From: MalibuInc at aol.com <MalibuInc>
Date: Fri, 8 Sep 2000 00:10:23 EDT

I find it rather humorous so far only women have made comments on my opinions regarding Rowling's ability to write about boys. Also, when I said it seemed like Harry had a crush on Ron, I was being sarcastic. I realize what Rowling was attempting to do. Harry's behavior just didn't ring true to me.

I saw an interview recently with Professor Harold Blume. He talked about how he had been attacked by the Potterites for being critical of The Harry Potter books. Bloom went on to say, "The books are cliche ridden. It isn't so good after all for children to be reading these books. There are other children's books which feature better writing and are far more complex."

At first I wrote Bloom off as nothing more than a stuffed shirt. Lately I've begun to agree with Harold Bloom. Rowling is not in the league of J. R. R. Tolkien, C.S. Lewis, or Roald Dahl. We shouldn't fool ourselves into believing she is. There was life before Harry Potter. It is unfair to let children believe Rowling's books are the best we have to offer.

Frankly, by the second and third grade I was reading works like Beowulf and The Lord Of the Rings.

Preston McClear.
Received on Thu 07 Sep 2000 11:10:23 PM CDT