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Category Archives: Books
Themepunks – a fascinating view of a post-corporate world
Salon is serializing a new science fiction novella, Themepunks, by Cory Doctorow. The story takes place in the very near future and features blogger Andrea Fleeks as the narrator and major agent of change in a riveting story that I … Continue reading
J K Rowling does it again
J. K. Rowling is an inspiration to any writer. Her talent and her perseverance took her from near poverty to billionaire status in just a few years. I read her latest work, The Half-Blood Prince in one sitting and found … Continue reading
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Harry Potter – victim of Onion satire?
UPDATE: Welcome Harry Potter fans! You’re among friends. You can see another post about Harry here.
When credulous religious figures run amok with dire warnings about Harry Potter’s effects on children’s morality, it bears investigating. Especially since I have read all of J. K. Rowlings books and found them to be highly inspirational and morally uplifting.
It all started when the Onion, a satirical publication, wrote an article on July 27, 2000 which purported to show the inside skinny on how the Harry Potter books were leading children STRAIGHT TO HELL!!!.
Sorry to disappoint anyone, but this is just another well-documented Urban Legend. The Harry Potter books are excellent entertainment, not a shortcut to perdition. In fact, the Harry Potter books have sparked a tremendous upsurge in children’s reading skills.
Before we go any further, let’s clear up what satire is: IT IS NOT TRUTH!
Humorous satires often base the humor on the juxtaposition between the satire and reality. The humor of such a satire tends to be subtle, using irony and deadpan humor liberally. The Onion article is so exaggerated, even using obscenity for humorous effect, that it is hard to imagine that anyone would take it seriously.
However, several professional "witch-hunters" have written books about the "evil Harry Potter" and are trying hard to make a living preying on concerned parents.
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He who would be JFK – read Unfit for Command
One measure of an individual is how he treats others. Another measure is how well he tells the truth. Getting a glimpse of the motivations behind a man’s actions is another story entirely. I have been reading the accounts of … Continue reading
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