Book Post 3
Jan. 8th, 2006 03:53 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
melwilBook 4: A Charmed Life: The Spirituality of Potterworld by Francis Bridger
To read Harry Potter requires a huge act of faith. It requires us to suspend our cherished belief that the world around us is the only possible kind of reality there could be and to accept that, in the imagination at least, there could be another.
My first non-fiction for the year.
This is a fairly thin book (only 144 pages) written by an Anglican (Church of England) theologian. Bridger came across the Harry Potter books (up to Goblet of Fire) while helping out at a school, and sought to explore them. This was in part inspired by negative reactions by christians, including banning, dismissing and burning the books due to their 'dark themes' and 'sanitising of the occult'.
It's a good book, well researched and thought out, with thoughtful comparisons to Lord of the Rings and The Lion, The Witch and The wardrobe. Bridger focuses on Potterverse's worldmaking, morality, use of Christian themes (though admitting these are not explicit), and metaphysics. He concludes that the books are not 'dangerous' (in fact, he applauds the morality lessons available in the books), and could be used by some to promote ideas of Christianity.
Somehow, though, despite the good writing, and thoughtful ideas, something in this book was missing for me. It might be that it was written before Order of the Phoenix and Half Blood Prince came out, so he misses any wisdom that might have come from these (I would have liked to know how he saw Dumbledore's death), but it might be that he sometimes comes across as preaching to his readers, rather than having an interesting discussion.
ETA Oh, my rating! Probably another 3. Interesting, but not 'can't put it down' gripping
St Anthony Messenger Review
RJ Anderson's 'Defending Harry Potter- Part 1 Part Two is here
To read Harry Potter requires a huge act of faith. It requires us to suspend our cherished belief that the world around us is the only possible kind of reality there could be and to accept that, in the imagination at least, there could be another.
My first non-fiction for the year.
This is a fairly thin book (only 144 pages) written by an Anglican (Church of England) theologian. Bridger came across the Harry Potter books (up to Goblet of Fire) while helping out at a school, and sought to explore them. This was in part inspired by negative reactions by christians, including banning, dismissing and burning the books due to their 'dark themes' and 'sanitising of the occult'.
It's a good book, well researched and thought out, with thoughtful comparisons to Lord of the Rings and The Lion, The Witch and The wardrobe. Bridger focuses on Potterverse's worldmaking, morality, use of Christian themes (though admitting these are not explicit), and metaphysics. He concludes that the books are not 'dangerous' (in fact, he applauds the morality lessons available in the books), and could be used by some to promote ideas of Christianity.
Somehow, though, despite the good writing, and thoughtful ideas, something in this book was missing for me. It might be that it was written before Order of the Phoenix and Half Blood Prince came out, so he misses any wisdom that might have come from these (I would have liked to know how he saw Dumbledore's death), but it might be that he sometimes comes across as preaching to his readers, rather than having an interesting discussion.
ETA Oh, my rating! Probably another 3. Interesting, but not 'can't put it down' gripping
St Anthony Messenger Review
RJ Anderson's 'Defending Harry Potter- Part 1 Part Two is here
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no subject
on 2006-01-08 06:37 am (UTC)*shuffles off to update book reviews*
no subject
on 2006-01-08 06:47 am (UTC)no subject
on 2006-01-08 07:00 am (UTC)Incidentally, are you free on Friday evening? I'm trying to organise a gathering for the consumption of sushi in a social context.
no subject
on 2006-01-08 07:08 am (UTC)no subject
on 2006-01-09 12:11 am (UTC)Any day after Wednesday when you're free should be good for me, but I don't know precisely when Amanda's working.