What Next To Read . . .? - The Barrow-Downs Discussion Forum

Boromir88 · 10-24-2007, 11:43 AM

Quote:

Harry Potter hardly sounds like it.~Mansun

And as I said in my last post, I wouldn't be too quick to judge Harry Potter as being 'devoid of intellect' simply because the target audience is young adults. I know people much older than me who not only love Rowling's writings, but also learn a great deal about languages, history, mythology and much more.

I noted the meaning of 'Severus Snape,' but surely it doesn't end there. How about Voldemort? 'mort' from the french 'mourir' = death...'vol de' has several translations...either 'flight of,' 'wings of,' something along those lines. So Voldemort = 'flight/wings of death'

Or how about Argus Filch? Argus was a greek monster with 100s of eyes...hmm Filch seems to see everything that goes on in Hogwartz.

Basically, I'm saying, just because the target audience was 'young adult,' that in no way means the Harry Potter books have no 'intellect' quality. Rowling drew from many of the same myths as Tolkien, as well as using some different references in her own specialized area (French influence...which was her major and I believe she taught in Scotland).

Or perhaps you would enjoy Isaac Asimov...as Tolkien said in a footnote in Letter 294: I enjoy the S.F.of Isaac Asimov

Mithalwen · 10-26-2007, 12:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Boromir88

How about Voldemort? 'mort' from the french 'mourir' = death...'vol de' has several translations...either 'flight of,' 'wings of,' something along those lines. So Voldemort = 'flight/wings of death'

[/I]

As a side note
I would say flight of death /deathflight is probably the desired translation - Rowling would certainly be aware of a very famous French novel by Antoine de St Exupery (author of "The Little Prince") called "Vol de Nuit" or night flight. However voler is polysemic and can mean to steal. Voldemort could translate as theft of death which is possible given Riddle's desire for immortality.

Bêthberry · 10-26-2007, 02:33 PM

Certainly of historical interest is William Rice Burroughs' A Princess of Mars, the first in his Barsoom series. Jewellery of some note plays a part in the narrative.

mark12_30 · 10-26-2007, 03:02 PM

When I think of "what next to read" I find that I am somehow looking for another eucatastrophe.

George MacDonald has some. Lilith, Phantastes, The Wise Woman, The Castle, The Golden Key.

Iarwain · 10-27-2007, 08:31 PM

The Brothers Karamazov
by Fyodor Dostoevsky

The best novel I've read. It's beautiful, exciting, and adventurous. Dostoevsky is intensely descriptive and has incredible characters. He creates a little world for you and you explore it with the characters, as they struggle to figure things out (if only they can do it in time!)...

Bulfinch's Mythology
If you liked the Silmarillion and/or Unfinished Tales, you'll love Bulfinch's Mythology. It's quite long and endlessly amusing, and you'll get to see a lot of the source material that Tolkien worked from. The book has three parts: Ancient (greco-roman) mythology, Arthurian Legends, and Legends relating to Charlemagne.

The Iliad
Homer
Homer is to Greek Mythology what the Lord of the Rings is to the Silmarillion. Truly spectacular book (The Odyssey is good too, but the Iliad is much better). You'll love it!

C.S. Lewis's Space Trilogy:
Out of the Silent Planet
Perelandra
That Hideous Strength

Excellent Sci-Fi, with the added bonus that it's intellectually substantial. There's a lot of mythology here too.

All of these books are spectacular, and you'll be better off having read them.

Best Wishes!
Iarwain

Iarwain · 10-27-2007, 08:51 PM

If you're just looking for excellent books in general, here's a list of authors and/or books

Dostoevsky (everything)
Salman Rushdie (esp. Midnight's Children)
Aeschylus (esp. Agamemnon)
Euripides (esp. Medea, the Bacchae)
Aristophanes (esp. The Frogs, The Wasps)
Plato (esp. The Apology, The Republic)
Tolstoy (esp. The Death of Ivan Ilych, any short stories, and basically anything)
T.S. Eliot (esp. "Prufrock and Other Observations")
Kierkegaard (esp. The Sickness Unto Death, Fear and Trembling -- Kierkegaard will change your life, he's that good; it's like he reaches out of the page and grabs hold of you)
Robert Bolt, "A Man for All Seasons"
Solzhenitsyn (esp. The First Circle)
William Golding (esp. Free Fall, it's nothing like "Lord of the Flies")
Augustine, "Confessions"

While you're at it, get yourself a copy of the Norton Anthology of Poetry, it's one of the best books I own, and it's endlessly wonderful.

Also, if you want a guide to excellent books in general, check out Mortimer Adler's "How to Read a Book". It's really wonderful and worth reading itself.

Off Wandering Again,
Iarwain

11-02-2007, 11:55 AM

Is't this Harry Potter chap just a rip-off of Frodo Baggins? I would have thought a lawsuit for copyright infringements could be possible?

10-26-2007, 02:33 PM	#3
Bêthberry Cryptic Aura Join Date: May 2002 Posts: 6,003	Certainly of historical interest is William Rice Burroughs' A Princess of Mars, the first in his Barsoom series. Jewellery of some note plays a part in the narrative. __________________ I’ll sing his roots off. I’ll sing a wind up and blow leaf and branch away.

10-26-2007, 03:02 PM	#4
mark12_30 Stormdancer of Doom Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Elvish singing is not a thing to miss, in June under the stars Posts: 4,349	When I think of "what next to read" I find that I am somehow looking for another eucatastrophe. George MacDonald has some. Lilith, Phantastes, The Wise Woman, The Castle, The Golden Key. __________________ ...down to the water to see the elves dance and sing upon the midsummer's eve.

10-27-2007, 08:31 PM	#5
Iarwain Pugnaciously Primordial Paradox Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: Birnham Wood Posts: 800	The Brothers Karamazov by Fyodor Dostoevsky The best novel I've read. It's beautiful, exciting, and adventurous. Dostoevsky is intensely descriptive and has incredible characters. He creates a little world for you and you explore it with the characters, as they struggle to figure things out (if only they can do it in time!)... Bulfinch's Mythology If you liked the Silmarillion and/or Unfinished Tales, you'll love Bulfinch's Mythology. It's quite long and endlessly amusing, and you'll get to see a lot of the source material that Tolkien worked from. The book has three parts: Ancient (greco-roman) mythology, Arthurian Legends, and Legends relating to Charlemagne. The Iliad Homer Homer is to Greek Mythology what the Lord of the Rings is to the Silmarillion. Truly spectacular book (The Odyssey is good too, but the Iliad is much better). You'll love it! C.S. Lewis's Space Trilogy: Out of the Silent Planet Perelandra That Hideous Strength Excellent Sci-Fi, with the added bonus that it's intellectually substantial. There's a lot of mythology here too. All of these books are spectacular, and you'll be better off having read them. Best Wishes! Iarwain __________________ "And what are oaths but words we say to God?"

10-27-2007, 08:51 PM	#6
Iarwain Pugnaciously Primordial Paradox Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: Birnham Wood Posts: 800	If you're just looking for excellent books in general, here's a list of authors and/or books Dostoevsky (everything) Salman Rushdie (esp. Midnight's Children) Aeschylus (esp. Agamemnon) Euripides (esp. Medea, the Bacchae) Aristophanes (esp. The Frogs, The Wasps) Plato (esp. The Apology, The Republic) Tolstoy (esp. The Death of Ivan Ilych, any short stories, and basically anything) T.S. Eliot (esp. "Prufrock and Other Observations") Kierkegaard (esp. The Sickness Unto Death, Fear and Trembling -- Kierkegaard will change your life, he's that good; it's like he reaches out of the page and grabs hold of you) Robert Bolt, "A Man for All Seasons" Solzhenitsyn (esp. The First Circle) William Golding (esp. Free Fall, it's nothing like "Lord of the Flies") Augustine, "Confessions" While you're at it, get yourself a copy of the Norton Anthology of Poetry, it's one of the best books I own, and it's endlessly wonderful. Also, if you want a guide to excellent books in general, check out Mortimer Adler's "How to Read a Book". It's really wonderful and worth reading itself. Off Wandering Again, Iarwain __________________ "And what are oaths but words we say to God?"

11-02-2007, 11:55 AM	#7
Mansun Guest Posts: n/a	Is't this Harry Potter chap just a rip-off of Frodo Baggins? I would have thought a lawsuit for copyright infringements could be possible?