A guy from my Library Management class just recommended Upside Down: A Primer for the Looking Glass World, which is a South American scholar's look on our first-world culture. I just requested it from the library, along with T.R. Reid's United States of Europe. Reid is always on NPR, and if his book is half as interesting and readable as Reid's radio personality leads me to expect, this will be a great book.
So am I reading this adult stuff to compensate for my recent glut of things like His Dark Materials and Neil Gaiman? If I am, it's because I feel like I need to ground myself in reality a little more, and NOT because I feel like I'm reading too much that's "easy" or for kids. The fantasy stuff may not be difficult reading, but I think it's certainly enriching and worthwhile nonetheless.
And now, sadly, I must work.
2 comments:
One can definitely argue that the Pullman books are NOT for children. In fact, I believe he even says that. (I couldn't find the exact quote form Pullman, but I did find this; http://www.nybooks.com/articles/article-preview?article_id=17000
Of course, I gave them to my thirteen-year-old nephew with wondrous results, but there's a lot going on in these books. I would be willing to bet that a college lit course could be taught on the His Dark Materials trilogy. And I would certainly take it.
I know it's on the list for the YA course in the MLIS program. I was reading it the SIS library last night before my class, and someone remarked about how far ahead I was. Huh? She thought I was in her YA class and was reading ahead.
I took a Fantasy & Romance course at Pitt, and we read the Whitley Striber book about aliens (Communion?), and Pet Sematary and Jurassic Park (pre-movie!) and LOTR. It was a lot of fun.
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