Harry Potter vs. Edgar Allan Poe

[mentecuerpo]

Harry Potter vs. Edgar Allan Poe

I know that Harry Potter books are popular among (I would say, young) langue learners. I think there are more than five books published in that series.

I would imagine that after reading a complete HP book, the second should be much easier to read. The language learner has gained an enormous vocabulary just by reading one book, which will facilitate the reading of the next book on the series.

There is no doubt that in literature, some books are harder than others.
I am just reading parallels style, Edgar Allan Poe. I have the Italian book in two formats: a physical book and an e-book kindle one. The titles of the book: <<E.A. Poe tutti I racconti, le poesie e Gordon Pym>>. I have the original English version on digital and physical book: Edgar Allan Poe, stories and poems. I find the narrative of this book entertaining and with an excellent literature level on it. I don't think this book can compare to HP in the complexity of the story and the vocabulary. On an average page, I find 8 to 9 new words for me, so I am getting a lot of new words and "more bang for my reading buck." I think after I complete this book, my Italian vocabulary should really improve and significantly increase.

So, at what time the language learner can make the switch from Harry Potter to the classics? I believe there are translations for the classics into every language. You can easily find them in every multiple format.
The classics are not only entertaining but expands the reader's horizon with world top literature work.

There is no doubt that HP will be an excellent reading to get to a certain level. However, the classic literature takes the learner to an extra level by increasing the difficulties of the word selection and the quality of the writing style.

I end this reflection with the famous Italian writer Italo Calvino answering his question: Why I read the classics?
Is it time to move to the classics for language learning? What would Italo Calvino tell us?

English translation:
https://whumspring2010.files.wordpress. ... alvino.pdf

Italian original: Italo Calvino, “Perché leggere i classici”
https://keynes.scuole.bo.it/ipertesti/c ... assici.pdf

[golyplot]

Harry Potter is more popular, and thus more readily available, and it is also far easier to understand.

[Speakeasy]

It has been almost 60 years since I read the complete set of Edgar Allen Poe’s gothic horror novels (I had been inspired to do so by the B-movies of Vincent Price https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=vincent+price+movies).

I still recall mentioning my then-current literary regimen to my high school English Literature teacher who, typically for her, reacted in horrified disgust that I should devote my time to reading what-she-considered-to-be such fluff. Heck, I was just a kid, I thought that she would have been pleased! Once she calmed down, though, she recommended that I read Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein. “Great”, I thought, “another classic horror movie!” Well, I was actually quite surprised by Shelley’s literary style and by the sympathetic portrait she formed of Dr. Frankenstein’s creation. Quite naturally, I put Poe aside and began reading Shelley and many other authors of English literature from the 19th and 20th centuries. To a very large extent, Poe was my literary awakening!

Now then, coming back to your original question, as to the “level” at which one might wish to introduce oneself to Poe or Potter, I would tend to view the literary style as operating somewhere around the CEFR B2 area; that is, the same level as most “pulp fiction” novels. There are so many genres available that virtually everyone can find something to suit their tastes. Furthermore, the more popular books often exist in translation in numerous languages and are also available as audio books. Language students can combine the materials (original, translation, audio book) and use them as a very enjoyable means of working at the intermediate level.

By the way, some of Edgar Allen Poe’s works are available via the Librivox website: https://librivox.org/search?q=edgar%20allen%20poe&search_form=advanced

Harry Potter is more popular, and thus more readily available, and it is also far easier to understand.

Rightly so, but the filmed versions do not feature the inimitable artistic talents (sic) of Vincent Price!

[mentecuerpo]

It has been almost 60 years since I read the complete set of Edgar Allen Poe’s gothic horror novels (I had been inspired to do so by the B-movies of Vincent Price https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=vincent+price+movies).

I still recall mentioning my then-current literary regimen to my high school English Literature teacher who, typically for her, reacted in horrified disgust that I should devote my time to reading what-she-considered-to-be such fluff. Heck, I was just a kid, I thought that she would have been pleased! Once she calmed down, though, she recommended that I read Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein. “Great”, I thought, “another classic horror movie!” Well, I was actually quite surprised by Shelley’s literary style and by the sympathetic portrait she formed of Dr. Frankenstein’s creation. Quite naturally, I put Poe aside and began reading Shelley and many other authors of English literature from the 19th and 20th centuries. To a very large extent, Poe was my literary awakening!

Now then, coming back to your original question, as to the “level” at which one might wish to introduce oneself to Poe or Potter, I would tend to view the literary style as operating somewhere around the CEFR B2 area; that is, the same level as most “pulp fiction” novels. There are so many genres available that virtually everyone can find something to suit their tastes. Furthermore, the more popular books often exist in translation in numerous languages and are also available as audio books. Language students can combine the materials (original, translation, audio book) and use them as a very enjoyable means of working at the intermediate level.

By the way, some of Edgar Allen Poe’s works are available via the Librivox website: https://librivox.org/search?q=edgar%20allen%20poe&search_form=advanced

Harry Potter is more popular, and thus more readily available, and it is also far easier to understand.

Rightly so, but the filmed versions do not feature the inimitable artistic talents (sic) of Vincent Price!

I read many classics as a teenager before I went to medical school.
As a teenager, all my readings were in Spanish translations.
Now that I have more time off, I can revisit the classics in Italian and English.

That is an excellent movie to watch for Halloween, a very spooky beginning.
Love it, thanks for the info and links.

[mentecuerpo]

Harry Potter is more popular, and thus more readily available, and it is also far easier to understand.

I agree that Harry Potter is a popular reading, my daughter is reading the books (she is ten yo BTW). But after reading the HP books, the language learner may need to look for other options. The classics are another consideration for the selection of the next book. They have been translated into multiple languages and are easy to find. They are classics for a reason.
Well, maybe the HP is already a classic cultural icon, and my Grandchildren will be reading them. I hope they will be reading them in more than one language.

[chove]

This is where I admit that I don't like Harry Potter, isn't it? I got about... a third of the way through the first book? in Spanish before giving up because I just hated it. I moved to a children's history book instead. I do own a few popular novels in Spanish (Twilight and I think a Dan Brown, and a pdf somewhere of The Hunger Games) but I'm generally too worried that I won't be able to read them to even try. (Ah, lack of confidence, how I dislike you!)

So I'm open to any recommendations for widely-available books that aren't Harry Potter. Even other kids books would do, I just seem to have a specific aversion to HP.

[Speakeasy]

... This is where I admit that I don't like Harry Potter ... I just hated it.

I share your aversion to Harry Potter, mine derives from an inability to engage with the whole Fantasy World genre. I suggest that you search out titles that fall within a genre that appeals to you (mystery, crime, adventure, romance, sci-fi, etc.).

... Ah, lack of confidence, how I dislike you!

All of us, without exception, lack confidence somewhere in our lives. Start slowly, build a solid base and progress at your own pace. You'll know when it's time to remove the training wheels.

... So I'm open to any recommendations for widely-available books that aren't Harry Potter. Even other kids books would do, I just seem to have a specific aversion to HP.

I have not reviewed any of the lists below; however, they might contain something that will catch your eye ...

Spanish Resources
https://forum.language-learners.org/viewtopic.php?f=19&t=5377/

A Spanish Book Reading Resource
https://forum.language-learners.org/viewtopic.php?f=19&t=11639

My Spanish study favourites (gear, people, methods, resources)
https://forum.language-learners.org/viewtopic.php?f=19&t=9001

Spanish Group
Yah, I know, reading through all the-now 63-pages of the posts the Spanish Study Group would take time. So, take your time! I’d bet a month’s pension payment that you’ll learn something.
https://forum.language-learners.org/viewtopic.php?f=26&t=5035

EDITED:
Typos, of course.

[AnthonyLauder]

Harry Potter books have one great advantage for leaning languages: JK Rowling realised that the children who read each book would be a year or two older when the next book in the series came out, so she wrote them for a progressively more mature reading audience. This makes them essentially "Graded Readers".

[rdearman]

ah... Harry bloody Potter....
https://forum.language-learners.org/vie ... =14&t=1288

Look at Project Gutenberg for free public domain classics.
Here is the Spanish list: https://www.gutenberg.org/browse/languages/es
Italian: https://www.gutenberg.org/browse/languages/it
French: https://www.gutenberg.org/browse/languages/fr
Navajo: https://www.gutenberg.org/browse/languages/nav
Czech: https://www.gutenberg.org/browse/languages/cs

And there are many, many more!

[DaveAgain]

Harry Potter books have one great advantage for leaning languages: JK Rowling realised that the children who read each book would be a year or two older when the next book in the series came out, so she wrote them for a progressively more mature reading audience. This makes them essentially "Graded Readers".

Are you sure she wasn't just writing for her own aging child?