Harry Potter

I have this rebellious streak - no I didn't do drugs or challenge authority as a teenager - I learned the rules and used them to my advantage. No, my rebellious streak jumps out of me when somebody tells me I just HAVE TO see this movie, watch this TV show, like this book, eat this freaking weird food fusion etc. etc.

I hate it when somebody imposes their personal likes on me. I don't know why, but I have an instant motivation to HATE whatever they're pushing. My room-mate Dominic pushed Law and Order on me in the early 90's so I didn't start watching them until 2001 when A&E was running them every four hours. My next room-mate Greg started pushing Tolkien and all the other sword and sorcery books. I avoided them. (No I wasn't sure he wasn't a virgin...)

So, of course, as soon as the Harry Potter books started getting some press, oh, about a MILLION years ago, I vowed to avoid them like the plague, too.

I was wrong. They're bloody brilliant. I've just devoured the first three books in less than two weeks and now I'm hungry for the next ones...

The only thing I seem to have gotten the jump on was the Master and Commander series from Patrick O'Brian. I was in to him before anyone else I knew had even heard of him, although I doubt that series of books will ever be as popular as some of the other things I've shown my disdain for.