The End is Nigh

As I have noted before, the selection of English-language books in Moscow leaves a lot to be desired. There is no shortage of traditional British and American classics. If you want a copy of Bridget Jones's Diary or Scarlett (the sequel to Gone With the Wind), you can find it. We have dictionaries and grammars aplenty, "For Dummies" books and technical manuals galore. But beyond this, there is nothing.

Nonetheless, the last time I was in John Parson's (a small independent bookshop), I spied a text I can only see as a sign that the complete, utter end of our civilization is nigh:

There is now a Complete Idiot's Guide to the World of Harry Potter.

Yes, you read that right. There is a Complete Idiot's Guide to a series of children's books.

Now, I am now snobbish about either Complete Idiot's Guides or Harry Potter. Though I've not yet read the books myself, I am glad that Harry, Hermione, Ron and company have children--and not a few adults--reading more than they would otherwise. I don't doubt the value of Complete Idiot's Guides to anyone who wants to know more about HTML, French cheeses, or the Catholic Church.

But for goodness sakes, people--if you want to know more about the world of Harry Potter, read the d****d books. They're written to be comprehnsible for ten-year-olds, for crying out loud!