Adult readers who are dismissive about Harry Potter

[Jennifer Piersol]

It's 2am and I'm sick-as-a-dog, so forgive me for any type-os or
unreadable nonsense. :)


Melanie mentioned the flak she got from her "ladies group" (ladies -
sheesh!) about choosing PoA for her birthday month book.


Me:  Oh, Melanie, I totally sympathize with you on that one!  I'm also
a member of a reading group, and right around our conception (I think
it was our 4th or 5th meeting about 4 years ago), I chose SS as my
book-of-the-month.  One of the "ladies" in the group, when asked her
opinions of it, actually said, "Oh.  I didn't read it.  I don't read
children's books," in this snooty, "I'm grown-up, pity you're not"
voice.  I was so upset at that!  It was lucky that that introduction
to HP spawned a couple of other rabid fans... otherwise, I would
probably have been so disappointed that I would have quit the group.

I'm not saying this will happen to you - you have a smaller group than
the one I'm (still!!) in, but in the end, it worked out that this
"lady" and her husband went two rounds through 15 people with choosing
huge books and then not attending any other people's group hostings -
and then quit because they "didn't feel accepted".

(just re-read that sentence and it didn't make much sense... sorry)

Okay, here's what I'm trying to say.  Yes, I've gotten the same
Attitude from reading snobs, and yes it hurts.  But then - that's why
I'm still here. :)  We'll all commiserate with you and support you. 
And if they do whine about it, tell them you thought they were all
grown-up enough to "do their homework" and not complain like children.
 They don't have to like it.  But they also don't have to piss on
people who do.

Ugh, I'm getting worse.  I'll shut up now.  Good luck with your
January meeting, Melanie.

-Rambling, Feverish Jen.