Tuesday, July 24, 2007

The Buzz in DC

I'm in Washington, DC this week to do some research at the Library of Congress and to go to a conference. What is everyone talking about? On the subway? In the Library? Coming out of the House office building?

Harry Potter

The congressional interns were bitching cuz the staffer in their office took an hour and a half lunch break to read Potter. At the LOC, the staff was abuzz with how long they had waited in line for the book and how late they stayed up reading it. On the subway, it was about what had happened in the book, whether or not they were surprised, and how it did or didn't live up to expectations.

I've always thought of DC as a city apart. It's kind of the graduate school of the nation - they worry about different things than everyone else, get caught up in things the rest of the citizens don't think is all that important, but today proved me wrong. DC really is like the rest of country - at least for a weekend.

1 comment:

Tim Lacy said...

Just finished book 6, as prep, and am waiting for the wife to finish Deathly Hallows. There should be some kind of general sleepiness test around the nation to determine how many folks are burning both ends of the candle to read.

But to your point, thanks to Rowling, DC is only temporarily like the rest of the U.S.! - TL