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POPSSalon on Stephanie Meyer's "Twilight" A perceptive article. It's interesting that Miller mentions the placeholder theory, which holds that writing a flat character lets the reader insert him or herself into the role. That's an old theory and dated in some ways, but it's possible that teenagers do at times insert themselves into stories, imagining themselves as central characters.
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POPSEast African Views on Sci Fi, 9/07 I'm intrigued with the developing world's view of western sci fi. Our technology-centric culture, and our western mythologies, must sound foreign in more ways than one. (Note that this article is actually from Kenya, one of the more developed African nations, with strong universities and reasonable internet access.)
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POPSBooks like Harry Potter There's a longer list on the website. The NY Times says 3/4 of young Harry Potter readers are "interested in reading other books." Great--let's make sure they find some good ones!
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POPSSalon.com: Summer reads (overview) I usually like Salon.com's book lists. But why on earth have they jumped on the chick lit bandwagon? They say they're picking books that engage the brain, and don't leave you feeling "cheap and empty". How is "Slummy Mummy" ("a bumbling mommy flirting with adultery") better than, say, a well-plotted JD Robb romantic suspense with a kick-ass heroine?