Harry Potter
I finally started reading the Harry Potter books. I know, horribly late, how could I wait so long?, out of the loop, blah, blah, blah. The truth of the matter was that, when the books were all in fad, I was too busy reading other stuff regarding art, art history, teaching, cultural studies, technology and other mumbo jumbo to finish my California credential, National Board certification, then master’s degree. After that came the “O crap, do I really know how to be a parent?” books. The only fiction that filtered through all of those years was the Ender and Bean series by Orson Scott Card, a bunch of David Sedaris, and some random books that I started reading by chance and simply couldn’t put down.
I admit, I’ve seen all the Harry Potter movies that have come out. So, I’m doing things backwards by doing movies first and books second. I’m okay with that.
In retrospect, I’m actually glad that I waited for two reasons. First, I like being different from the culture and that means sometimes I purposefully avoid things that are “cool” just because they are so. Do your own psychological analysis on why I’m like that, but I’ve always been a tad rebellious and I figure this is a healthier way to rebel than other potential ways. Second, because now I can just plow through all the books without having to wait with baited breath for the next book to come out. They are all out and I can read them as quickly or leisurely as I want. I think this is why I don’t watch television anymore. I wait for the complete series of a show to come out (or a complete season, or at least individual shows), then I watch it at my own pace on Hulu or through Netflix. I guess this is just how I roll these days. I like to be in control of my viewing/reading pace rather than be at the whim of what the industry thinks is the most profitable and possible way to feed their media to the public. I digress…
So, the first book, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, was quite good. I quick little read. I loved all of the little details in it that the movie did not have. I am almost done with the second book, Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets.
Funny thing is that I told Josh I wanted to read the book, then watch the movie, then read the next book, and watch that movie, and so on. Well, we started watching the Sorcerer’s Stone movie yesterday, but I was reading The Chamber of Secrets. I’d watch part of Sorcerer’s Stone, then Caleb would wake up and I’d read Chamber of Secrets while I nursed him back down. Then I’d go downstairs to watch some more Sorcerer’s Stone, only to have Caleb wake up again, so I’d read some more Chamber of Secrets while getting him back to sleep, then back downstairs to watch the Sorcerer’s Stone. My brain had to work really hard not to confuse the plots.
And seriously, I must say that the Harry Potter series is perfectly cast. Especially Alan Rickman as Professor Severus Snape. Seriously. That dude’s awesome.
All of this being said, I’m enjoying the books. Hopefully I’ll be able to get my hands on books 3 & 4 to read at the stuga this weekend.