- John Granger in Touchstone – Book Binders: What I Learned About Great Books & Harry Potter. This is an interesting read, and Mr. Granger has much more about this coming in his book, Harry Potter’s Bookshelf, available for pre-order.
- You’ll also want to stop over at Hogwarts Professor, where John’s been on a roll with posts the past couple days, including a big one on Dumbledore’s commentary in Beedle, and an argument – and effective one, in my estimation – that “The Fountain of Fair Fortune” is about gay marriage.
- HP Progs Episode #95 is on Beedle. I haven’t had a chance to listen yet, because my weekend’s been busy, and I’ve been occupied with this recording of John Milton’s Paradise Lost. Once I’m driving back and forth to work on Tuesday, I’ll finally have a chance to listen.
- Yesterday, Thinking Matters, an online Christian publication in New Zealand, ran a lengthy article on Potter – Muggle Matters: Is Harry Potter a doorway to the occult? I have to agree with the Hogwarts Professor in saying that it’s nice to see that, on the whole, the “Harry Potter is evil” battle is over.
- I’m out of town today – traveling to Schenectady for Andrew Peterson’s Behold the Lamb of God concert. After we get back tomorrow, and in between trying to get all my final papers in, I’ll be writing more about Beedle and fairy tales in the coming few weeks.
Previous post: For those who don’t have Beedle the Bard yet
Next post: A Published Lexicon, and a Beedle Movie
revgeorge on 
Lily Luna on 
Arabella Figg on 
Travis Prinzi on 
Loading ...
{ 13 comments… read them below or add one }
Here’s a link to the Touchstone article — and thanks for your kind comment about the Gay Marriage post. No one at Hog Pro knows what to make of it.
“Can an author I like and admire advance political positions with which I disagree?” Yes, she can. I’d even say (and do) that making her readers uncomfortable is a big part of her subversive Symbolist job description.
And the post on Dumbledore’s last words, “I Remain Just as Big a Fool as Anyone Else,” in explaining how it echos Dumbledore’s farewell to Harry at King’s Cross, is something I’d love to read revGeorge’s and RedRocker’s feedback on. Not nearly as interesting as gay marriage, I’m afraid, but a much bigger part of Rowling’s message.
Schenectady? For a road trip? I never would have thought of that.
John, I simply haven’t had the time yet to delve into your article. All of your stuff takes a lot of unpacking!
I guess I should take that as a compliment!
John, it is a compliment!
As for the gay marriage post, I did know what to make of it & I thought I said it quite clearly. Yes, this is what Rowling is probably pushing & yes, this is her trying to slip it past the automatic filters we may have in order to encourage us to actually think about her point but no, we don’t have to agree with her nor do we have to accept her conclusions as being self evident or provable just because she’s made them. And no, just because she writes of something with which I disagree does not mean I cannot like her writing.
Since we cannot discuss then the arguments either for or against gay marriage on that post, we’re left with simply saying, yes, you’re more than likely right, the fountain of fair fortune is talking about gay marriage, but, no, we don’t have to buy Jo’s argument on it.
Well, just had another comment disappear into the ether. Kind of frustrating. I hope it was only because I mentioned gay marriage in the post & thus it’s waiting moderator approval. Otherwise, if it’s just lost, I probably won’t repeat it, since I hate writing out a post, losing it, & then having to totally reconstruct it from memory.
found it revgeorge
Thanks, Matthew! I assume it was because I used the aygay arriagemay words?
You’re right, revGeorge, I guess I boxed that discussion in such a way that readers couldn’t do much more than assent or deny. Sorry to be a whiner!
I don’t think you’re a whiner, John. I agree that your site isn’t the place to discuss the for or against arguments on that issue in question. But I do think in the limited sense we’ve been able to talk about it, several people have had some good responses on the subject, even if they don’t agree with your conclusion that the tale, or more accurately Dumbledore, is supporting that issue in question.
Complaining about responses you don’t like, for whatever reasons, is whining, right? I qualify, revGeorge, though I’m grateful for the lift off the mat.
You’re welcome!
Sorry to go slightly off topic but wasn’t “Behold the Lamb of God” GREAT? We saw it here in Lexington, KY this past Thursday. What a great way to get in the Christmas spirit!
Chris, indeed, it was. Though I had to be content with having seen it at the Ryman a few years ago. The church was really not kid-friendly in the least. Sophia got really touchy halfway through the second set (the BTOLG part), and the ushers – despite their being plenty of room and my not being in the way at all, would not allow me to stand and pace with Sophia in my arms, so that she’d fall asleep. We had to leave halfway through “Matthew’s Begats.”
I did get back in time for the very end, and had a chance to chat with Andrew for a few minutes, though. I don’t know if you catch the podcasts, but I’m going to be writing occasionally for The Rabbit Room, starting sometime in the near future.