But I can handle it. Because I know my people I am getting eye rolls from love me and I love them - so what's a few eye rolls between friends. Maybe even a few sighs....
Alrighty....
Harry Potter, books 1-7 by J.K. Rowling - So...these books are the basis for Justin's literature study this year. Yes...I'm serious.
I chose the image with the British titles because I feel strongly that the change in the title of the first book didn't help anyone and actually made Americans seem pretty ignorant. But that's neither here, nor there.... I re-read all of the books in September and October. Yep, I still like them - and actually even more as I see more of the tradition of English literature glowing throughout. But I'm a lit junkie - I love that stuff - the symbolism and such that is rampant in these stories - the same symbolism that authors such as Shakespeare, Chaucer, Dante, Lewis, Tolkien, Coleridge, need I go on??? - have used for hundreds of years to portray the framework of Christianity, the Great Story, in story. These stories are deep - and layered - multi-layered - and brilliant - and yes, edifying to the soul. If anyone wants to have a deeper conversation about why Harry is a profitable read, I'm all over it. Just ask. 10
Harry Potter's Bookshelf by John Granger - So, as I was saying, the Harry Potter books were very much influenced by what their author read, which was a lot of the Great Books of Western Lit. 9
The Gospel According to Harry Potter by Connie Neal - Another book for Justin's "class", I actually found this one annoying a bit. I do believe the Christian themes are obvious in the stories, but Neal seems to reach a bit too far for my taste in making exact "this means this" accountings. I didn't agree with several of her thoughts - I thought them too simplistic. But Justin thought she was reaching on purpose as a rebuff to the "reaching" done to find occultic themes in the stories. Maybe so - there was certainly much reaching done in that regard. 6
How Harry Casts His Spell by John Granger - All of these are for Justin's class - this is the one that gets into the tradition of the stories from English and symbolist lit as well as framework and themes that are quite eye-opening...in a good way. And since nothing JK did is new, I am understanding with greater depth other great works of literature - which is the point of this class for Justin.
The Deathly Hallows Lectures by John Granger - Advanced Lit Class - 400 level - made my head hurt, but in a "this is really cool" sort of way. I can't even go into the details except to say that few will want to pursue the depths to this degree, but those of us who are "lit junkies" will, and will then find keys that will help to unlock many more of the Great books. As I have said before....
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