because I waited in line, than I would

Marmel · 06-20-2003, 12:57 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Craptacular
Why would anyone wait in a horrendously long line to buy a frickin' book or see a new movie when it comes out ... don't worry, they're not gonna make changes to them anytime soon. I just don't understand this phenomenon.

Tell me about it. I am sure I will wander off to an interesting section of the bookstore, find a seat and act like I am in a library.

Anrhydeddu · 06-20-2003, 12:59 PM

I still don't understand why anyone would wait in line at midnight if they are not going to be staying up all night reading the book. Trust me, there will be lots of them on the shelves this weekend during normal store hours.

Marmel · 06-20-2003, 01:04 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Anrhydeddu
Trust me, there will be lots of them on the shelves this weekend during normal store hours.

That is something I am not so sure about.

It is possible though.

scooper · 06-20-2003, 01:18 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Marmel
Tell me about it. I am sure I will wander off to an interesting section of the bookstore, find a seat and act like I am in a library.

This is my plan exactly.

Anrhy, I believe my wife will be up all night reading.

bbor · 06-20-2003, 01:35 PM

My Wife works at Chapters(Borders of the north)...They are closing thier store at 10PM tonight...Then Ticket holders will be allowed into the store to line up at the cahs register..so at 12pm they are allowed to purchase their copy of Potter.

There will also be a line-up outside for NON-ticket holders.....they get to wait in line until all the people who paid for tickets purchase their book..then they will be let in to purchase theirs.

They have 27 000 copies at the store..and she thinks they will run out sometime on Saturday afternoon.1/3 of those copies are pre-orders.

Amazon.com has stated that they already have pre-orders for 1million copies......this thing is crazy ....

Oh ya...she is closing the store at 2:30 AM...is that crazy??...a book store open till 2 AM??It is worth it though..harry Potter will assure her store will make bonus..which means mucho dinero

Franklinnoble · 06-20-2003, 01:41 PM

My wife and I read them with our kid (well, kids, if you count the bun in the oven) We're looking forward to the new book, but we're not making special plans for it or anything. We'll probably go to Costco on Saturday and pick it up at a nice discount.

Whether that's before or after we catch a matinee of "The Hulk" I haven't determined yet.

albionmoonlight · 06-20-2003, 01:41 PM

I think Harry Potter is great and . . . [checks pants] I'm a man.

I will not, however, be up until Midnight for the fun of standing in line.

ISiddiqui · 06-20-2003, 01:47 PM

Monk is a great show! You have your VCR, you can watch the show later, it's all good

.

Harry Potter is great as well... but I ain't standing in line to get it. I'll pick it up this weekend, or if it sold out, then during the week or something (I bet there will be another shipment on Monday).

JeeberD · 06-20-2003, 02:05 PM

I've enjoyed the Potter movies, but I have yet to read the books. A friend of mine at work keeps telling me that I need to read them and that she'll lend me her copies, but I'm not sure if I want to.

Oh, and my mom loves the books too. I don't think my girlfriend has read them, though...

ISiddiqui · 06-20-2003, 02:06 PM

Definetly read the books... they are 10 times better than the movies. Great stuff

.

Craptacular · 06-20-2003, 02:09 PM

Never saw the movie(s?). Never read the books. Never want to.

sterlingice · 06-20-2003, 02:24 PM

Ok, if you're waiting in line for something retail unless it's, say, medication you can't do without... that's just crazy. Maybe on the day after Thanksgiving when you can get some stuff for half off but they only have ludicrously limited quantities. It's an f'ing book! Now I know I haven't read them (I liked both movies a lot, tho) but... no, there's no way. I love video games, for instance, but I didn't run down to Wal Mart or Best Buy and wait six hours in line for them to open up when Zelda came out.

I love Monk, too. The title of this thread, however, just makes me laugh. My mind immediately jumped to an image of a nerd with a broom trying to hit a grown nerd who keeps running around trying to avoid human contact.

SI

scooper · 06-20-2003, 02:26 PM

Anybody here remember hitting refresh for hours waiting for FOF2k1 or TCY?

Marmel · 06-20-2003, 02:33 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by scooper
Anybody here remember hitting refresh for hours waiting for FOF2k1 or TCY?

Yeah, but that was from the comfort of my home. Or work.

I think she is a bit crazy for doing this and dragging me into it, but what the hell.......

scooper · 06-20-2003, 02:56 PM

I'll probably end up sleeping on one of the store's couches.

Anrhydeddu · 06-20-2003, 03:29 PM

You know, I wonder if I can avoid knowing any spoilers (like who died). I still have to read books 3 and 4 before I can read 5. I seriously doubt it though.

Marmel · 06-20-2003, 03:34 PM

I skipped the books and watched the movies.

The first one was brilliant.

I thought the second one sucked. I was looking forward to it too.

Not that I went to the theatres to see them, so I wasn't that looking forward to it.

ISiddiqui · 06-20-2003, 03:39 PM

That's kinda funny, because I thought the 2nd book was head and shoulders over the 1st one. Though many consider the 2nd book to be the worst, I liked it a lot.

Anrhydeddu · 06-20-2003, 03:59 PM

I, too, thought the first movie was much better than the second. The CoS movie, imo, had two significant flaws: the whole spider scene and that basalisk were so stupid. I felt there were no flaws in the first movie and that Voldemorts scene at the end of movie 1 was one of the best scenes of all, much better than the stupid finale with Voldemort in movie 2. Fwiw.

ISiddiqui · 06-20-2003, 04:21 PM

Quote:

The CoS movie, imo, had two significant flaws: the whole spider scene and that basalisk were so stupid.

The spider scene is scarier (and better) in the book. As for the basalisk... I like it. I didn't see what was so flawed about it ::shrug::.

Arles · 06-20-2003, 06:06 PM

From now on, I would preorder it on Amazon.com. My wife did that and she will have it tomorrow morning and for a pretty significant discount. Plus, no lines

Arlie

vtbub · 06-20-2003, 06:33 PM

We have til Sunday to get the book or our 40% discount goes bye-bye.

Yes, Mrs. Bub and I will be at Borders at midnight.

oykib · 06-20-2003, 06:52 PM

Can anyone say 'overrated'?. I read the first book. It was okay. But it was fairly standard stuff. How this series has sold seventy-two cajillion copies is beyond me.

To me it seems like everyone is buying and reading it just because everyone else is.

ISiddiqui · 06-20-2003, 07:15 PM

oykib, nope, not in the slightest. I love these books, think they are wonderful! I don't care if 5 people buy them, I'll still get them and continue to do so. After all, I didn't care how many people bought 'Fallout' or 'OOTP5', I still bought them because I like them.

oykib · 06-20-2003, 07:24 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by ISiddiqui
oykib, nope, not in the slightest. I love these books, think they are wonderful! I don't care if 5 people buy them, I'll still get them and continue to do so. After all, I didn't care how many people bought 'Fallout' or 'OOTP5', I still bought them because I like them.

I'm not saying that any particular person is guilty. But, come on, is Harry Potter the best fantasy, best comedy, or even children's book. If it's not even close ( and it's not ), then why has it sold so many copies?

Actually, I don't like Harry Potter very much. The writing is decent. But I don't find it particularly funny. Also, the first book was just filled with bad mesages.

ISiddiqui · 06-20-2003, 07:38 PM

Quote:

But, come on, is Harry Potter the best fantasy, best comedy, or even children's book.

IMO, yes, no, yes

.

I consider it light years ahead of Lord of the Rings, which I believe fits your earlier post better. Everyone reads LotR because everyone else read it.

wbonnell · 06-20-2003, 08:08 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by ISiddiqui
[q]But, come on, is Harry Potter the best fantasy, best comedy, or even children's book.[/q]

IMO, yes, no, yes .

I consider it light years ahead of Lord of the Rings, which I believe fits your earlier post better. Everyone reads LotR because everyone else read it.

The best? Ever? Really?

Better than, say, Huckleberry Finn?

ISiddiqui · 06-20-2003, 08:14 PM

Yes... though I love Huck Finn as well

. In the end, it ain't really a Children's Book is it? I figure it is as much for the adults as it was for the kids for the lessons it gives on race.

I don't think I've ever been more enthralled by any other book that I've ever read. The only book that came close to the 'can't put it down' feeling was Rendezvous with Rama by Arther C. Clarke.

wbonnell · 06-20-2003, 08:22 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by ISiddiqui
Yes... though I love Huck Finn as well . In the end, it ain't really a Children's Book is it? I figure it is as much for the adults as it was for the kids for the lessons it gives on race.

I don't think I've ever been more enthralled by any other book that I've ever read. The only book that came close to the 'can't put it down' feeling was Rendezvous with Rama by Arther C. Clarke.

That's amazing that the book entralled you so. Personally, if I hadn't read them with my son, I probably wouldn't have read past the first novel. For whatever reason, I had difficulty suspending my disbelief. And, before you ask, I *am* a big fan of fantastical literature.

ISiddiqui · 06-20-2003, 08:27 PM

Yeah... I loved them, personally. Couldn't get it away from me. I normally like to read, but this caught me and didn't let go.

oykib · 06-20-2003, 08:29 PM

Harry Potter versus:

Charlotte's Web

Where the Wild Things are

A Game of Thrones

Lord of the Rings

The Belgariad

The Wizard of Oz

Chronicles of Narnia

The Neverending Story

or any number of other books

Harry Potter doesn't stack up to any of them. Tell me the lesson that Harry Potter teaches to make it a classic children's book.

Is the writing on the same level as Martin or Tolkien's work. Tolkien isn't flashy. But it's the original. And it's written for literate people. Potter is fluff. It has no depth. It doesn't mean anything beyond the page. It doesn't stand for anything.

It's like a blockbuster movie. I really like "The Matrix" but I'm not going to saty that it's the greatest film ever produced.

Anrhydeddu · 06-20-2003, 08:35 PM

Me neither but all from that list, I enjoyed Harry Potter the most. When it comes down to it, it what makes you happy or enjoyed entertainment. It shouldn't be about elitism or having to accept what academic critics call intelligent reading.

wbonnell · 06-20-2003, 08:35 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by oykib

Tell me the lesson that Harry Potter teaches to make it a classic children's book.

Excellent point! What will my son learn from reading Harry Potter?

Anrhydeddu · 06-20-2003, 08:37 PM

That reading is fun and imaginative?

wbonnell · 06-20-2003, 08:37 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Anrhydeddu
Me neither but all from that list, I enjoyed Harry Potter the most. When it comes down to it, it what makes you happy or enjoyed entertainment. It shouldn't be about elitism or having to accept what academic critics call intelligent reading.

True, but it also shouldn't be what society says is good either. Just because HP sells millions of books does NOT make it quality. I didn't find it the least bit entertaining to tell the truth. THe only redeeming value I got by reading them was time spent with my son.

wbonnell · 06-20-2003, 08:38 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Anrhydeddu
That reading is fun and imaginative?

That's important, of course, but I sure wish there was a lesson to be learned(no matter how subtle). Harry Potter seems too cookie-cutter for me.

oykib · 06-20-2003, 08:39 PM

I don't apologize for liking "The Matrix". I'm not saying that no one should read the Potter books. But if you could pick one book for, seemingly, everyone in the universe to read, would you pick Harry Potter?

You really like Harry Potter more than everything on that list? It certainly is true that there is no accounting for taste.

wbonnell · 06-20-2003, 08:41 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by oykib
I don't apologize for liking "The Matrix". I'm not saying that no one should read the Potter books. But if you could pick one book for, seemingly, everyone in the universe to read, would you pick Harry Potter?

You really like Harry Potter more than everything on that list? It certainly is true that there is no accounting for taste.

And how many books on that list have most Harry Potter fanatics read?

wbonnell · 06-20-2003, 08:42 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Anrhydeddu
Me neither but all from that list, I enjoyed Harry Potter the most. When it comes down to it, it what makes you happy or enjoyed entertainment. It shouldn't be about elitism or having to accept what academic critics call intelligent reading.

did you read "A Game of Thrones" bucc? If so, I don't believe your above claim.

Anrhydeddu · 06-20-2003, 08:44 PM

Careful now. Most of those books on that list were either too convulted or written in a more verbose style that makes it harder to follow. Those are all very quality books but we weren't talking about that. I was just pointing out a single criteria of fun or enjoyment. Same thing with movies or games. I rank my favorites solely on how much pleasure I got from view or playing them over and over - not whether they are the best or even the best quality. That would be a different list.

Anrhydeddu · 06-20-2003, 08:48 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by wbonnell
did you read "A Game of Thrones" bucc? If so, I don't believe your above claim.

I didn't say I read all of them (most I read or tried to before I got bored). But I will check out "A Game of Thrones". You guys know I read a lot of non-fiction history books. Every once in a while, I like much more light and fun reading. That's why I really enjoyed Harry Potter (at least the first two) and Clive Cussler.

oykib · 06-20-2003, 08:50 PM

By the way, your sons and daughters will learn many valuable lessons from Harry Potter.

They'll learn that if you are a misfit, you should wait until the magical man comes on his magical motorcycle to tell you that you are rich, powerful, and talented. Don't worry about earning anything through your own merit. Once you go to magic school you'll find out that you are the Ronaldo of Quiddich.

Also you'll learn to treat the booksmart, hard-working girl badly because she's no fun. Then you'll learn to accept her when she strarts to show tendencies to slack off and disregard the rules (just like you); particularly the ones that involve her joining you on dangerous outings.

Also I shouldn't forget to mention that they'll learn that you can always count on good old Dumbledore to haul their asses out of the fire when they get into dangerous situations by disregarding the rules.

Actually, Harry Potter is a very nice guy on the books. But I think that children's books teach messages. They either teach the valuable message that the author put there on purpose, or they teach whatever crap a careless storyteller happened to put in there.

All the kids reading the books want to be Harry. It would have been nice if there was something about Harry to admire that would actually be of benefit to the kids to emulate.

06-20-2003, 12:06 PM	#2
TroyF Grizzled Veteran Join Date: Oct 2000	Marmel, I love the show Monk. A really terrific show IMO. TroyF __________________ TAF1972 on XBOX LIVE http://pro-football-blog.com/

06-20-2003, 12:18 PM	#4
Easy Mac Coordinator Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: G-vegas, SC	Luckily, my woman asn't read Harry Potter (she says she wants to though ) And what is up with women reading Harry Potter. Almost every female I know swear by it, but most guys I know don't like it. Oh, and Monk kicks ass. __________________ Movies Music Books

06-20-2003, 01:35 PM	#13
bbor Pro Starter Join Date: May 2001 Location: toronto	My Wife works at Chapters(Borders of the north)...They are closing thier store at 10PM tonight...Then Ticket holders will be allowed into the store to line up at the cahs register..so at 12pm they are allowed to purchase their copy of Potter. There will also be a line-up outside for NON-ticket holders.....they get to wait in line until all the people who paid for tickets purchase their book..then they will be let in to purchase theirs. They have 27 000 copies at the store..and she thinks they will run out sometime on Saturday afternoon.1/3 of those copies are pre-orders. Amazon.com has stated that they already have pre-orders for 1million copies......this thing is crazy .... Oh ya...she is closing the store at 2:30 AM...is that crazy??...a book store open till 2 AM??It is worth it though..harry Potter will assure her store will make bonus..which means mucho dinero __________________ Pumpy Tudors Now that I've cracked and made that admission, I wonder if I'm only a couple of steps away from wanting to tongue-kiss Jaromir Jagr and give Bobby Clarke a blowjob.

06-20-2003, 01:47 PM	#16
ISiddiqui Head Coach Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: Decatur, GA	Monk is a great show! You have your VCR, you can watch the show later, it's all good . Harry Potter is great as well... but I ain't standing in line to get it. I'll pick it up this weekend, or if it sold out, then during the week or something (I bet there will be another shipment on Monday). __________________ "A prayer for the wild at heart, kept in cages" -Tennessee Williams

06-20-2003, 02:05 PM	#17
JeeberD General Manager Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: The Town of Flower Mound	I've enjoyed the Potter movies, but I have yet to read the books. A friend of mine at work keeps telling me that I need to read them and that she'll lend me her copies, but I'm not sure if I want to. Oh, and my mom loves the books too. I don't think my girlfriend has read them, though... __________________ UTEP Miners!!! I solemnly swear to never cheer for TO

06-20-2003, 12:13 PM	#3
scooper College Benchwarmer Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: Cinn City	I'll be with my wife at Barnes and Noble.

06-20-2003, 12:20 PM	#5
scooper College Benchwarmer Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: Cinn City	I've read the books. They're not bad. I just don't want to wait in line at midnight with a bunch of kids to get one. It's not like the book won't be there later.

06-20-2003, 12:31 PM	#6
Craptacular College Starter Join Date: Oct 2001 Location: The Mad City, WI	Why would anyone wait in a horrendously long line to buy a frickin' book or see a new movie when it comes out ... don't worry, they're not gonna make changes to them anytime soon. I just don't understand this phenomenon.

06-20-2003, 12:56 PM	#8
tucker342 Pro Starter Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Iowa City, IA	I would never, ever wait in line to get a book, unless I got sex because I waited in line, than I would

06-20-2003, 12:59 PM	#10
Anrhydeddu Resident Curmudgeon Join Date: Oct 2002	I still don't understand why anyone would wait in line at midnight if they are not going to be staying up all night reading the book. Trust me, there will be lots of them on the shelves this weekend during normal store hours.

06-20-2003, 01:41 PM	#14
Franklinnoble Banned Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Placerville, CA	My wife and I read them with our kid (well, kids, if you count the bun in the oven) We're looking forward to the new book, but we're not making special plans for it or anything. We'll probably go to Costco on Saturday and pick it up at a nice discount. Whether that's before or after we catch a matinee of "The Hulk" I haven't determined yet.

06-20-2003, 01:41 PM	#15
albionmoonlight Grizzled Veteran Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: North Carolina	I think Harry Potter is great and . . . [checks pants] I'm a man. I will not, however, be up until Midnight for the fun of standing in line.

06-20-2003, 02:06 PM	#18
ISiddiqui Head Coach Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: Decatur, GA	Definetly read the books... they are 10 times better than the movies. Great stuff . __________________ "A prayer for the wild at heart, kept in cages" -Tennessee Williams

06-20-2003, 02:09 PM	#19
Craptacular College Starter Join Date: Oct 2001 Location: The Mad City, WI	Never saw the movie(s?). Never read the books. Never want to.

06-20-2003, 02:24 PM	#20
sterlingice Hall Of Famer Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Back in Houston!	Ok, if you're waiting in line for something retail unless it's, say, medication you can't do without... that's just crazy. Maybe on the day after Thanksgiving when you can get some stuff for half off but they only have ludicrously limited quantities. It's an f'ing book! Now I know I haven't read them (I liked both movies a lot, tho) but... no, there's no way. I love video games, for instance, but I didn't run down to Wal Mart or Best Buy and wait six hours in line for them to open up when Zelda came out. I love Monk, too. The title of this thread, however, just makes me laugh. My mind immediately jumped to an image of a nerd with a broom trying to hit a grown nerd who keeps running around trying to avoid human contact. SI __________________ Houston Hippopotami, III.3: 20th Anniversary Thread - All former HT players are encouraged to check it out! Gamenikki - News editor and Nintendo reviewer Janos: "Only America could produce an imbecile of your caliber!" Freakazoid: "That's because we make lots of things better than other people!" Last edited by sterlingice : 06-20-2003 at 02:26 PM.

06-20-2003, 02:26 PM	#21
scooper College Benchwarmer Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: Cinn City	Anybody here remember hitting refresh for hours waiting for FOF2k1 or TCY?

06-20-2003, 02:56 PM	#23
scooper College Benchwarmer Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: Cinn City	I'll probably end up sleeping on one of the store's couches.

06-20-2003, 03:29 PM	#24
Anrhydeddu Resident Curmudgeon Join Date: Oct 2002	You know, I wonder if I can avoid knowing any spoilers (like who died). I still have to read books 3 and 4 before I can read 5. I seriously doubt it though.

06-20-2003, 03:34 PM	#25
Marmel Grizzled Veteran Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: Manchester, CT	I skipped the books and watched the movies. The first one was brilliant. I thought the second one sucked. I was looking forward to it too. Not that I went to the theatres to see them, so I wasn't that looking forward to it. __________________ 81-78 Cincinnati basketball writer P. Daugherty, "Connor Barwin playing several minutes against Syracuse is like kids with slingshots taking down Caesar's legions."

06-20-2003, 03:39 PM	#26
ISiddiqui Head Coach Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: Decatur, GA	That's kinda funny, because I thought the 2nd book was head and shoulders over the 1st one. Though many consider the 2nd book to be the worst, I liked it a lot. __________________ "A prayer for the wild at heart, kept in cages" -Tennessee Williams

06-20-2003, 03:59 PM	#27
Anrhydeddu Resident Curmudgeon Join Date: Oct 2002	I, too, thought the first movie was much better than the second. The CoS movie, imo, had two significant flaws: the whole spider scene and that basalisk were so stupid. I felt there were no flaws in the first movie and that Voldemorts scene at the end of movie 1 was one of the best scenes of all, much better than the stupid finale with Voldemort in movie 2. Fwiw.

06-20-2003, 06:06 PM	#29
Arles Grey Dog Software Join Date: Nov 2000 Location: Phoenix, AZ by way of Belleville, IL	From now on, I would preorder it on Amazon.com. My wife did that and she will have it tomorrow morning and for a pretty significant discount. Plus, no lines Arlie __________________ Developer of Bowl Bound College Football http://www.greydogsoftware.com

06-20-2003, 06:33 PM	#30
vtbub College Starter Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: Burlington, VT USA	We have til Sunday to get the book or our 40% discount goes bye-bye. Yes, Mrs. Bub and I will be at Borders at midnight. __________________

06-20-2003, 06:52 PM	#31
oykib College Starter Join Date: Oct 2000	Can anyone say 'overrated'?. I read the first book. It was okay. But it was fairly standard stuff. How this series has sold seventy-two cajillion copies is beyond me. To me it seems like everyone is buying and reading it just because everyone else is.

06-20-2003, 07:15 PM	#32
ISiddiqui Head Coach Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: Decatur, GA	oykib, nope, not in the slightest. I love these books, think they are wonderful! I don't care if 5 people buy them, I'll still get them and continue to do so. After all, I didn't care how many people bought 'Fallout' or 'OOTP5', I still bought them because I like them. __________________ "A prayer for the wild at heart, kept in cages" -Tennessee Williams

06-20-2003, 08:14 PM	#36
ISiddiqui Head Coach Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: Decatur, GA	Yes... though I love Huck Finn as well . In the end, it ain't really a Children's Book is it? I figure it is as much for the adults as it was for the kids for the lessons it gives on race. I don't think I've ever been more enthralled by any other book that I've ever read. The only book that came close to the 'can't put it down' feeling was Rendezvous with Rama by Arther C. Clarke. __________________ "A prayer for the wild at heart, kept in cages" -Tennessee Williams Last edited by ISiddiqui : 06-20-2003 at 08:18 PM.

06-20-2003, 08:27 PM	#38
ISiddiqui Head Coach Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: Decatur, GA	Yeah... I loved them, personally. Couldn't get it away from me. I normally like to read, but this caught me and didn't let go. __________________ "A prayer for the wild at heart, kept in cages" -Tennessee Williams

06-20-2003, 08:29 PM	#39
oykib College Starter Join Date: Oct 2000	Harry Potter versus: Charlotte's Web Where the Wild Things are A Game of Thrones Lord of the Rings The Belgariad The Wizard of Oz Chronicles of Narnia The Neverending Story or any number of other books Harry Potter doesn't stack up to any of them. Tell me the lesson that Harry Potter teaches to make it a classic children's book. Is the writing on the same level as Martin or Tolkien's work. Tolkien isn't flashy. But it's the original. And it's written for literate people. Potter is fluff. It has no depth. It doesn't mean anything beyond the page. It doesn't stand for anything. It's like a blockbuster movie. I really like "The Matrix" but I'm not going to saty that it's the greatest film ever produced.

06-20-2003, 08:35 PM	#40
Anrhydeddu Resident Curmudgeon Join Date: Oct 2002	Me neither but all from that list, I enjoyed Harry Potter the most. When it comes down to it, it what makes you happy or enjoyed entertainment. It shouldn't be about elitism or having to accept what academic critics call intelligent reading.

06-20-2003, 08:37 PM	#42
Anrhydeddu Resident Curmudgeon Join Date: Oct 2002	That reading is fun and imaginative?

06-20-2003, 08:39 PM	#45
oykib College Starter Join Date: Oct 2000	I don't apologize for liking "The Matrix". I'm not saying that no one should read the Potter books. But if you could pick one book for, seemingly, everyone in the universe to read, would you pick Harry Potter? You really like Harry Potter more than everything on that list? It certainly is true that there is no accounting for taste.

06-20-2003, 08:44 PM	#48
Anrhydeddu Resident Curmudgeon Join Date: Oct 2002	Careful now. Most of those books on that list were either too convulted or written in a more verbose style that makes it harder to follow. Those are all very quality books but we weren't talking about that. I was just pointing out a single criteria of fun or enjoyment. Same thing with movies or games. I rank my favorites solely on how much pleasure I got from view or playing them over and over - not whether they are the best or even the best quality. That would be a different list.

06-20-2003, 08:50 PM	#50
oykib College Starter Join Date: Oct 2000	By the way, your sons and daughters will learn many valuable lessons from Harry Potter. They'll learn that if you are a misfit, you should wait until the magical man comes on his magical motorcycle to tell you that you are rich, powerful, and talented. Don't worry about earning anything through your own merit. Once you go to magic school you'll find out that you are the Ronaldo of Quiddich. Also you'll learn to treat the booksmart, hard-working girl badly because she's no fun. Then you'll learn to accept her when she strarts to show tendencies to slack off and disregard the rules (just like you); particularly the ones that involve her joining you on dangerous outings. Also I shouldn't forget to mention that they'll learn that you can always count on good old Dumbledore to haul their asses out of the fire when they get into dangerous situations by disregarding the rules. Actually, Harry Potter is a very nice guy on the books. But I think that children's books teach messages. They either teach the valuable message that the author put there on purpose, or they teach whatever crap a careless storyteller happened to put in there. All the kids reading the books want to be Harry. It would have been nice if there was something about Harry to admire that would actually be of benefit to the kids to emulate. Last edited by oykib : 06-20-2003 at 08:53 PM.

Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)