Posted by Mike Dennis on August 12, 2003 at 06:54:01 from 195.92.67.67 user MTD.
In Reply to: Re: Intrusions of Real Life posted by Peter H on August 08, 2003 at 12:52:26:
Sorry this is a late response to all this but I have been away from my PC for a few days.
Your last paragraph Peter is spot on, and something that I had never noticed but know I appreciated. My school experience was similar to yours, and of course AR does have people doing things together without all the negative stuff you mentioned. Thinking about it I always liked Dick as a character because he was 'brighter' and, more importantly, everyone admired and respected that.
As to how I read the books, my late brother was give S&A, PD and I think SD one Christmas. Who by I am not sure, but when I started to read proper novels (I'd outgrown Enid Blyton) I moved on to those and was hooked straight away. My brother died when we were both your children and I had few friends, the characters in the books became friends if only because (as Peter says) they weren't out to bully and tease you, trick you or just plain ignore you.
When I think about it, I will still read WH as a refuge (and it features snow, my favourite weather!)