A surefire way to turn me off of something is to hype it to death. The most recent prime example? Harry Potter. It is impossible to avoid hearing about the oh-so-eagerly-and-anxiously awaited final book in the series, not to mention the latest movie. Speculation about the fate of Harry has been ongoing for months and has hit a crescendo in recent weeks. And I'm really tired of hearing about it, period. I feel sorry for the people who actually want to read it in a leisurely fashion and not be spoiled by knowing how it ends. Aside from becoming a hermit, I don't see how any of us is going to avoid knowing all about it.
This absurd level of attention to all things Potter is nothing new, unfortunately. Remember when Richard Harris died? I thought it was awful that after such a long and distinguished career, the news coverage seemed inordinately focused on who they would get to replace him as Dumbledore.
I'm sure that they are very good books, and I'm happy that Rowling has become the richest woman in England through a literary effort (although I'm sure the movies don't hurt). But thanks to the seemingly non-stop hype, I don't want to have anything to do with this series of books or movies. Perhaps in a decade or two when the hype dies down I will get out my copy of the first book and finally see what all the fuss is about. Maybe.
5 comments:
Harry who?
I figure if the Potter books get some kids to start reading who never would have picked up a book otherwise, then all the hype was worth it.
Harry who?
Amen, Sister- I'm right there with ya!
I agree with dr sardonicus- whatever it takes to get kids to read. But at the same time, doesn't making a movie of every book sort of undermine that effort?
I hate the hype, but absolutely love the books (the movies are a completely different story). I like to pride myself (yes, pride goeth before a fall and all) that I was reading them before all the hype. I'm avoiding all the hype for fear that someone's going to blow the ending.
There's a review in the paper today and I am refusing to read it. I want to know nothing!!! And will kill anybody who tells me what's going on. And yes, I'm planning on being a hermit on Saturday in order to finish it before some jerk blows it.
I only got into them because I was buying them for my niece. They are the only books she has read. I usually wait to get the book in paperback, but every year I end up getting spoiled. The first few because I saw the movies first. But I was determined to read the book before anyone told me what happened and bought it on Saturday and finished it early this morning.
"Harry who?" He's 'the boy who lived'. Silly Muggles. ;)
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