July 19, 2005

The Normal Recreation of Noble Minds

Professor Bainbridge has his mind on important matters:

I can't help wondering whether J. K. Rowling is as anti-American as the evidence seems to suggest.
(via Donkephant.) Posted by Dr. Frank at July 19, 2005 07:51 PM | TrackBack
Comments

Thin reeds indeed. The Harry Potter books are parochially British; J.K. Rowling is as English as P.G. Woodhouse. Americans don't show up in the books, but the few continentals that do are notable primarily for their foreignness.

Posted by: JM Sparks at July 19, 2005 08:50 PM

Somehow the absence of "American" characters in a children's book fails to keep me up at night. If she were to be "anti-American" she would never tip her hat any more than the little snipe about "the wretched President" because she is obviously wise enough to know not to be Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's proverbial dog that bites the hand feeds her (wallet) ;-D

Posted by: Zaphod at July 19, 2005 09:22 PM

By those standards more than half of the US is anti-american. I like America though, I just don't like a lot of the people that run the government...
I mean, we surely make fun of people, that doesn't mean we are completely against all of them.
And anyway, since when are British people supposed to be partiotic to a country that isn't their own?

Posted by: Debbie at July 19, 2005 11:02 PM

I forgot, America is going to take over the world... at least our companies and army are... and everyone is supposed to love it.

Posted by: Debbie at July 19, 2005 11:03 PM

Who cares if she doesn't mention Americans? I've started writing dozens of books and I never thought to mention characters from other countries unless it directly pertained the story line or a point I was trying to make. It's fantasy, not a political novel.

Posted by: Amy 80 at July 20, 2005 01:40 AM

Why are so many people assuming that by "President of an unnamed 'far off country' whom the Prime Minister regards as a 'wretched man'" she wasn't referring to Jacques Chirac?

Posted by: Thorley Winston at July 20, 2005 04:48 AM

I'm probably showing my extreme dorkiness, but oh well. As I was reading the Goblet of Fire again last night, I noticed that in chapter 7, Rowling does mention American witches that are the the Quiditch World Cup.

Posted by: Amy 80 at July 21, 2005 04:26 PM

Amy 80 has already made both of the points i was about to make...

Posted by: vanjohnson at July 24, 2005 11:11 PM

That means you're an extreme dork too!! hahahaha...Haven't seen you comment in awhile, how've ya been?

Posted by: Amy 80 at July 27, 2005 06:17 PM
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