Audiobooks vs. Text (was: Canon, fanfic and other interpretations)

[Ebony AKA AngieJ]

No: HPFGUIDX 16449

--- In HPforGrownups at y..., "Michelle Apostolides" 
<michelleapostolides at l...> wrote:
> First of all, I like reading fanfic. Penny, Carole and Lori, I hope 
all know that. And Ebony - I always look forward to betaing for you.
>

:::hugs Michelle, who thoroughly Brit-proofed 68 pages of a chapter 
the other week within 36 hours of receipt:::

Though I respect the wishes of those who do not participate in the 
fanfic community (and admire their firm resolve), another draw for me 
has been the friendships I've made in that niche of HP fandom.  I've 
met some great people who have some really interesting ideas about 
*canon* and have had the chance to interact with fan writers from all 
over the world whose imaginations I'm in awe of.  How cool is that?
  
> Am I the only one who wants to be amazed by the sheer brilliance of 
her> plotting and storytelling. My first thought after finishing GOF 
was Whoa> !!! That was amazing. I've never been taken on a journey 
like that. And> it's just the beginning.
> 

That was my take on things as well, post-GoF.  And when I closed the 
book, I had not a single other soul I could discuss everything 
with... the only HP fans I knew were my students!  Needless to say, 
it was one of the only weekends I can remember in which I couldn't 
wait for Monday to come.  ;-)

> I wonder if my attachment has anything to do with listening to the
> audiobooks ( just starting the Stephen Fry GOF ). Will this colour 
the> way I read OotP ? I can't say. But I really don't know if I want 
to read> book 5 alone if it will make me cry. Yet I will marvel at 
the way that> JKR has written something to pull me in that emotional 
direction.
> 

Jim Dale's audiobooks definitely changed the way I viewed a few of 
the characters.  I loathe and detest the way he does Hermione (she 
sounds SO whiny!), but he has the Draco-drawl down IMO... I never 
laughed over a single Malfoy statement until I got PoA on audiotape.  
After listening to his renditions of PoA and GoF, I was definitely 
more interested in Draco as a character.  

Vocal intepretation is yet another method of coloring reader response 
to a text, IMO.

--Ebony AKA AngieJ