Peg Duthie - Reading List
Placetne, J. K. Rowling? The Worlds of Lord Peter Wimsey and Harry Potter
Retirement Learning at Vanderbilt
Spring 2007
Course description:
J. K. Rowling has cited English mystery author Dorothy L. Sayers (1893 -1957) as one of her literary role models. This course will highlight aspects of Sayers's influence on Rowling and delve into several themes common to both the Lord Peter/Harriet Vane novels and the Harry Potter series, including the legacies of war and the complexity of life debts. The course will be geared towards participants who have read all the books in both series (and/or individuals who happen to be mellow about plot "spoilers").
The Lord Peter Wimsey novels
Whose Body? (1923)
Clouds of Witness (1926)
Unnatural Death (1927)
The Unpleasantness at the Bellona Club (1928)
* Strong Poison (1930)
Five Red Herrings (1931)
* Have His Carcase (1932)
Murder Must Advertise (1933)
The Nine Tailors (1934)
* Gaudy Night (1935)
* Busman's Honeymoon (1937)
* = novels featuring Harriet Vane
Additional resources:
A BBC Guide to the series. A good place to start!
The links page of the Dorothy L. Sayers Society.
The Harry Potter novels
Harry Potter and the Sorceror's Stone (1997)
[UK title: Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone]
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (1998)
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (1999)
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (2000)
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (2003)
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (2005)
Additional resource:
The Harry Potter Lexicon
For more information, please email me. I look forward to hearing from you!
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