Book Snob
I started reading the Harry Potter series – reluctantly. It was one of those book phenomenons that fascinated me and I wanted to know what the fuss was about. On the other hand, I used to belong to a bookclub and was still aware of the precious moments I had wasted reading absolute crap at the request of other members.
I am a book snob.
I am not a wine snob, a fashion snob or a gourmand. However, I do select my books with care. My time spent reading these days are in between picking up children or while on route to the garden. I’m picky because this time is precious to me.
(Yes, I am also a walking reader.
No, I have not ever walked into anyone, anything or off the sidewalk into traffic. I’m a mother. I can multi-task.)
However, this time the trailer of the most recent Harry Potter film looked good. So good, in fact, that I re-read the book previous to it, rented the movie and then read the book that links to July’s movie. I was doing research; I was looking up definitions for curses, ingredients for potions and perusing through wizarding family trees.
I have found that I am only slightly more addicted to the books than I am to the Harry Potter Wiki online.
So I’m declaring “uncle” to J.K. Rowling. Woman, you got me. I’m now 3/4 through Deathly Hallows and I’ll be sad once it’s done. I’m even thinking of coordinating a trip to Ontario to see a friend at the same time as the first part of the final movie comes out (yes, they are doing this in two parts – ooooh, how exciting! I’m tingling!).
I’m not going to read that vampire series though.
I simply refuse.
Welcome to the club, my friend. I read each one as they come out, on a recommendation from my students. I got dad hooked too. Then I reread the whole series last summer, just ’cause. So sad it’s over! Dad says that Slughorn is the best in the current movie…we will see.
I refuse the vampire series too. I’ve listened to too many CBC reporters/personalities cut it up to take it seriously. Harry, though, I love it. The Deathly Hallows is my favorite. It is really satisfying. I have no idea why obsessing over these books is so — I don’t know what, but it just is. I am not a book snob. I read anything and everything. It kind of amazes me how undiscriminating I am. Even crap I don’t care about like automobile maintenance books I will read. Anyway, I don’t really like to go on and on about how much I like Harry Potter, but I do.
This site kind of boggles my mind: http://www.hp-lexicon.org/timeline.html
And yes, COME TO ONTARIO!
Jen, I applaud your lack of book snobbery but trust me, automobile maintenance books and even phone books, which I know you are prone to read as well, are nothing that I would turn my nose up for. It’s the fiction. The horrible fiction. Two particular books come to mind. Time I will never get back.
Trans Sister Radio – looks like it will be a eye opening book that shows you a part of life you might not have experienced otherwise but really? Utter crap – and quite close minded in it’s “open-mindedness”.
Continuity Girl – Chick Lit. The worst kind. The kind where the author is trying to Carrie Bradshaw. There is only one Carrie Bradshaw and her time has passed. Let it go.
but that lexicon link you sent me?
wow. wowowowowowowowowowowowowow.
Chantel – I’m excited to see the movie. I gotta get out there before it leaves the theatres!
It’s amazing the information in a phone book actually, especially in a city you don’t know. I confess that I too cannot stand bad fiction either. I can read a lot of different genres, even ones I don’t necessary like, but not if the book is crap. For example, I would never claim to like westerns, but I loved lonesome dove. There you have it.
yippee, my oldest daughter has a Facebook group called “Harry Potter is better than Twilight” She is a huge fan…
Wow I missing some vital Harry Potter gene. I read a lot, we go to the library every week and I pick a book up every week (fiction/non fiction, whatever I can get my hands on quickly that looks interesting) and then I grab a bunch of magazines (National Geographic Traveler is my favorite, because I can dream can’t I?). I always finish them by the next library day. BUT I can not get into a single Harry Potter book, none the less finish one. It isn’t that they are badly written or anything, I just can’t get through the first chapter without thinking, “eh, I don’t want to read this”. I am wierd.
So, let´s make an on line club called Book Snobs and I will be first to join (if you excuse me
) – then we could argue about the crappiest books we have spent OUR MOST PRECIOUS TIME dealing with.
The problem is, I am a book addict, and when I read something that I HATE, I just hate myself for the time spent finding it out.
Then, If Freud doesn´t explain it, maybe AMAZON does!
I admit to reading, buying and re-reading Those Vampire Books (yes, even the on-line one) but what I love best about them is how easy they are to snark on, there are a couple of websites that have me in tears because, yes, they are so awesome to make fun of. I enjoyed them, but do not consider them Must Reads by any margin at all.
As for Harry? I love them. LOVE them. I can’t wait for Theya to be ready to read them (or me to read them to her -I tried once but her attention span wasn’t ready). I think some of the appeal (at least to me) is the British Humour: in the middle of thwarting Voldemort and the Death Eaters, Ron gets attacked by brains. Despite the success and serious plot to the stories, JKR refuses to take herself too seriously.
The Half-Blood Prince has always been my favorite of the books (hopeless romantic) and the movie is the best made one yet. Yes, Slughorn is fabulous. I am also VERY glad they’re making the last book into 2 movies -I wish they could have with the last few of them (the first ones covered enough, imo).
I’m just relieved that the two books that were the most memorable time wasters for you were not part of the book club that I was in with you…or were they, and they were so bad I blocked them from my brain? I do remmeber reading the book you choose and thinking that your literary brain was a few steps beyond me – but I was super grateful for the challenge.
As for being a walking reader!? There is a really cute guy (oh about 15 years younger than me) on my street who is constantly walking and reading. I just stare and stare – this type of multitasking is so fascinating…
What struck me was your comment about walking and reading. I’ve tried that; can’t do it. I once went jogging and it started to rain. I loved the feel of the rain on my face, so I closed my eye for a moment while I ran, and promptly fell of the path and into a patch of muddy grass.
I recently read, “Still Alice”. It’s beautifully written, powerful and moving.
There is nothing wrong with THE Vampire books. Don’t be in of those people who doesn’t read things is listen to music because everybody likes it. I had no idea they were a phenomenon when I picked them up. I enjoyed them muchly. They are engaging, intimate with an element of fantasy in there thatbus entertaining and decently written. I do not confine your book snobbery.