“Gatsby’s wonder when he first picked out the green light at the end of Daisy’s dock….his dream must have seemed so close that he could hardly fail to grasp it. He did not know that [he had already Jumped the Shark]. Gatsby believed in the green light, the orgiastic future that year by year recedes before us. It eluded us then, but that’s no matter–tomorrow we will run faster, stretch out our arms farther…. And one fine morning–So we beat on, boats against the current, borne back ceaselessly into the past.”

But I haven’t mustered the energy to read the others yet, which I am told are better, so I shouldn’t whine.

Besides, there isn’t an ‘evil’ house, just a house for those of ambition. Quite scary how well I can do the argument despite not having read it yet. Essentially, most of the fans are utterly convinced that Snape is a good guy despite his actions in book six, as otherwise JK’s jumped the shark. Possible, of course, but, well.

Indeed not. Thank god for Mary, Mungo and Midge.

We have got the success of Lord of the Rings to thank for this revival - and maybe even Mr Potter. Dredging up fairly average bits of yesteryear to persuade those in middle Youth and their kids to invest in a factory film is the Hollywood dream of course.

I’ve recently been rereading them (got a box set in a remaindered bookstore), and confirmed what others have said; 4 good books, 3 not good books. They’re making 4 films apparently…

No different from any kids literature from that time, eh? Famous Five was pretty much the same form of escapism, with very young kids doing improbably daring things without adult supervision.

I have yet to read His Dark Materials or indeed Paradise Lost (although the latter is sitting on my bookshelf). But I am reminded of the furore surrounding The Da Vinci Code. Christian groups complained of factual inaccuracies in the book… but the central charge - that the Catholic Church is essentially and necessarily sexist to the core - is pretty much correct, and indeed went almost unchallenged!