GW, how is anyone to know anymore? So many things really happening look like parody…it’s hard to parody these people because they are so busy parodying themselves.
My thought on seeing this was “and several other words ending in ‘ers’.”
As a side note, I’m reliably informed that A Discovery of Witches is not unproblematic: full of ‘strong feminist heroines’ who rip their bodices and simper into obedience the moment the misogynistic man-hero turns up.
But then, perhaps the author wasn’t a TERF, who knows?
The Earthsea books, though? Yeah, you should read those. I don’t know how old I was when I first read them (my memory is very good on detail but very poor at placing things in time) but I know it was on the day I rebelled against the library. My child ticket allowed me to take out 8 children’s books and 2 adult books per time. My thesis, as I explained to the librarian, was that I was going to take out 8 adult books one way or another so how would they like it to play out?
Parents were called. School became involved. It was ugly. But in the end they gave me an adult card. Thanks, Ursula Le Guin!
My local B&N is all decked out in Potter paraphernalia — big banners for each of the Houses draped over the railings, etc. So certainly as a corporate entity B&N is fine with profiting from JKR. My guess is that if this isn’t a parody, it’s a passive-aggressive local employee.
If a parody, it’s quite clever. If done by someone truly upset, insinuating Rowling is “problematic” and offering alternatives is a pretty low-key protest. I’m sure the Potter books are still for sale in the store, and maybe this will spark interest in new books for someone.
I don’t know about this particular store, but B&N the corporation is running a big promotion right now on Harry Potter books and merchandise. Boxed sets, fancy editions, games, Lego, 20th Anniversary items, and so on.
Apparently “short, half-Irish and half-Jewish (but secular), dark-haired light-eyed former child actor with a severe nickel allergy who played the title character from a beloved British children’s book about a child with magical powers” describes both Daniel Radcliffe and Mara Wilson. Wilson asks “who’s your favorite”; she is, because Radcliffe is on my shit-list right now.
The photo has been identified as coming from a store in NYC. See this article at 4W.
The article claims that B&N shuns Potter but sells a book about pedophiles (and some other troubling topics). I don’t think the article is fair. This one B&N has this display. It’s not clear whether the same store has a Harry Potter display. The B&N web site clearly sells a great deal of Harry Potter material, with a major 20th Anniversary promotion; yes, it also sells books about pedophiles. It’s not at all the case that B&N is selling the pedophile book and not Potter. It’s not clear that the single store in question sells the pedophile book on its shelves, or that Potter is missing. Nor do I think it is wrong for the company to sell troubling books on its web site, anyway.
Are you sure this isn’t parody?
GW, how is anyone to know anymore? So many things really happening look like parody…it’s hard to parody these people because they are so busy parodying themselves.
My thought on seeing this was “and several other words ending in ‘ers’.”
As a side note, I’m reliably informed that A Discovery of Witches is not unproblematic: full of ‘strong feminist heroines’ who rip their bodices and simper into obedience the moment the misogynistic man-hero turns up.
But then, perhaps the author wasn’t a TERF, who knows?
The Earthsea books, though? Yeah, you should read those. I don’t know how old I was when I first read them (my memory is very good on detail but very poor at placing things in time) but I know it was on the day I rebelled against the library. My child ticket allowed me to take out 8 children’s books and 2 adult books per time. My thesis, as I explained to the librarian, was that I was going to take out 8 adult books one way or another so how would they like it to play out?
Parents were called. School became involved. It was ugly. But in the end they gave me an adult card. Thanks, Ursula Le Guin!
This is an ex-parod.
At best it is trans-sarcastic
My local B&N is all decked out in Potter paraphernalia — big banners for each of the Houses draped over the railings, etc. So certainly as a corporate entity B&N is fine with profiting from JKR. My guess is that if this isn’t a parody, it’s a passive-aggressive local employee.
Parody or not, that’s hilarious.
If a parody, it’s quite clever. If done by someone truly upset, insinuating Rowling is “problematic” and offering alternatives is a pretty low-key protest. I’m sure the Potter books are still for sale in the store, and maybe this will spark interest in new books for someone.
I can’t imagine this happening in a public library, but I suppose it could now.
I don’t know about this particular store, but B&N the corporation is running a big promotion right now on Harry Potter books and merchandise. Boxed sets, fancy editions, games, Lego, 20th Anniversary items, and so on.
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/b/harry-potter/_/N-1p38
I gather this is JB’s photo from a B&N she visited?
@YNNB#4 had me pining for the fjords.
No it’s not Julie’s photo, it’s kicking around on Twitter.
I just came across this, and I thought it was funny.
https://www.facebook.com/TheMinistryOfMagicalbeings/posts/2720504431334597
Apparently “short, half-Irish and half-Jewish (but secular), dark-haired light-eyed former child actor with a severe nickel allergy who played the title character from a beloved British children’s book about a child with magical powers” describes both Daniel Radcliffe and Mara Wilson. Wilson asks “who’s your favorite”; she is, because Radcliffe is on my shit-list right now.
um….that’s the Mara Wilson who supports the cult Mermaids:
https://twitter.com/MaraWilson/status/1087152077996843010
And got “woke cookies” for leading the charge against J. K. Rowling:
https://www.usmagazine.com/celebrity-news/pictures/j-k-rowlings-anti-trans-tweets-celebrities-react/mara-wilson-2/
Wilson’s a bully and a Transmaiden. Sad how “Matilda” grew up to be Mrs. Trunchbull.
Oh dear. Spoke too soon. A plague on both their houses. Thanks.
The photo has been identified as coming from a store in NYC. See this article at 4W.
The article claims that B&N shuns Potter but sells a book about pedophiles (and some other troubling topics). I don’t think the article is fair. This one B&N has this display. It’s not clear whether the same store has a Harry Potter display. The B&N web site clearly sells a great deal of Harry Potter material, with a major 20th Anniversary promotion; yes, it also sells books about pedophiles. It’s not at all the case that B&N is selling the pedophile book and not Potter. It’s not clear that the single store in question sells the pedophile book on its shelves, or that Potter is missing. Nor do I think it is wrong for the company to sell troubling books on its web site, anyway.
All good points.