Definition of a minority

[jhetley]

I believe that I may be the only literate (or semi-literate) in the world not planning to stay up to midnight tonight to achieve possession of the latest Potterism. I've read two of its ancestors and don't understand the craze -- fair to middlin' prose and plotline and characters, nothing special. But then, that's my excuse for my absence from the best-seller lists.

I hope the publishing industry still has some paper left when Ace goes to print DRAGON'S EYE....

Speaking of writing, I worked my way through Chapter 2 this morning, reworking to add setting and backstory to what _had_ been the penultimate chapter of WINTER OAK. In the process, I've decided that the menhir is probably a hexagonal basalt pillar, like the Giant's Causeway. Much mojo resides in such things.

And the LJ spellcheck has never heard of "menhir." What rock has _it_ been hiding under?

Comments

[earthgoat.livejournal.com]

Hah-ha! There are two literates out there not intending to stay up until midnight in order to spend hard-earned currency on the latest Potter book. In fact, this mostly literate does not intend to purchase the latest Potter book at all!

~EG

[suzilem.livejournal.com]

Make that three.....

I haven't read any of the Potter books. I did see the first movie, but haven't seen the others.

"menhir" meaning "long stone" -- obviously, the LJ spellchecker has not incorporated a Breton dictionary. I did find one such dictionary out on the web...

http://www.notam02.no/~hcholm/altlang/ht/Breton.1.html#so0

[ellyssian.livejournal.com]

Although I will read the Potter book, I will allow my mother to scurry after a copy for my son, and I will read it when he's done. I may even enjoy it, as I've enjoyed the others, despite the prose, plotlines, and characters.

As for the rock the LJ spellcheck has been hiding under: I suspect it is made of basalt, and that it is, quite possibly, cyclopean.

[quietspaces.livejournal.com]

Al has brought home DVDs of a couple HP movies (or, did we see one at the theatre?), but I wasn't impressed with them. Do you know if the books are any better than the screen versions?

Also not venturing to the book store tonight.

[kightp.livejournal.com]

You're not alone. I haven't read any of the books, and have seen only the first movie.

Nothing against HP, but juvenile fantasy isn't my cup of tea.

[pjthompson]

There are many of us who don't fancy the Potter thing, but we dare not speak it out loud for fear of being pummeled by Potterites. Actually, nothing against the books and I'm glad it's got kids reading, it's just...

[prophet-marcus.livejournal.com]

I'm a mild Harry Potter fan. At least, I read the books (eventually) and see the movies because they seem to get good crowds. Involved but not too boisterous.
And If you're not a Harry Potter fan then ... you're not. Vive la difference.
Actually, the series is suffering from success. The first couple of books were fine juvenile fantasy. But it's gotten pretentious and frankly predictable.

[ellarien]

I have never read a Harry Potter book, and don't intend to start any time soon. There are just too many other things to read that interest me more.

[edschweppe.livejournal.com]

And the LJ spellcheck has never heard of "menhir." What rock has _it_ been hiding under?
Clearly, whoever loaded the LJ spellchecker is not a fan of Goscinny and Uderzo's Asterix the Gaul, whose best friend, Obelix, is a menhir deliveryman.

Of course, LJ's spellcheck hasn't heard of spellchecking, either!

[anghara.livejournal.com]

I'm another. I ]shock, horror!] stopped reading Harry Potter after book 3 - I'll go see the movies, if a copy of the book falls in my lap I'll read it, but I won't go rushing out for it... has anyone read the account of the Scottish launch party in Edinburgh? Fireworks...? *FIREWORKS*??? Ye gods and little fishes...

[jhetley.livejournal.com]

We (not editorial or royal we, but the whole family) retain fond memories of Asterix and Obelix. The boys loved those stories.

[kinzel.livejournal.com]

I go to the Potter parties and support the local bookstores -- because they support me and the scene is a lot of fun, kind of like a five hour long convention. We've taken part in the last three release parties at the BookCellar where we got to see a bunch of the area creative folks, have a good meal, and be around for the people who want to talk other books.

On a practical note, speaking of other books... We've sold a bunch of our books to people who come to these things....and this time around someone at dinner asked "have you sold the film rights to your books yet? I have contacts at....." Who knows how serious this is when the Maine International Film Festival is going on in Waterville this week, and Empire Falls (made locally) is freshly in the publicity glare.

Yeah, I 've read some Potter, but I'm more a fan of the movies.

[jhetley.livejournal.com]

I hope I don't sound like a real wimp here, but midnight is way past my bedtime. Midnight in Waterville, with a drive back home . . . ugh! And I don't believe the local bookstores planned anything like you and Sharon describe.