Stein’s mistake: Judging a book by its cover

Re “Hogwarts fans, you’re stupid, stupid, stupid,” Current, July 10

I am not sure where Joel Stein is coming from in his rant regarding adults reading the Harry Potter novels of J.K. Rowling.

Adults find pleasure in all sorts of books, and just because someone finds enjoyment in reading Harry Potter, does not mean he or she is not also reading other kinds of books.

It cannot be implied from the reading of one book that a person is not attempting to “understand human emotion” or “seeing the world in black and white.”

Barbara Schwartz

Lakewood

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Your new look and attitude is so hip! Including an oh-so hip pseudo-counterculture attack on Harry Potter and all fairy tales. I, oldster and much less happening, can only quote Bruno Bettelheim in defense of what fairy tales teach us: “A struggle against severe difficulties in life is unavoidable, is an intrinsic part of human existence -- but if one does not shy away, but steadfastly meets unexpected and often unjust hardships, one masters all obstacles and at the end emerges victorious.”

A wonderful hope at any age.

Desiree Zamorano

Altadena