Catholic School bans Harry Potter from Library

[Outrider]

https://www.theguardian.com/books/2019/sep/02/harry-potter-books-removed-from-catholic-school-on-exorcists-advice

Presumably, instead of casting spells from Harry Potter, they're supposed to go to the sacred place church, gather a coven congregation, sing the incantations hymns dedicated to the spirits God, not forgetting to finish with the magic word amen...

It might be funny if it weren't some poor child's education in these people's hands.

O.

[SusanDoris]

https://www.theguardian.com/books/2019/sep/02/harry-potter-books-removed-from-catholic-school-on-exorcists-advice

Presumably, instead of casting spells from Harry Potter, they're supposed to go to the sacred place church, gather a coven congregation, sing the incantations hymns dedicated to the spirits God, not forgetting to finish with the magic word amen...

It might be funny if it weren't some poor child's education in these people's hands.

O.

That is just so desperately stupid and sad.    I dare say the NSS will be having a word or two to say about it too.

[Nearly Sane]

That is just so desperately stupid and sad.    I dare say the NSS will be having a word or two to say about it too.

Not sure why since the school in question is in Nashville

[SusanDoris]

Not sure why since the school in question is in Nashville

Oh, I hadn't realised that! I tend not to follow links.

[Anchorman]

Only in America. Saying it's ridiculous is an understatement.

[Robbie]

Nashville is known as 'the buckle of the Bible belt', predominantly evangelical, and Catholics (in the minority there),seem to take on a lot of the Bible belt ethos. It's a different world to ours and, yes, it is ridiculous. Harry Potter books are harmless stories but they are only stories; I bet the 'ban-ners' have never even read one!

The decision of one school to not allow in their library won't stop individuals buying and borrowing the books outside of the school.

[Roses]

https://www.theguardian.com/books/2019/sep/02/harry-potter-books-removed-from-catholic-school-on-exorcists-advice

Presumably, instead of casting spells from Harry Potter, they're supposed to go to the sacred place church, gather a coven congregation, sing the incantations hymns dedicated to the spirits God, not forgetting to finish with the magic word amen...

It might be funny if it weren't some poor child's education in these people's hands.

O.

How mean. The Harry Potter books are no less credible than much of the Bible, but a better read, imo.

[Nearly Sane]

How mean. The Harry Potter books are no less credible than much of the Bible, but a better read, imo.

To be fair to the loons in Nashville, they seem to agree that the HP stories are credible in the sense of the 'magic'.

[Anchorman]

Just checked with a nrighbour who teaches at the local RC primary; Just as I thought. P5 (nine year olds) are reading 'Chamber of Secrets' this year as their reading project. Thank God - literally - we're more enlightened that certain Yank schools.

[Roses]

Just checked with a nrighbour who teaches at the local RC primary; Just as I thought. P5 (nine year olds) are reading 'Chamber of Secrets' this year as their reading project. Thank God - literally - we're more enlightened that certain Yank schools.

Enlightenment and the US appears to be an oxymoron, especially now Trump is in charge.

[jeremyp]

How mean. The Harry Potter books are no less credible than much of the Bible, but a better read, imo.

There are probably more people alive today who have read a Harry Potter book than have read a Bible book.

[Roses]

There are probably more people alive today who have read a Harry Potter book than have read a Bible book.

You may well be right.

[Udayana]

Just checked with a nrighbour who teaches at the local RC primary; Just as I thought. P5 (nine year olds) are reading 'Chamber of Secrets' this year as their reading project. Thank God - literally - we're more enlightened that certain Yank schools.

Fine for kids to read HP .. and it can help them actually like reading but, as with Enid Blyton, the standard of writing is not great.

[Nearly Sane]

Fine for kids to read HP .. and it can help them actually like reading but, as with Enid Blyton, the standard of writing is not great.

What makes great writing?

[Anchorman]

Fine for kids to read HP .. and it can help them actually like reading but, as with Enid Blyton, the standard of writing is not great.

     


I can't quite recall which books we dissected in P5, but I'm al;most certain we read one of the 'Lone Pine' adventures in P6.
These were slightly more complex and involved than Blyton, but equally interesting to the childs's mind.
I doubt any childs ave a genious would know the difference between author's styles; however if their imagination is stimulated and they find a need to delve into literature, then, seriouisly, does it matter whether or not the author was a literary genious?

For the record, I think Rowling was, and is, a very fine fantasy writer.

[Walter]

What makes great writing?

i find a steady hand preferable !

[jeremyp]

the standard of writing is not great.

I'm going to disagree there, unless by "great" you mean like Dickens or Voltaire. I think the standard of writing is perfectly fine and at least one book (Prisoner of Azkaban) is really good.

[Nearly Sane]

i find a steady hand preferable !

And a cool touch

[Outrider]

I'm going to disagree there, unless by "great" you mean like Dickens or Voltaire. I think the standard of writing is perfectly fine and at least one book (Prisoner of Azkaban) is really good.

Dickens? Impenetrably dense, overblown and turgid to my mind, I can't stand Dickens, it's almost as bad as Shakespeare or Chaucer.  They had their time, I appreciate, but the language has moved on - I'll take Rowling over any of them.

O.

[Nearly Sane]

I suppose any judgement on the quality of the writing is pointless in terms of the ban, and I suspect that it's the appeal of the books that is in part behind them not being stocked. I would be interested in knowing what other books are deliberately not stocked by the library.

[Udayana]

What makes great writing?

Obviously this is more or less subjective. Some writing, to me, seems very flat (or 2D) some has more depth (3D) which I prefer.

[Udayana]

I'm going to disagree there, unless by "great" you mean like Dickens or Voltaire. I think the standard of writing is perfectly fine and at least one book (Prisoner of Azkaban) is really good.

Maybe good in terms of characters and twists and turns of plot, I was thinking more in terms of the sentence structure and vocabulary.

 You could take a random sample, say a paragraph or two, and compare for yourself with, for example, Treasure Island or The Jungle Book, The Sword in the Stone, etc - the writing just seems to be richer (imo).

[Udayana]

I suppose any judgement on the quality of the writing is pointless in terms of the ban, and I suspect that it's the appeal of the books that is in part behind them not being stocked. I would be interested in knowing what other books are deliberately not stocked by the library.

The Necronomicon ?

 -- shit .. something strange just happened to my screen...

[jeremyp]

Maybe good in terms of characters and twists and turns of plot, I was thinking more in terms of the sentence structure and vocabulary.

 You could take a random sample, say a paragraph or two, and compare for yourself with, for example, Treasure Island or The Jungle Book, The Sword in the Stone, etc - the writing just seems to be richer (imo).

Yes but you are comparing HP with absolute classics. I don't dispute that Rowling is not up there with the absolute best, just the assertion that she is not good.

[Udayana]

Yes but you are comparing HP with absolute classics. I don't dispute that Rowling is not up there with the absolute best, just the assertion that she is not good.

She is good, I was just suggesting that the actual writing was not that great.