Amy H. Sturgis sends this along: Tolkien/Rowling Lecture Free and Open to the Public (“Evening with the Author” Series)
Where: Broken Arrow, Oklahoma (just outside Tulsa)
Broken Arrow Senior High School
1901 East Albany
Broken Arrow, OK
What: Broken Arrow’s “Evening with the Author” Series
Tolkien scholar Amy H. Sturgis, Ph.D.: http://www.amyhsturgis.com
Lecture: “Harry Potter is a Hobbit: The Tolkien Solution to the Rowling Problem”
J.K. Rowling draws fire from cultural critics and laypersons alike: her works rank among the most challenged books of the last decade due to their supposedly mature content, and yet highly visible reviewers consistently poke fun at their allegedly juvenile nature. A question emerges from these disparate but repeated lines of attack: if children cannot handle dark and serious issues such as death, and adults should not enjoy such childish and light pleasures as fantasy stories, who if anyone is the proper audience for the Harry Potter series? According to J.R.R. Tolkien, the solution to this dilemma lies not in discovering a new category of readers, but rather in dismissing the false assumptions about childhood, adulthood, and the nature of fantasy that inform the question. Join Dr. Amy H. Sturgis as she uses Tolkien’s insights to propose a solution to Rowling’s problem of readership and a lasting answer to her critics.
Book Signing by Dr. Sturgis Before/After Presentation
When: January 29, 2007, 6:30pm
For Further Information, Contact: Nancy Remus at Broken Arrow Senior High School: 918-259-4310 x249
LORD OF The Rings star Billy Boyd is ready to launch a new career -as a club DJ. The actor has been taking secret lessons from top music producer David Forbes to prepare for his role as a DJ in the film of Irvine Welsh’s Ecstasy. But Billy admits he has got hooked and now hopes to launch his own dance night – with guest spots from his fellow Hobbits, who are also keen amateur DJs. Billy, 38, who lives in Glasgow, revealed his secret mixology lessons yesterday adding: “I really enjoy it, which surprised me. [
Edana’s Angel writes: I just wanted to report that Sean Astin will be guest-starring on “Monk” on January 26 at 9:00 p.m. eastern standard time on the USA network.