"some old untried illusion"

[eldritchhobbit]

Happy birthday to thewordoffred, and happy early birthday to distaff_exile. May you both have marvelous days and many more to come!

* Borders is offering a unique opportunity for fans to help choose the images contained in a new 2008 wall calendar. Via this link you can vote for five of your favorite images from the Harry Potter films.

* The Seattle Post-Intelligencer had an article yesterday about the recent boom in book-buying by teens -- up 25% from 1999 to 2005, by one measure. What's selling? "Fantasy and graphic novels are especially hot" -- and, of course, most of those graphic novels have fantasy elements.

* I recently stumbled across Dr. Kathleen L. Nichols' pages of Arthurian Legends Illustrated, which are worth a visit.


The afternoon is bright,
with spring in the air,
a mild March afternoon,
with the breath of April stirring,
I am alone in the quiet patio
looking for some old untried illusion -
some shadow on the whiteness of the wall
some memory asleep
on the stone rim of the fountain,
perhaps in the air
the light swish of some trailing gown.
- Antonio Machado, Selected Poems, #3, translated by Alan S. Trueblood

Comments

[metal-aria.livejournal.com]

* The Seattle Post-Intelligencer had an article yesterday about the recent boom in book-buying by teens -- up 25% from 1999 to 2005, by one measure. What's selling? "Fantasy and graphic novels are especially hot" -- and, of course, most of those graphic novels have fantasy elements.

I'm glad to hear this!! At the same time I keep wishing this trend would have happened 20 years ago. Back when I was ostracized for my love of fantasy, comics, and all that was magical...

If I was 15 now... I could get chicks instead of an ass-beating... LOL

Good thing for my 16 year-old son, he's a lot like me. The punk... (in a loving tone, mind you!!)

[eldritchhobbit.livejournal.com]

If I was 15 now... I could get chicks instead of an ass-beating... LOL

ROFLOL!

As someone who grew up as the only little girl in the comic shop, I know what you mean about wishing this trend kicked in a couple of decades ago!

[estellye.livejournal.com]

LOL! That was fun selecting some images for the HP calendar. Interesting statistic on the teen book-buying, too. I feel sure that having grown up alongside Harry didn't hurt matters in that regard. What a boon Rowling has been to children's and young adult literature - never mind all the hours of entertainment she has given me! ;)

That is a lovely poem. Wistful.

[eldritchhobbit.livejournal.com]

I feel sure that having grown up alongside Harry didn't hurt matters in that regard. What a boon Rowling has been to children's and young adult literature - never mind all the hours of entertainment she has given me! ;)

I second that!

[mizz-history.livejournal.com]

The Arthurian pictures are wonderful :o) They could prove useful too, as my original fic idea is rooted in Arthurian legend.

[eldritchhobbit.livejournal.com]

Wonderful!

[sittingduck1313.livejournal.com]

Mind you, the literary snots will probably regard that book buying trend as further evidence of the brain rot in Today's Youth. But then what do they know? :P

[eldritchhobbit.livejournal.com]

But then what do they know? :P

That's right! :)