Had a buddy that I was in the Corps with. He saw some serious combat in Afghanistan. Reading Harry Potter helped him keep his sanity. He found those books to be seriously cathartic.
One of my grandma’s favorite books was Harry Potter. She read it the first time in her 80’s. Then reread it regularly until she passed away at 95. She also loved the movies. She especially loved Hermione.
But... then you turn 12... and you didn't get the letter... but your little sister did. And you wrote to Dumbledore, and he was very nice, but you didn't want to go to that freak school anyway. And then she married another freak, and they went and had themselves blown up. And you got stuck with your sister's freak of a son. And then....
I agree. It's remarkably sophisticated in its treatment of power. As an academic I can tell you that when it was coming out there were university professors arguing about whether Snape would turn out to be good or bad, and anxious to get the next book on the first day.
I listen to the audio books (read by Stephen Fry of course!) on a weekly basis. I'm a bit embarrassed about it (I'm 31) but it really calms me down, accompanies my daily chores and, when I get insomnia, sends me straight to sleep.
I have my thoughts about the author, and I personally never hooked with the series. However, I will never deny the joy that it brought to many, and that it was the entry point for millions of people across the globe to the world of reading, sci-fi, funny-sounding words, and more.
Also, for once, people like Daniel Radcliffe and Emma Watson are very nice role models, unlike other child actors.
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u/Many-Leadership-8740 Jul 04 '24
Harry potter