In Which I Describe a Rebellion

[ursula]

I have returned from the bookstore, having spent rather a large sum on the following items. In order of ascending price:

• Lord Hornblower, first edition
  
• Mr. Midshipman Easy, paperback edition of book first published in 1836
  
• History of Hand Knitting, for my forthcoming Elizabethan sock project
  

These are all the books I purchased.

Comments

[frog-lady.livejournal.com]

Sounds like an effective rebellion. I applaud your work.

What's the impetus for your Elizabethan sock project? Will it simply involve making socks, or will there be other, historical background-type things?

[ursula]

It's a Society for Creative Anachronism project. A friend of mine will end up with stockings, and I'll try to document as much of the pattern and technique as I can, given my merely ordinary library access at the moment.

[glasseye.livejournal.com]

What is this a rebellion against?

[ursula]

This.

[glasseye.livejournal.com]

Merely that a new book has come out, or does the plot of said book offend you?

I gave up hope long ago that you might turn from your evil ways =P

[ursula]

Go read my friends list, and you will understand my emotion.

[glasseye.livejournal.com]

Far too much enthusiasm over a children's book for me to take.

[ursula]

Hey, if they were that enthusiastic over my mother's books I'd be all set.

[eva-c.livejournal.com]

Ursula, darling. Are you feeling all right?

[ursula]

Midshipman Easy is hilarious. And the main character is named Jack Easy.

Besides, I've been trying to get my hands on History of Hand Knitting for at least 3 years.

Re:

[eva-c.livejournal.com]

*restrains self from correcting glasseye*

Harry swears in it, you know. Am most pleased.

And you are quite mad. Mad in the English sense.

I need to read your mother books so I can slash them. ;)

[ursula]

If you really try that I will write you something equally unlikely :)

[glasseye.livejournal.com]

Correcting me on what? Feel free to try.

Re:

[eva-c.livejournal.com]

That it's a children's book. There have been a lot of discussions on this... and at the moment, I'm having the "I need it so automatically I can't find it!" syndrome.

However, JKR did say in an interview that Harry Potter wasn't meant as a children's book. *is tired* Argue about it later if I have the time?

[glasseye.livejournal.com]

If you so desire. Harry Potter is of no consequence to me, however. Children's book, Young Adult, whatever. It is still a cultural phenomenon of which I want no part.

Re:

[eva-c.livejournal.com]

*nods wisely* It's popular and therefore icky?

[glasseye.livejournal.com]

That's only a small part of it really. I do admit to having grown tired of people gushing over the books constantly though.

I have no interest in the setting, subject, or "plot." I generally prefer books that are actually well written. When I want pulp, I have a variety of other authors to turn to.

[reasie.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I gotta go with Glasseye on this one.

When I first saw Harry Potter in the store, I thought, "OH, ANOTHER child-goes-off to wizard school book. Well, I read about four of those as a kid. It's done for me."

Then set in the rage over all the wonderful books I read as a young adult that deserve this sort of fervor. Then the slow resignation that at the very least people are getting excited over a BOOK. Saw the movies- very predictable, bad plots, but worth a matinee price for entertainment. If the books are anything like them, why bother?

(and, more importantly, why bother when my current reading list is SOOO long I'll never get through it!)

[ursula]

Some of us just read too fast, I guess . . . And enjoy writing badly too much :)