There isn't much in life I enjoy more than a good book. My mom will sometimes come across a couple and will email me the names so I can pick them up at McKay's. Recently, she thought I would enjoy the book A Jane Austen Education: How Six Novels Taught Me About Love, Friendship, and the Things That Really Matter by William Deresiewicz. I was immediately interested because I like Jane Austen and could relate to having books instill valuable life lessons. While I'm sure Deresiewicz makes some valid points defending Austen's teaching (I've not read it yet), I already know where I stand on the issue.
There isn't an author out there that will ever teach me more, or even as much, as J.K. Rowling did in the Harry Potter series. I grew up reading the books over and over so much my Dad forbid me to continue to reread them and then spanked me because he caught me late at night attempting to sneak and read them after I said I had gone to bed! I truly believe that in hundreds of years our great-great-great-great grandchildren will recognize our generation by Rowling's novels, if nothing else.
It seems I'm not the only one who acknowledges the lessons to be learned from the Harry Potter saga. My cousin, Sydney, recently graduated high school and her class quote was from Albus Dumbeldore, Hogwarts Headmaster, rather than Thoreau, Emerson, etc. Maybe I should write a book about my Rowling rearing, surely it would outsell plain, ole Jane Austen!
PS: the final installment of the Harry Potter movies comes out July 15th. Here's the trailer:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I_kDb-pRCds
I'm sure you'll be just as excited as I am after you see it. Feel free to bring all of your enthusiasm over to my apartment the night before the premiere. Yes, we are having a Harry Potter party, and yes, I will be dressed like a witch!
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