zomg, Vince Shamwow is *back*! by pragmatic_pete

No, but I love the guy who does the ShamWow commercial. Dude is hilarious.

I may look like my mom (with her temper to boot), but I'm beginning to think I'm more like my grandma. Over the past year or so, I've begun to notice some similarities between my Grandma and I that I didn't before. We both like to have things organized, we have our own way of doiing things that other people usually don't understand (I noticed that while defending her ways against my mom and Grandpa), and we''ve both got the same unusual sense of humor. Out of all my family members, I'm the happiest that I'm like my Grandma.

Guns and missles and things make war too impersonal. At least when swords were in use you had to get close enough to see your opponent to kill him. You knew what you were doing.

Harry Potter ~ and I mean the series as a whole ~ changed my mind about a lot of things. First, it really opened my eyes to the whole category of young adult literature. Growing up I think I went right from The Babysitter's Club to Stephen King. Seriously, I think I was the only sixth grader ever to take Insomnia to school with me. So I kind of skipped over most of the young adult category. I have to say I've spent the last couple of years catching up!

What are the other ways that Harry Potter made a difference?

It's beautifully written, and I learned to appreciate Rowling's use of foreshadowing and narrative misdirection.

Also, Harry Potter is what I consider a new generation morality tale. It's the lesson that a good person isn't necessarily a nice person *cough, Snape, cough* That money doesn't mean happiness, and poverty doesn't mean misery. It's learning that the choices we make matter just as much, if not more, than our abilities.



And the runner up's are...

Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time Series.

Terry Goodkind's Sword of Truth Series (even if the author is a douchebag).

Stephen King's....well, just all of Stephen King!

Orson Scott Card's Enchantment.

Mercedes Lackey's Magic's Promise.

Stephanie Meyer's Twilight Series.



That's all I could think of off the top of my head :)

Oh my, it was either the summer after ninth grade, or after tenth grade. I thought it was so much fun, especially when I discovered chat rooms and instant messengers! Come on, you know what I'm talking about - who else remembers ICQ...and talking to random people all over the world...and considering moving to, what was it, Tennessee? *makes significant eyes at "Dreamer," while she stares at a rainbow*

I think this particular fear was born one night when I was really little. I felt something on the back of my neck and when I reached up to brush it away, it was a spider! I have been terribly afraid of spiders ever since. Unless they're really, really small I won't even get close enough to squish it - I get the windex, or something in a spray bottle so I can kill it from afar. I do tend to scream softly, too.

Don't you love alliteration? I know I do.

I also loved The Tales of Beedle the Bard, even though I consider it too short. I was delighted when I opened this one Christmas day! The stories themselves are charming, yes, even the Hairy Heart one. And I especially enjoyed the commentary by Albus Dumbledore at the end of every wizarding fairy-tale.

And by too short, I mean it took me less than an hour to read the entire thing. It was sad that it ended so quickly. Although I would like to put my vote in for publishing Hogwarts; A History next.

And so I moved on to Twilight and to my surprise I was sucked in! I became so enamoured with it so quickly and thoroughly that after reading 3/4 of of it I had to stop. I can't read another page until I have the other three and won't have to stop for anything then. It would just be too sad to finish the first one and not be able to immediately pick up the second!

Having said that, did anyone find themselves laughing out loud while reading this one? And I don't mean laughing at it (haven't I just said how much I love it?). But really, now. I found myself so delighted with certain parts of the narration and dialogue, that I just had to laugh.

Ahh, well. It's taking more willpower than I thought it would to keep from reading the rest of Twilight, but for the moment I'm contenting myself with Odd Hours the fourth book in Dean Koontz's Odd Thomas series. Also highly amusing at times.

My re-reading of the Harry Potter series, which culminated in a seven-hour marathon, was delightful, as usual. As is always does, re-reading the entire series firstly, reminds me of all the things I love about them, and secondly, allows me to see the story as whole. To see it's progression, it's growing-up, if you will. I appreciate the books as a reader, as a fervent fan, but I also appreciate Rowling's skill on a more academic level. She knew what the ending would be almost she started the beginning, as some writer's do, and she managed to keep the series a cohesive whole. No mean feat, I assure you. And it's not until you get to the end that you really begin to see the beginning.

Rowling wields the tools of writing with astounding skill. Her use of foreshadowing, which are sometimes more like hints, is among the most subtle I have ever seen. Yet in a close re-reading make you go "oh my god! she's talking about so-and-so there, I can't believe I didn't see it before!" Of course, the way she uses narrative misdirection is fantastic. I just love it.

I think the success of the Harry Potter series is not only to do the singular story of the Boy Who Lived, but is as much due to the way she tells that story.

I go onward though, and am about to read The Tales of Beedle the Bard. Wish me luck!