After three weeks of studying how fairy tales are used in Holocaust novels, I found myself in serious need of comfort reading. I tried to pick up some of the paranormal romances in my To Read stack, but I just couldn’t focus on them. Having to delve so deeply into analyzing Holocaust narrative had left a big imprint on me, and I needed something familiar and comfortable… a literary woobie.
My literary woobie is the Harry Potter series series by J.K. Rowling. When I lived in Germany, I worked at a tiny shop that was quiet most of the time; we sold sweaters and teapots, so we only really had a rush of customers during the first cold snap of the year and Christmas. My manager used to quilt behind the counter. Being a reader and a writer, I’d bring books and notebooks. I discovered Harry Potter in the bookstore around the corner from my shop. I can’t remember the exact circumstances, but I’d probably forgotten to bring something to read, and so I ducked over there during a break. The second book had been out in paperback for a few months, and the display caught my eye. I picked up Harry Potter & The Sorcerer’s Stone and ploughed through it in less than a day. I ran back to the bookstore and bought Chamber of Secrets that afternoon and read it the next day.
And thus began my obsessive Harry Potter reading. After Prisoner of Azkaban was released, I’d bring at least two of the books with me to work and read my way through, over and over. I’ve read the first three books… oh god, at least thirty times apiece. I’m close to that on Goblet of Fire, too. It’s kind of embarrassing to admit it, sort of like admitting that you saw Star Wars Episode I about twenty times in the theatre. [cough] I certainly didn’t. [shifty eyes]
I never get tired of the Harry Potter series, no matter how many times I read it. Picking up those books is like getting to hang out with that old friend whom you only see every six months. It’s familiar, but every time I start to re-read, it’s like I’m being reintroduced to that loved one.
What are your literary woobies?
Currently…
Listening to: Bebel Gilberto - Aganjú
Reading: The Tale of Despereaux by Kate DiCamillo
Watching: The X-Files, season six
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“Good Omens,” for all its depth and moments of tear-driving beauty, is a total woobie for me. Also, “Summers At Castle Auburn” is incredibly comforting for me.
@Meredith: Good Omens is definitely a great read, one that I haven’t picked up in a while, actually. I want to knock out some of the new stuff that’s sitting around on my shelves, but I’m definitely going to have to revisit Pterry & Gneil’s work soon. And I have a copy of Summers at Castle Auburn floating around here somewhere, but for some reason I haven’t read it yet. o_O I’ll have to find it soon, if you think it’s awesome. :)