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The Official-ish DC Thread

dc_slicker

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Indeed. We've been doing workbooks with them and other on/above grade level math. The problem is middle school math is so much different now. I know how to do algebra, but not some of the stuff she's doing. My youngest hates doing schoolwork, so that's it's own challenge. We're reading Harry Potter together and I can hardly believe how boring it is. Never saw the movies, but I'm not sure how this thing took off the way it did.
wait are you referring to the common core?

I have math minor... and when i saw what my nephew was doing, I was lost... the way they teach these days is soooo confusing, at least to me.
 

dc_slicker

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1597198598103.png


I am famous!!!!

1597198691578.png
 

TheSuitBurnsBetter

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Indeed. We've been doing workbooks with them and other on/above grade level math. The problem is middle school math is so much different now. I know how to do algebra, but not some of the stuff she's doing. My youngest hates doing schoolwork, so that's it's own challenge. We're reading Harry Potter together and I can hardly believe how boring it is. Never saw the movies, but I'm not sure how this thing took off the way it did.
888.jpg
 

scurvyfreedman

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Those came out when my kids were young. We read them the books each night until they were old enough to read at that level themselves. My wife and I took turns each night and found ourselves catching each other up on the story as we both loved the books! Of course I was a Lord of the Rings loving D&D geek as well...

I just don't find the characters compelling and the story seems pretty generic child fantasy. They spend the first half of the book crapping on Muggles, their practices, blindspots, and silly beliefs and then all of a sudden they talk about Christmas for the next quarter of the book. It's like, oh yeah, we kept this Muggle religion because kids like Christmas, and it's a kid's book. I actually asked my friend who read the books years ago if we are going to find out that these English wizards somehow descend from Jesus, because otherwise, this is really weak writing. Dragons, the ability to fly on broomsticks, potions, shapeshifting, and Christmas.
 

smittycl

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I think she successfully mined many of the myths we were all familiar with, magic creatures and such, along with the "baby in a basket/Chosen One" thing and wove them all intoa complicated plot. She also grew the kids fairly across the books as they aged into teens. It did resonate across cultures for a reason.

Anyway, I do agree that they are kids books and adults should aim higher.
 

trafficjam

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I have derived all my practical political beliefs from the Harry Potter books. Everyone I don't like is Voldemort, everyone I like is Harry Potter (and they were chosen by birthright), and voting is saying a magic spell. Also I can travel through chimneys.
 

Joytropics

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Personally I think there is joy to be found in genre fiction.

I was the right age for Harry Potter and loved it. I imagine previous generations had similar experiences with the Lord of the Rings. There's value in bringing the "hero's journey" to a new generation, and value in creating an immersive, magical world.

World-building is probably Rowling's great talent; it's no surprise that a popular amusement park is among her most notable achievements.

To this day I enjoy sci-fi by William Gibson and fantasy novels by Brandon Sanderson. It's not high art, but neither is Lady Gaga and there is plenty of room in the world for both her and Verdi.

I do share Bloom's concern that people will only read genre fiction. I try to make a point of mixing in works of literature with the genre fiction.
 

hpreston

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It's fine as a kids book. I just don't understand why so many adults read it and said, wow, this is compelling fantasy fiction.

I think she successfully mined many of the myths we were all familiar with, magic creatures and such, along with the "baby in a basket/Chosen One" thing and wove them all intoa complicated plot. She also grew the kids fairly across the books as they aged into teens. It did resonate across cultures for a reason.

Anyway, I do agree that they are kids books and adults should aim higher.

Agree on all of the above, I enjoyed the books, and movies (which got much better as they went on) but there are much better fantasy series out there to read. Maybe not as many as succesfull on the screen.

JK Rowling is a transphobe.

Her comments make me sad and angry at the same time. And, IMHO, really lessen my fondness I have for the Potter series.

Personally I think there is joy to be found in genre fiction.

I was the right age for Harry Potter and loved it. I imagine previous generations had similar experiences with the Lord of the Rings. There's value in bringing the "hero's journey" to a new generation, and value in creating an immersive, magical world.

World-building is probably Rowling's great talent; it's no surprise that a popular amusement park is among her most notable achievements.

To this day I enjoy sci-fi by William Gibson and fantasy novels by Brandon Sanderson. It's not high art, but neither is Lady Gaga and there is plenty of room in the world for both her and Verdi.

I do share Bloom's concern that people will only read genre fiction. I try to make a point of mixing in works of literature with the genre fiction.

Bolded by me, yes this, all of this

I have no particular dog in the Harry Potter question. My only real experience with the series is I worked at a bookstore in high school when the 4th book came out and I had to unload and unpack dozens of really heavy boxes and was pissed off about it.

1597248785313.png
 

smittycl

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