tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20806366.post6675695484745886044..comments2023-10-18T08:23:50.831-04:00Comments on Endless Books: Which Harry Potter Would Make Your Top Ten?Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08589856495993730380noreply@blogger.comBlogger11125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20806366.post-27769229216199439152010-04-21T14:51:19.356-04:002010-04-21T14:51:19.356-04:00I know that communal reading and conversation abou...I know that communal reading and conversation about the Harry Potter books was certainly a huge part of their richness for me! But then I don't know many books (written for children or adults) that lend themselves so readily to such layered conversation. I think if HP was merely a solid coming of age story, it wouldn't have sparked the kind of creative chord/response it did in so many readers, young and old. The fact that Rowling managed to combine a coming of age tale with mystery, comedy of manners, elements of fairy-tale and fantasy, alchemical literature, and Christian themes, among other things, is part of what makes these books so delightful -- and why they're worth re-reading.<br /><br />But I think a lot of the stories on the top 100 poll are the ones that have held up as worthy re-reads...or in the case of the newer titles, they have that re-reading potential. They've provided characters we care about and/or story worlds we love to return to again and again.Bethhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08589856495993730380noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20806366.post-89117443418060529002010-04-21T09:38:53.490-04:002010-04-21T09:38:53.490-04:00Harry did not make my top 10 books. He did not ma...Harry did not make my top 10 books. He did not make my top 20 either. I enjoyed the series, but there are too many other books out there I enjoy more.<br /><br />If it wasn't for fandom/being able to talk to others about Harry Potter as it came out, I don't think it would rank as highly as it does in my estimation. It'd be just another coming of age series.MommyLydiahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15608956553350425075noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20806366.post-72029567610616138362010-03-26T17:43:10.586-04:002010-03-26T17:43:10.586-04:00Pat, if you're checking back in on comments at...Pat, if you're checking back in on comments at all...there is now a place where you can go for a streamlined list of all the books on the poll. It's at a blog called Six Boxes of Books. <br /><br />The poll is up through #12 now -- the Hobbit made it onto the list today (hooray!).Bethhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08589856495993730380noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20806366.post-2106295525093604692010-03-26T17:41:40.285-04:002010-03-26T17:41:40.285-04:00I know what you mean: there is such a richness of ...I know what you mean: there is such a richness of wonderful books for children. After I turned in my top ten, I thought of others that I might have included...and I keep thinking of more as time goes by! It will definitely be interesting to see the final top ten on the poll.Bethhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08589856495993730380noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20806366.post-67243061378293368892010-03-26T09:22:00.569-04:002010-03-26T09:22:00.569-04:00I loved the HP books, but there are so many good c...I loved the HP books, but there are so many good children's books out there they did not come close to making my top ten.<br /><br />For the series books I did choose, I defaulted to first book in the series.MommyLydiahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15608956553350425075noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20806366.post-80081604754803657222010-03-12T21:41:54.750-05:002010-03-12T21:41:54.750-05:00One really great thing about Phoenix - it finally ...One really great thing about Phoenix - it finally introduces Luna. Seems so weird to me that she wasn't around before then; like Jacob, I can't help kind of imagining her into earlier parts of the series.<br /><br />I might have to go with Chamber as my favorite too. It's just so <i>funny</i>, and lots of important clues laid down as well.<br /><br />One of the things I love about the GoF movie is that brief post-World Cup celebration, which is so Irish-flavored that I kinda feel like I want to watch the beginning of the movie in honor of St. Patrick's Day. :)Erinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07191855305749074736noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20806366.post-73219603384890559432010-03-12T20:44:01.568-05:002010-03-12T20:44:01.568-05:00Oh, and Pat, I don't think there's one pla...Oh, and Pat, I don't think there's one place you can go to for the streamlined list of books on the poll -- at least not yet that I've seen. It's worth scrolling through the links if you're interested, though I do wish there was a short version somewhere just with titles. Maybe once all 100 titles have been announced!Bethhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08589856495993730380noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20806366.post-89616442169064242372010-03-12T20:41:29.784-05:002010-03-12T20:41:29.784-05:00Pat, that's interesting that you'd choose ...Pat, that's interesting that you'd choose DH. I loved it, but it's so hard for me to separate it out from everything that stands before it. I think if I had to choose one book that stands best on its own, I'd probably choose Chamber...added to which, I have a huge fondness for it since it was the book that really got me completely hooked on the series. <br /><br />I too was surprised that GoF ranked so high. People did indeed seem to delight in tearing apart the plot, which seemed more elaborately constructed than any of the rest. I was surprised though, when I re-read the series last year, how much I loved Goblet when I re-read it. And although I'm not a big fan of the HP movies in general, I actually liked Goblet quite a bit, though I think I might be the only person on the planet who does. :-) It's partly due to Doyle's score!Bethhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08589856495993730380noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20806366.post-14207308518864444292010-03-12T20:37:36.747-05:002010-03-12T20:37:36.747-05:00Erin, I was surprised by that Phoenix ranked highe...Erin, I was surprised by that Phoenix ranked higher than Chamber too. I wonder how much of it is due to the fact that, for many people, the series got more beloved as time went on...also that the movie version is so much more recent. <br /><br />I love them all for different reasons too. I went with Sorcerer's Stone because, although I don't think it's the strongest book in the series, it's where it all started -- and where our trio first bonds. Plus I'm in awe whenever I go back to it and realize how beautifully JKR creates a complex secondary world and tone from the very start, and how she is already laying such careful clues to later elements of the series!Bethhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08589856495993730380noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20806366.post-25380258070737520642010-03-12T20:19:51.092-05:002010-03-12T20:19:51.092-05:00Hmmm, if I had to only choose one, it would be Dea...Hmmm, if I had to only choose one, it would be Deathly Hallows, where all things are concluded (or enough to make me happy anyway). The first would be my 2nd choice and POA or OP would be close. Oddly enough, as much as I enjoyed GOF, it has never been one of my favorites, not as the book or the movie. And I'm surprised it's ranked so high as I remember it being the one where people obsessed over the plot holes and seemed to delight in tearing it apart.<br /><br />I don't think I really could choose only one HP book actually. The reason I like certain ones is because the story took a turn there and revealed things I had not expected; even though they are part of the same story, the parts aren't all the same and they stand out for completely different reasons.<br /><br />I didn't see on the list, but is there just a list of the book titles without reading through the description of each one?Eeyorehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01934178312263962578noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20806366.post-90139523292144979052010-03-12T13:32:42.898-05:002010-03-12T13:32:42.898-05:00I'm a little surprised OotP ranked so much hig...I'm a little surprised OotP ranked so much higher than CoS, since the former was so much longer, denser and darker. I think the other four have a good shot, especially the first and third. I'm so bad at choosing favorites, I really don't know which one I would go with. I love each one for different reasons. I'd probably rank OotP as my least favorite, though there's a lot I really like about that one too.Erinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07191855305749074736noreply@blogger.com