Really True Fiction - Ep. 86 - That's Totally My Book - (Harry Potter and The Half Blood Prince)

Ep. 86 - That's Totally My Book - (Harry Potter and The Half Blood Prince)

Explicit content warning

02/17/24 • 148 min

Really True Fiction

Welcome to the first foursome for Really True Fiction! A big thanks to Dan, Lydia and Graham for joining me to chat about the (best?) sixth Harry Potter book. In our conversation we cover such ground as:

Relationships as status vs feeling, the monster in the chest, Ginny's subtle art of not giving a fuck, being blinded by bias, humanized villains, evil downstream of fear, what happens when you refuse a tyrant, Malfoy starting in pride, standing up to optics and propaganda, scapegoating, solving problems as the actual best form of PR, navigating popularity, navigating management, Dumbledore's patience, and how women might not get along.

Thanks again for listening!

Previous Episode

Ep. 85 - Kafka's Wet Dream - (Harry Potter and The Order Of The Phoenix)

Jump on the Hogwart's Express! We are going to back school!

I'm very pleased to be joined by Dan Holder (who joined me on the Master and Commander episode) and Lydia Rollinson to talk about the fifth Harry Potter book. It was a total blast to have two Brits on to talk about a very British, as well as very archetypal, story.

Talking about Order of the Phoenix we discuss the clash between Harry Potter and Evangelical Christianity in the 90s, avoiding hard problems, anxiety in regards to bureaucracies, Harry's blindspots, what it would be like to see your memories like a movie, adopting multiple perspectives, paternal/maternalism, moral philosophy, adults apologizing to children and many more topics. Thanks so much for listening to Really True Fiction!

Additional spoilers:

The Farewell - 1:21:20

Next Episode

Ep. 87 - Taming The Darkness Within - (Harry Potter and The Deathly Hallows)

Finally, we made it. I was very grateful to once again be joined by Dan Holder, Lydia Rollinson and Graham King to finish off the Harry Potter books. In this last instalment of the series we talk about:

Students becoming more excellent than their teachers, changing your opinion of someone because they can change, believing in the cause, accepting help from others, leaving your safe havens for the bigger world, not hurting those who don't deserve it, being an inspiring figure, how emotions can blind you to other things that are going on, Voldemort's downfall being Harry's strengths, how tyranny is bad for everyone, upper party is the only beneficiary, opportunities costs when people of talent work on propaganda, how the journey can have sucky parts, getting the better of your low moments, feeling hurt and despair, Promethean vs. Hero, what it feels like when your crush isn't into you, deciding the right thing to do, kindness as compound interest, and seeing old friends.

Thank you to everyone who listens to this episode, this series, and this podcast. What a trip to Hogwarts it has been. See you at the next episode!