Welcome New Folks and a Reminder to Listen to John Granger on NPR!

October 26, 2010 by Leave a Comment

Welcome to our readers who have learned about this blog during the big fall Deathly Hallows lecture tour! We are thrilled to have you in the hallowed halls of Hogwarts! Do please remember that fanged Frisbees are banned, as is dueling in the corridors! Check the links to the left to see what “classes” you’d like to take as you explore our conversations on all things Harry as well as other great books, themes, and thoughts (and some fun stuff, too)! Welcome, welcome!

After a great whirlwind tour here in Western NC, our headmaster spoke this morning on Charlotte Talks on NPR.  The conversation was super, and you can listen to the podcast if you didn’t catch it this morning.  It’s been great having John here in Western NC, and those of you who are next on his dance card are in for a real treat! Pictures after the jump!

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Filed Under: Uncategorized

HogPro Headmaster here in Western NC

October 24, 2010 by 1 Comment

Just a quick reminder for you Hogwartians in the Western North Carolina area: our headmaster has just Apparated into town and will be here today and tomorrow as part of his epic fall tour! At 4pm this afternoon, he’ll be at the fabulous Black Bear Bookstore in Boone. Tomorrow, at 10 am, he’ll be at my very own Mayland Community College, and then, tomorrow evening, he’ll be at Lees-McRae College in Banner Elk, a school that strongly resembles Hogwarts in appearance! We’ve even been promised a vist from some live owls there (I passed on the offers of acromantulas and hippogriffs). Hope many of you can make it! If so, make sure you introduce yourself!

Filed Under: Unlocking Harry Potter

Twilight Official Guide to Arrive at Last–Next Year

October 9, 2010 by 4 Comments

After promising publication for over a year and a half now, Little Brown has at last given a firm release date, April 12 next year, for the now-illustrated official guide to Stephenie Meyer’s Twilight Saga. Meyer has promised that the new guide will include backstory information on characters, as well as genealogies and maps to fill in more background on the world of the Cullens. It will be interesting to see how much really “new” information is included, or if most of it will be the same material Meyer has already posted on her website or revealed in correspondence and interviews.  One piece that was originally intended for this guide grew until it took on a life of its own as The Short Second Life of Bree Tanner. Perhaps the collection will include shorter pieces that fill in the actions of characters whose stories Bella couldn’t tell.

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Filed Under: Elizabeth Baird Hardy, Twilight

Hunger Haters on the Scene: Is America Incapable of Understanding Satire?

October 3, 2010 by 19 Comments

While The Hunger Games  isn’t likely to garner the sort of opposition we’ve seen from the Harry Haters, it seems it was just a matter of time until the novel upset some angry parent somewhere.  A mother in New Hampshire is kicking up a fuss over her daughter’s school assigning The Hunger Games. She is convinced that the book is giving her daughter nightmares and that it is “wholly inappropriate for her daughter or any other student.” Check out the whole article here, where the mother rails against the book because  “Twenty-four children are pitted in a life-or-death struggle with each other. The reason? Entertainment. That’s sick….You guys don’t want Columbine, but you’re putting forth material that will totally desensitize the children to murdering other children.” No kidding, that’s what she said. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Hunger Games

Student Guest Post: On The Hunger Games as Contestant in the Required Reading Arena

September 21, 2010 by 5 Comments

In my English 113 classes,  my college students have several topics from which to choose for their first essay. One is an argument for the book of their choice to be assigned reading in school (or, in the case of a controversial book, for it to be permitted for students to read). One of my students, Jordan Hutchins, decided to argue for the Hunger Games as an addition to the required reading list for high school students. The essay was so nice that I asked if we could post it, and Jordan has graciously agreed. I hope everyone enjoys the essay as much as I did and that you’ll give this student scholar some great feedback. Thanks, Jordan!

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Filed Under: Elizabeth Baird Hardy, Hunger Games