Nerdy Blogger

Good day, Nerdy Bloggers!  As is per usual, fall always catches me off guard, and throws my scheduling for a loop.  I’m back today though with a blog I feel like I should have written ages ago.  Today, I’m reviewing The Hog’s Head Pubcast, which is the podcast of TheHogsHead.org, a blog for smart talk on Harry Potter run by Harry Potter author and speaker Travis Prinzi. 

I’ve followed Prinzi’s blog and podcast for about 3 years or so now and I must say, it’s been incredible to watch The Hog’s Head go from a little known blog and podcast to one of the leading voices in Harry Potter literary criticism to date.  If you’re interested in smart talk on Harry Potter, then look no further than The Hog’s Head.

The thing that drew me into The Hog’s Head was Prinzi’s discussion of the Christian themes in the Potter novels.  I found the Pubcast very shortly after its beginnings at the end of 2006, which at the time, it was one of the few places online where Christianity and Harry Potter was being discussed seriously (perhaps with the exception of John Granger’s blog, HogwartsProfessor.com).  I had just completed my senior thesis on the subject, and very quickly began regretting that I had not discovered Travis’ blog sooner, as it would’ve been incredibly helpful in my research.  Prinzi does an excellent job extrapolating on the Christian themes in J. K. Rowling’s novels.  Also, if you’re not a Christian, or Christian symbolism isn’t your thing, don’t let that keep you from checking out The Hog’s Head.  Travis does an excellent job of pulling in loads of other types of literary criticism on the Harry Potter novels.  His discussion on the parallels between Rowling’s work and The Fabian Society is an excellent example of the diverse discussions taking place at The Hog’s Head.

Not only does The Hog’s Head contain smart discussion on Potter, Prinzi and the other authors of the blog (affectionately known as the “Blogengamot,” a spoof on the Harry Potter world’s high court of wizarding law known as the “Wizengamot”) also bring in interesting discussions on other comparative literature and literary topics.  Currently for the month of October, The Hog’s Head will be discussing some gothic literature, as well offering other fun Halloween themed discussions (see a recent post on the blog on “Who’s bitten you?,” a discussion on reader’s favorite vampires.  Mine is Count Chocula).

In short, I love The Hog’s Head and it’s easily become my favorite place for smart HP discussion, as well as other fun literature talks.  On the Nerdy Blogger scale, I give The Hog’s Head two thumbs up for offering smart talk on Potter, and also for providing a fun, friendly atmosphere to discuss Harry Potter and other great literature.  The Hog’s Head really encourages me to keep doing this whole blogging thing and to keep on writing, not only here, but in other formats as well (more on that in the coming weeks).  Also, Travis is kind enough to support my blog here by linking it up on his vastly cooler and smarter blog, so I’d appreciate it if you supported him, too.  He’s a pretty cool guy anyway.  So as Travis would say, “Pull up a barstool.  Aberforth will pour you the drink of your choosing, and let’s talk Potter.”

Blessings,

Nerdy Blogger