i'm cool on that

I'm all for literacy. And really, I have nothing against Harry Potter or any of those series. What I am cool on is girls my age loving them. I understand reading them for fun or whatever. But really, when you're pushing a quarter of a century and you haven't found a novel better than Harry Potter you should give up now. It's not really endearing nor do I find it cute.  I'm not the most erudite individual but I know for a fact that there are a ton of great reads out there. Looking for a series of books that involve a recurring cast of characters? Check out Salinger's stuff on the Glass family. (and then you'd know why I named my dog franny) Want to read a book that is going to be made into a movie? Check out Youth in Revolt by C.D. Payne. I really liked this book back in the day. Want to impress that cute girl who's always reading Foucault and Hawthorne? Pick up the Norton Anthology of Short Fiction. Tell her your favorite just happens to be Young Goodman Brown. 

Get them at your local independent bookstore. My favorite around here is John King Books. (more on this magical place in the future)