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Harry Potter
Jun. 28th, 2017 01:35 pmIt's the 20th anniversary for the first "Harry Potter" novel. It only goes back 20 years?
"You liked Harry Potter? Really? That's like the first cool thing I have learned about you."
No, no, I was never the least tempted.
"What a surprise! I guess it's too hard to fit it in with all those president books."
It's just that Potter-mania was always a big noise factor in the background of my life and interests, in the news, that is - so popular and talked about. Even though I never read the books myself, it still feels like a part of my life.
And I don't just read presidential biographies.
"It seems like it. Mostly."
Hmm, actually, now that I think about it, you might have a point there. But it's not so much about the presidents.
"What, the White House furniture is the draw?"
It's just that the presidency, I guess, is the central fulcrum of American politics, as well as contemporary international affairs.
But I take your point. Maybe I should seek greener pastures. To think, I am angling to get a Thomas Jefferson biography, too, "The Art of Power", I think it's called. But I don't know. I guess it is subject-matter that most reliably keeps my interest. I cannot go too wrong there.
"You see, I think Harry Potter is much more meaningful and a more fun use of time."
I don't doubt it.
"Dead presidents are great for your wallet and for shopping, but why would you want to spend much time in mausoleums. Museums filled with dinosaur bones would be better!"
Maybe I should steer harder toward literary waters. But the fishing there can be more hit and miss. And it's kind of late in the day to try to change my ways. Poetry, for instance, is always tempting (short works, no standards), but I have tried that route any number of times over the decades and never could get my footing there.
Heh, maybe I really am more of a White House groupie than a literature groupie. I am not really happy with that self-image. It does sound kind of dull-geeky.
"LOL How surprising! Look in the mirror, dude! You just nailed it."
Well, in truth, I have been double-tracking.
"Double what??"
Striding both worlds. Right now, for instance, my two main books are Blumenthal's "Clinton Wars" and Hayman's biography on Thomas Mann. So, it's not just presidents, really. It's just that when it comes to the presidency, I know the next two or three or half-dozen books I want to get, whereas my more literary forays are driven more by the mood and the moment. When I finish the Mann biography, for instance, I won't have anything hot & ready to go. I will have no idea where to turn next. I will need to be inspired: what is my soul most hungry for? Where will I find those beautiful words that will beguile me almost as much as a pretty face smiling at me?
You understand, baby, don't you?
"I understand."
"You liked Harry Potter? Really? That's like the first cool thing I have learned about you."
No, no, I was never the least tempted.
"What a surprise! I guess it's too hard to fit it in with all those president books."
It's just that Potter-mania was always a big noise factor in the background of my life and interests, in the news, that is - so popular and talked about. Even though I never read the books myself, it still feels like a part of my life.
And I don't just read presidential biographies.
"It seems like it. Mostly."
Hmm, actually, now that I think about it, you might have a point there. But it's not so much about the presidents.
"What, the White House furniture is the draw?"
It's just that the presidency, I guess, is the central fulcrum of American politics, as well as contemporary international affairs.
But I take your point. Maybe I should seek greener pastures. To think, I am angling to get a Thomas Jefferson biography, too, "The Art of Power", I think it's called. But I don't know. I guess it is subject-matter that most reliably keeps my interest. I cannot go too wrong there.
"You see, I think Harry Potter is much more meaningful and a more fun use of time."
I don't doubt it.
"Dead presidents are great for your wallet and for shopping, but why would you want to spend much time in mausoleums. Museums filled with dinosaur bones would be better!"
Maybe I should steer harder toward literary waters. But the fishing there can be more hit and miss. And it's kind of late in the day to try to change my ways. Poetry, for instance, is always tempting (short works, no standards), but I have tried that route any number of times over the decades and never could get my footing there.
Heh, maybe I really am more of a White House groupie than a literature groupie. I am not really happy with that self-image. It does sound kind of dull-geeky.
"LOL How surprising! Look in the mirror, dude! You just nailed it."
Well, in truth, I have been double-tracking.
"Double what??"
Striding both worlds. Right now, for instance, my two main books are Blumenthal's "Clinton Wars" and Hayman's biography on Thomas Mann. So, it's not just presidents, really. It's just that when it comes to the presidency, I know the next two or three or half-dozen books I want to get, whereas my more literary forays are driven more by the mood and the moment. When I finish the Mann biography, for instance, I won't have anything hot & ready to go. I will have no idea where to turn next. I will need to be inspired: what is my soul most hungry for? Where will I find those beautiful words that will beguile me almost as much as a pretty face smiling at me?
You understand, baby, don't you?
"I understand."
