[HPforGrownups] Re: Why do adults read Harry Potter?

[mlleelizabeth at aol.com]

No: HPFGUIDX 17180

Sabrina,

I am a 40 year old legal assistant.  I participate in an annual 
comedy/variety show that is a fundraising effort for diversity scholarships 
to SMU law school (shameless plug - we were on the local news last night in a 
"Hometown Heroes" segment).  The title of our show is always some kind of 
legalese pun on something that's a hot or trendy part of current popular 
culture (e.g., The Lex Files (2 years ago) and Must Sue TV (this year and I 
don't really like it).  Last year's title was:  Harry Potter and the 
Disappearing Miranda Rights.  

I had not heard of the Harry Potter series last April when the show title was 
announced, but since the title is the basis for all the fun in-jokes in the 
program, I thought I had better check it out.

Fast forward one year ....

I've not only read all the books multiple times, I've got the games and 
t-shirts and coffee mugs.  I've sucked my entire family and almost all of my 
friends and coworkers into the Potterverse. I had a Harry Potter party for my 
40th birthday! I've scribbled a very silly HP skit for this year's show.  I 
spend all my free time reading emails on the HPforGrownups mailing list.

Why?

Because the books are just that good.

Because Ms. Rowling has created four wonderful books that allow me to escape 
into a world of fantasy and wonder and she has done so without ever 
condescending or talking down to her readers.  There's a perfect combination 
of humor and scariness in the books.  Her characters are complex and 
interesting.  The questions and moral choices she presents in her stories are 
well worth considerable pondering.  

And mostly because reading these books has made me happy.

Hope your papers turns out well!

Love & Light,
*Elizabeth*
~ You can never have too many Weasleys ~