I found this site by accident, looking up the spelling of Andre Gromeko's name---what a pleasure! My two cents are: Daniel Radcliffe as Harry Potter? Not if you 've read the books, I say. I don't think Daniel gets even close to the character that Rowling conceived. Nor does the child who plays Hermione. The Ron Weasley actor, though, I think is the best of the three. Someone from England asked if we Americans notice the accent issues in movies. Remember Meryl Streep and Robert Redford in Out of Africa? Streep, as usual with her wonderful ear for accents, maintained her British personna throughout. Redford, on the other hand, started out with a semblance of an accent, but this deteriorated quickly until he just seemed to sort of give up, and just spoke pure American. If you want to hear an amazing accent, watch Tommorow, a movie starring Robert Duvall. He takes on a backwoods accent and voice that are just astonishing. I agree with those who say that watching the movie after reading the book can be disappointing. Now and then, there are some movie makers who captured the real nature and tone and voice of the book, and even if they have to cut a lot, it doesn't lose the feel of the book. One such, I think, was Prince of Tides. The movie left out probably 2/3s of the book, and Barbra Streisand, with her self-beloved long fingernails, wasn't the ideal psychiatrist. But nevertheless, the movie, i thought, captured the tone of the book very well. I agree that Glenda JAckson was one of the best Queen Elizabehts, and that Maggie Smith absolutely is Miss Brodie. Also that Richard Harris was a wonderful Professor Dumbledore, while Michael Gambon--who is a terrific actor; see The Singing Detective and The Butcher, the Thief, His Wife and her Lover--is just not the kindly, deep, thoughtful Dumbledore at all. Another case of one wondering What the Director Was Thinking.

"naff" is somewhere between tacky and cutesy. Putting seasonal outfits on the goose garden sculpture on the front porch would be naff. In the last couple of years, I have taught a Cierra, a Deja (whose last name rhymed with Vu), a Jevon, two Skylars, one a girl, and one, with an "er", a boy; two Gages and a Sage, all boys; a Meea, a Tory (boy) and Tori (girl), a Destiny and a Lorelai. Taylors, Tylers, Jordans and Morgans of both genders. My DD is Jillian, often mispelled Julian-for instance, on her letter reminding her she must register for the draft. Speaking of teenagers naming babies- Both my children were required in 9th grade to take "Family and Consumer Science" and one of the units was parenting-and they each brought home the "Think-it-Over" baby doll as a required project. They pick up the doll after school and have the "parent wristband" attached-and you can not take the wristband off-it is removed the next morning at school. This doll is programmed to cry at frequent intervals all night, and the student must figure out what the baby wants-rocking, feeding or changing-place the wristband plug in the baby plug, and start doing whatever it takes to make it stop crying-within 3 minutes. This is all recorded on a computer chip in its little plastic head. I repeat, this goes on all night long. Daughter brought hers home, did the project, returned it-no name, no "how cute"...whatever. Do it, get an A, move on. My son went to pick up his baby and was asked by his teacher if his parents would object to a baby that did not match him ethnically-she told me later he stared at her and said "it's a doll. Why would they care?" and off he and baby went to volleyball practice. (There were 4 of the babies at practice that night-apparently it was riotous and non-stop crying!) He named his J-Qwan and at 2 a.m. the crying woke me up (did I mention that it cries all night long?) I heard him shouting from the bathroom "I'm coming J-Qwan-can't a father even p**?" LOL! His teacher told me later that she had received a blistering phone call from a father whose daughter had come home with a baby that didn't match her ethnically, so she was told to always ask. For pete sake!

marita, I can't find your Miss Charlotte T Hatfield but had more luck with 'Great Grandfather Garthwaite'. He was William Garthwaite, the minister of the Congregational Church in Wattisfield Suffolk (refereed to in your book as the 'Meeting House'. He is listed in the 1841 census as about 53 years old, Sarah 53 years and with a daughter Ann 20. His occupation is Dissenting Minister (dissenting in this context means he was not ordained in the C of E) I found this about him by typing into google "Garthwaite Wattisfield" The Rev. William Garthwaite, from Cratfield, accepted an unanimous invitation from this church, and came to Wattis- field with his family, August 5th, 1817. He was recognized as pastor on the 15th September, 181 8. The Rev. J. H. Cox, of Hadleigh, introduced the service ; the Rev. W. Ward, of Stow- market, delivered a discourse on the nature of a gospel church, and asked the questions ; the Rev. C. Dewhirst, of Bury, offered prayer; the Rev. J. M. Ray, of Sudbury, addressed the pastor and people ; and the Rev. T. Hickman, of Lavenham, concluded by prayer. On December 19th, 1827, Mrs. Garthwaite died suddenly whilst her husband was gone to bring his daughters home for their holidays. This melancholy event produced a great excite- ment, and evoked a considerable sympathy for the bereaved family. The Rev. W. Ward, of Stowmarket, officiated at the funeral and preached, on the following Sabbath, to a crowded congregation, from Matt. xxiv. 44. Mr. Garthwaite continued in the pastorate till 1847, when he resigned. He afterwards, November nth, 1847, married Ann, widow of the Rev. J. Elborough, formerly of Thetford. He died at Great Ayton, Yorkshire, November 20th, 1854.* When I have more time I'll look up the later census returns for other family members . . . it has a VERY slow search engine. ;-(

Annpan, I've been wondering where you've been. I think you're right -- that there can be a blending of literary and genre writing; e.g., literary mystery, literary sci-fi, literary fantasy, literary historical fiction, etc. (There's even literary nonfiction.) Sheri, above, made an astute observation: Many book club selections often are of the 'semi-literary' type. They are popular but they are taken to be 'serious' and perhaps make readers feel virtuous and more cultured for having read them. The writers of such books are bridging the gap between stories that entertain and 'studies' that enlighten. I don't know if those writers consciously set out with that purpose (I suspect that some have that intent because, as Sheri said, they are wannabes and the style can be lucrative). The semi-literary type of book can be a boon for writers if they can attract the notice of enough book clubs, reviewers, and readers who are susceptible to suggestion. Oprah parlayed her influence to great effect in this way. And why not? Many readers enjoy belonging to groups and reading the same books everyone else is.