Homage de You Tube

Rowling = regurgitated C.S. Lewis/J.R. Tolkien with some pixie stix sprinkled on top of the steaming pile.

If you want to go with that logic, WPK, It's all been done, but that doesn't make Harry P. any less in my mind.

Never have read no Potter. Never have read no C.S. Lewis nor Tolkien neither. And these here FRIED WORMS and GIANT PEACHES don't mean a thing to me, cause I never read them neither.

The book I remember liking as a kid was something called SKINNYBONES about a baseball player. Then, there was THE BLACK STALLION, THE BLACK STALLION RETURNS, SON OF BLACK STALLION and so forth. Go Walter Farley go. Even MY FRIEND FLICKA was a good read. Same goes for THUNDERHEAD. Both by Mary O'Hara.

But the book that truly shapes a youngin would be TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD, which I was lucky enough to have read to me by my father, at probably age nine or so, in installments at bedtime. I liked it so much that when we finished it, we just flipped back to the first page and he started in again, reading it to me a second time through.

What does all this mean? I don't rightly know. But what you read as a kid certainly determines what you're drawn to as an adult, and though I have nothing against genre fiction such as Fantasy/SciFi, I just don't spend my time reading it, and I probably won't point my boys in its direction. Perhaps Harry Crews said it best: "There is nothing wrong with reading that stuff, and there is nothing wrong with writing it. But I wouldn't walk across the street to write it, and I sure as hell don't read it . . . If they want to write science fiction or detective stories, that's fine with me; I just want to make sure they realize they are not writing the kind of fiction that can crush the heart with a living memory." But don't judge Mr. Crews too harshly. Don't label him a pretentious literary type, because that he sure ain't. He's just trying to figure it all out, like the rest of us, but not by making up unreal worlds inhabited by unreal folks. We've got a perfectly confusing world right here in front of us to work with.

Here's another quote from him that we can end on:

"Corpses to keep fucking. Kicking guys in the head to stay alive at handball. Confusing times."

Welly Linwood, thank you for your two cents. One, of course, could make the argument that any debate as to what is good and what isn't is a tough one to qualify. I loved Shel Silverstein, others loved Judy Blume books. I wasn't a huge fan, but I am sure those Judy Blume lovers probably turned out OK.

I do agree that Skinnybones was one hell of a book and that real recognizes real, but if an author can transport you to another place - real or imagined - isn't that something special? Doesn't that have true value?

I would also argue that despite the story line, whether it be witches or giant peaches, they are still dealing with issues we all experience. I am not going to debate for one second that TKAMB isn't a great book. It is superb and you grew up to be a professor perhaps because of it - you are a true appreciator of the word, spoken and written prolly because your pop took the time to read it to you. TKAMB was the grease to your wheels, so to speak. But as long as some book opens our third eye - well - isn't that most important?

In Harry's case, the battle between good and evil AND growing older largely comes into play. We all have tug and pull and trying to evaluate what is right and wrong, don't we? That all seems real to yours truly and that has value.

Plus, the simple fact that millions of kids are putting their noses in a book is great too. That's my two cents. Thanks again for writing Linwood, your comments are truly appreciated.

Well put, C$. I totally agree with this part especially: "Plus, the simple fact that millions of kids are putting their noses in a book is great too." Definitely. I suppose I should clarify. I guess I was thinking of adults reading what I consider kids books. Still nothing wrong with it, I just don't do it (except for every night when I read to my own kids -- THE LORAX is truly a masterwork). Make sense?

Also, as for this comment you made: "But as long as some book opens our third eye - well - isn't that most important?" I know it's most important to you -- getting your third eye opened, that is. I know you like to have that brown eye go red. Oh snap.

Punk ass - you wish your brown eye was squeeged daily a million dilznicks.

As for reading, Harry Potter, you may have a point, but I still love a good story and it definitely is that - so suck it. Oh. And I will definitely have to check out the Lorax.

I remember the first time i read Truckers Chicken. I sincerely believe that my third eye was opened wider than it had ever been before.

As for childhood reading, I suppose that I was an Outsiders fan, which would explain why, as an adult, I now like to watch sunsets with my best friend as we recite Robert Frost poems by memory and read excerpts of Gone With the Wind to each other before dying and/or cutting each others greasy hair and eating balogna sandwiches. Though I must say, while there is nothing wrong with balogna, for my money I'd rather have braunschwager. I just think that if one is going to ingest processed meat products, than one should treat oneself to tubed meat.

I don't quite know how to respond to Mr. Thunder, but I am often at a loss for words where/when he is concerned. I must concur that the Outsiders is definitely a classic. I still use stay golden (a Linwood favorite as well) instead of goodbye.

And if we want to talk about tear-jerkers, how about "Where the Red Fern Grows" - that one wrecked me as a sixth grader.

Let us not forget about the Little Golden Books of our younger childhoods.

You just can't beat THE MONSTER AT THE END OF THIS BOOK.

WHERE THE WILD THINGS ARE is also a classic.

I've never read TKAMB, but I did start to read CRIME AND PUNISHMENT while in the Corrections Center of Northwest Ohio in 2003...uh-oh...I might have said too much...

Anyone ever read those choose your own adventures? Now thats some good stuff. Rower did you spend time in Nazareth Hall? Id have to say my favorite childrens book is The Giving Tree. The older I get the more it rings true. American Psycho is another classic childrens book.......er I mean I love Huey Lewis and the News.

You spent time in the pound-me-in-the-ass prison, Rower-Power. OMG.

WPK, I certainly agree about CYOA's. Of course, I always cheated and looked ahead, but I still loved them.