I Am Finally Reading the Harry Potter Books
Posted by David Duhr in 
In case you’re curious.
I’m also reading Gerald Murnane’s Inland, on the strength of this review from J.M. Coetzee. So far, it is a slog. But Coeztee says he also struggled with the beginning.
Recently finished John Williams’ Stoner, which was fantastic. Farm boy discovers literature and leads an almost totally undistinguished career as an assistant professor of literature. Quiet, moving. Everything you’ve heard about how good it is, is true.
Also knocked out Karolina Waclawiak’s How to Get Into the Twin Palms, the opening line of which we’re discussing here.
And I’m about 2/3 of the way through Will in the World: How Shakespeare Became Shakespeare. It’s so-so. I’m having difficulty returning to it. Much more interesting is Mark Anderson’s Shakespeare By Another Name, in which he presents a compelling case for Edward de Vere as the real Shakespeare. Though I’d hope to never allow Shakespeare’s true identity to affect my approach to his (or their) work.
Fighting for a spot in the on-deck circle are Philipp Meyer’s The Son, Coover’s The Universal Baseball Association, Inc., J. Henry Waugh, Prop., Literary Rogues from Andrew Shaffer (“A scandalous history of wayward author”? Yes, please), and the Library of America Vonnegut collection, 1963-1973.
Any recommendations, gang? What’s on your nightstand at the moment?
Why read the books when you can just watch the movies?
Interestingly, I am reading something I would deem the “grown-up” version of Harry Potter: Mr. Penumbra’s 24-Hour Bookstore by Robin Sloan. So far I am digging its intersection of old-school bookselling and new-school Google-mapping of the entire known universe.
Our pal Nico at ChamberFour didn’t care much for that one: http://chamberfour.com/2012/11/30/review-mr-penumbras-24-hour-bookstore/
I was planning to read that book, but the review put me off it. Lemme know where you land.
And stop reading Grown Up books, LR!
Spoilers, eh? I’ll have to read that review once I finish the book and see what he has to say. But I’ve read about his feelings on the mystery-that’s-not-a-mystery, and if it relates to that, I can see his beef.
Okay, I’ll make sure to let Nico know that you can see his beef!
Oh my goodness, so many! I am THIS close to finishing “Love in the Time of Cholera” which had been on my must-read list for longer than I care to admit. I am also reading 4 craft books simultaneously: 2 on plot and 2 on writer’s block. (Yes, folks, here at WriteByNight, we are always studying up on how best to help you.) I recently wrapped up Jerome Stern’s “Making Shapely Fiction” of which I’m a big fan. “Stoner” will be next.
I have literary ADD.
I read the HP books last year (under severe pressure from my wife). Loved them.
Now I’m rereading the Stephen King Dark Tower series, because I hear he’s writing another sequel–even though he swore on a stack of Bibles that he was done with that one. Money-grubbing a-hole? Or a writer who just can’t let his own creation ride off into the sunset?
He’s also releasing a sequel to The Shining later this year. Keep an eye on that.
I spent New Year’s Eve of … ’04 maybe, reading the “final” entry in that series. I’d like to have that night back now: if I’d known there’d just be more books, I might’ve gone out instead.
[…] couple of weeks ago I mentioned that, yes, I am finally reading the Harry Potter books, something I vowed to do in 2012 but didn’t, because I’m a muggle and we muggles rarely […]
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