Thoughts for the Serious Reader of Harry Potter
A HogPro in California wrote me last week about his trip to see the Half-Blood Prince movie and the consequent discussion he had with his wife about whether alchemical story elements can translate from page to screen and survive in such a way to have the signature cathartic effect such things have on readers. He said “No way” but the wife disagrees. He submits the question here for discussion, even arbitration.
First, the letter about the movie: [Read more…]
‘Arrabella Figg’ has written me with an idea of how to understand the Deathly Hallows in relation to Riddle’s Horcruxes. She writes: [Read more…]
Mr. Prinzi has already posted about this at The Hog’s Head, but I want to take the discussion in a different direction, namely, the function of satire and why reporters have never attacked Ms. Rowling.
First, the story: Harry Potter Bad for Newspapers?
The Spring 2008 (?) copy of the American Communication Journal featured a piece called Harry Potter and Children’s Perceptions of the News Media by Amanda Sturgill, Department of Journalism at Baylor University, Jessica Winney, University of Houston Clear Lake, and Tina Libhart, also of Baylor.
The abstract of the article reads: [Read more…]
Dr. Kat’s List: Five College Campuses If You Want the Hogwarts Experience
Cornell, Bryn Mahr, Yale, Kenyon, and, at #1, [Read more…]
Looking for that perfect something to celebrate Harry’s and Ms. Rowling’s shared birthday today? Buy the seven book Harry Potter series on CD as a pdf file for next to nothing.
I understand that versions of this sort of thing have been available and passed around on the internet for years. I was sent, for instance, a searchable MS Word file of Deathly Hallows less than a week after the book was published in 2007 (having bought four copies of the book, I wouldn’t have blushed if I had ever used the file, but I haven’t). In the spirit of full disclosure, I have as of this morning a complete set of pdf files for the books — for which files I paid nothing to anyone, “anyone” including, of course, the copyright holders.
But this eBay merchant (along with quite a few others) is selling the 4,100 page series and making a profit via the repackaging and ‘shipping and handling’ charges. Am I right in assuming this is only happening because eBay and Warner Brothers and Bloomsbury/Scholastic are unaware of it happening? Your thoughts?
And happy birthday, Ms. Rowling, wherever you ever!
Recent Conversation