My 2-year Anniversary

[Penny & Bryce]

Hi everyone --

Just thought I'd note that today marks my 2 year anniversary in the HP 
fandom!  Hard to believe it.  It's been an amazing ride so far, and I've 
made so many wonderful friends.

I've cut & pasted my first post to the HP4GU predecessor group (Yahoo 
Club) from Feb 8th, 2000 -- it's below my signature.  Some things never 
change!  No, it's not about shipping (I didn't even know what shipping 
was & definitely had no real opinions on that yet).  It is about one of 
my current pet subjects though ... kiddie lit or not.  <g>

Thanks for all the fun, everyone!  Here's to another great year in the 
HP fandom (and OOP before too long)--- :::raises glass of foaming 
butterbeer:::

Penny

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Original Yahoo! HPFG Header:
No: 457
From: plinsenmayer
Subject: Re: more HP backlash
Reply To: [Yahoo! #451] more HP backlash
Date: 2/8/00 8:35 pm (ET)

Hi everyone:

I just joined up and have enjoyed the discussions in the earlier
messages. Mystril -- I read that article by Henser -- the author seems
a very grumpy individual! I never read fantasy fiction as a kid, so
I can't honestly judge the HP books against the books he cites in his
article. Can anyone else comment?

I do think he's wrong on two points. I would heartily disagree that 
adults should not be reading these books (an infantilization of our 
culture I think he said). And, I disagree with his assertion that the HP 
books will not be classics. I think they will stand the test of time 
quite well.

He also made an interesting point about how once the last book is
released, future children readers won't age with Harry and his gang 
(i.e., they'll read them one after another and the 8-yr old reader who 
loves Book 1 will be very confused by the 17 yr-old Harry in Book 7). I 
would point Mr. Henser to the Laura Ingalls Wilder books. There were 7 
of those also, and many people (myself included) consider them to be the 
best American children's lit ever written. I threw the American bit in, 
as I may now believe HP to be the best British children's lit ever 
written. <g>

I'm looking forward to the discussions!

Penny

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