Posted on 07/15/2005 10:25:17 PM PDT by Williams
Well the new Harry Potter book has arrived and I can report the first page of the first chapter contains an obvious jab at our president. The book begins with the British Prime Minister awaiting a phone call from the "President" of an unnamed distant country, and wondering when the "wretched man" would call.
As a fan of the books and for that matter of Rowling's personal story and success, I'm saddened that liberal madness had to invade this children's classic. The first chapter was otherwise perfectly enjoyable.
I'm not saying anything else in the chapter was intentionally connected to current events, but I had to draw the comparison with what has ended up in British headlines at the same time as the book release. In the book, the Prime Minister is dealing with unexplained events, at least some of which could be terrorist like. Indeed, they are the work of sinister forces. Whereas I'm sure in this book series, ultimate help will come from the wizarding world, in reality Britain needs the support of the leader J.K. Rowling refers to as that "wretched man." How sadly misguided.
A lady on an email list pointed out that the books seem to have grown with its readers. That the first is at a fourth grade level. The second and fifth grade level. And so on from there.
Yea, reading fiction is going to educate me.
Where do you live Compton?
"Yea, reading fiction is going to educate me."
The use of fiction to infiltrate the culture
is as old as literature itself. Look at the
stories of the American Indians. They are
lock, stock and barrel morality tales used
to frighten and educate as well as entertain.
SPOILER!!!
I's only a book of fiction by that wretched woman JK Rowling.
;o)
I'll stick to reading non-fiction. least then I feel like i'm not totally wasing my time.
wasting even
She lost, badly, as in the "the plaintiff will pay JK Rowling and Scholastic Books for wasting their time"
Basicaly
1. The claimed similariies were absurd "I had a castle of stone, with doors and windows and rooms and she has a castle of stone, with doors and windows and rooms "
2. She could not actually prove that Rowling could have seen her work, or that anyone esle did, or that it existed before 2000
3. That fact the "original draft" she put in evidecne was found to have been printed by computer hardware not available until the late 90s rasied some questions about its authenticity.
5. There was also the question if Rowling was going to steal, would she steal from Stouffer? Stouffer is a monumentally bad writer and her book is appallingly bad in every respect.
"I'll stick to reading non-fiction. least then I feel like i'm not totally wasing my time."
Your loss.
Lots of countries have "Presidents" -- why would you assume it's Bush?
Phew! At least you call her a tenth rate Roald Dahl. That's something. When I mention any resemblance between the styles people usually say there is no resemblance at all.
NO.. My gain.
Some people claim Wm Shakspeare stole his plots from other works
Currently the British PM would tend to find the French or German President to be more of a wretched man' than the American Pres.
I am writing a book about Palpatine at the moment. It isn't left wing.
Regards, Ivan
Honestly, though, are there really any original ideas anymore? I think whether conciously or subconciously all fiction authors have some elements from other stories. Even if just fairy tales.
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