Harry Pottering

Subject: RE: Harry Pottering
From: Liz the Squeak
Date: 21 Jun 03 - 03:34 AM

OK then OKthen, who died?

You've had plenty of time to flick to that bit of the book, tell us who died!!!

LTS

Subject: RE: Harry Pottering
From: okthen
Date: 21 Jun 03 - 03:30 AM

I got mine,boys,
I got mine.

Subject: RE: Harry Pottering
From: GUEST
Date: 20 Jun 03 - 08:49 PM

Just posted this to a BBC "have your say". It's unlikely to get shown there...

Their question was:

Are you caught up in Harry Potter mania? How will you get hold of your copy this weekend? Is the book worth the wait and the build-up? What do you think of the Potter phenomenon?

I'm not caught up in "Harry Potter mania" or any other mania (I hope).

From the extracts I have read, the books are reasonable but of lesser quality than say Tolkien's works and not especially original.

The power of the media to hype things up becomes more and more frightening.

Subject: RE: Harry Pottering
From: Lin in Kansas
Date: 20 Jun 03 - 08:00 PM

My grandson, who is an indifferent reader, was totally enthralled when I read the first two books to him. I'm impatiently waiting for my copy to arrive at Borders tonight so I can find out what Harry's doing THIS year.

It's been a revelation to me how obsessed the fundamentalists are with these books. Of course, I live in the Buckle of the Bible Belt, so guess I should have expected it. Gahhhhhh! Nope, nothing would have prepared me for that kind of unreasoning censorship...

Lin

Subject: RE: Harry Pottering
From: Wesley S
Date: 20 Jun 03 - 01:28 PM

Jim Dale was wonderful with all of those voices. If I'm not mistaken he does the voice of Dobie { sp? } in the movie as well.

Subject: RE: Harry Pottering
From: GUEST,noddy
Date: 20 Jun 03 - 10:33 AM

oo an Ariel.

Subject: RE: Harry Pottering
From: Dave the Gnome
Date: 20 Jun 03 - 10:32 AM

"Hagrid" on a 'hog ???

Isn't a hog a Harley? Hagrid should be on a Triumph, surely.

Like Moses...

DtG

Subject: RE: Harry Pottering
From: John Hardly
Date: 20 Jun 03 - 10:11 AM

John, there has been only one person doing the audios -- Jim Dale. He won the audiobook version of the Grammy for his work on HP3. All of the voices are his.

Oh yeah....
hmmmm, it's been a while. Quite a tribute to his excellent reading that I even remembered it as multiple actors, eh?

Subject: RE: Harry Pottering
From: cyder_drinker
Date: 20 Jun 03 - 10:01 AM

The UK versions of the Audio booke were read by Stephen Fry. Personally, I preferred Jim Dale's readings.

Subject: RE: Harry Pottering
From: Hollowfox
Date: 20 Jun 03 - 09:49 AM

Dani, it must be quite a transfiguration spell if you can convince even a muggle that a sausage biscuit is butterbeer.
I preordered my copy from the local independent bookstore as soon as the ISBN came out, and they tell me it should be there tomorrow. 'Course, there's a lot of "should" in the world, but I'd rather subsidise a friend than a franchise.

Subject: RE: Harry Pottering
From: Dani
Date: 20 Jun 03 - 09:21 AM

The bookstore next door is taking on the chains and their silly kids-up-at-midnight stuff. Her "first book" will be delivered by "Hagrid" on a 'hog at 8am, and parents are thrilled.

She's turned her corner of our little town into a set from the book: Diagon Alley, everything. Local businesses are having a ball. I'll be Madame Rosemerta (!) serving butterbeer and pumpkin fizz (and sausage biscuits and cinnamon buns to Muggles.) What a hoot!

Dani

Subject: RE: Harry Pottering
From: Rapparee
Date: 20 Jun 03 - 08:32 AM

John, there has been only one person doing the audios -- Jim Dale. He won the audiobook version of the Grammy for his work on HP3. All of the voices are his.

I was notified yesterday that my book has been shipped, and that my copies of the audio will be shipped Saturday.

Yes, I too listen while I drive. It helps to have something to do with that time on the long trips!

Subject: RE: Harry Pottering
From: GUEST,noddy
Date: 20 Jun 03 - 08:30 AM

My money is on Hagrid for the chop in a heroic-save-harry sort of way.

Subject: RE: Harry Pottering
From: John Hardly
Date: 20 Jun 03 - 07:08 AM

I've not read any of them -- I am a books-on-tape addict and I've listened to them while on the road.

Interesting -- most of my friends did the same (we all do art fairs and travel) and listened to them. When the movie came out, to a man we were all a bit let down. The actors who read the book for the books-on-tape were considerably better than the movie actors....

.....and, being creative types, our imaginations were better than the silver screen.

Subject: RE: Harry Pottering
From: diesel
Date: 20 Jun 03 - 06:22 AM

Just heard from home - Tesco's in Athlone (Ireland) are selling the book as we speak - for 18 Euro. I thought there was a ban on selling it before midnight tonight ??

Somebody was on the radio after having read the first chapters - not yet up on good/bad/indifferent bit yet....

rgds

Subject: RE: Harry Pottering
From: Catherine Jayne
Date: 20 Jun 03 - 05:34 AM

Got my email form amazon this morning hoefully the book will arrive in tomorrows post!!! Diesel....if you order through amazon the book only cost £11 including p&p

Subject: RE: Harry Pottering
From: Dave the Gnome
Date: 20 Jun 03 - 04:04 AM

Yip - waiting patiently for ours to arrive. Tesco have confirmed they have been depatched. Had to order 3 because of the arguments about who is reading it first! And I will not get a chance to see any of them for at least a week even though it has cost me 23 quid:-(

The interview last night was rather good. I like JKR - she seems very clever but down to earth at the same time. Just like me...;-)

Cheers

Dave the House Elf

Subject: RE: Harry Pottering
From: okthen
Date: 20 Jun 03 - 04:00 AM

Got my email from amazon today, the book is in the post so it should be here Saturday or Monday or in a fortnight depending on whether the kids find out if it's been delivered!

Subject: RE: Harry Pottering
From: diesel
Date: 20 Jun 03 - 03:05 AM

Let's not get too carried away with the 'Who' bit. Sure how would anyone know? the books not released yet.

I think Sorcha lord Voldemort is winding you up.

Diesel - can't wait till the book comes out and drops in price.....

Subject: RE: Harry Pottering
From: Sorcha
Date: 19 Jun 03 - 11:40 PM

Actually, I figured it was either Hermoine or the friendly female teacher--I forget her name. Is it really Ron or are you having us on?

Subject: RE: Harry Pottering
From: LadyJean
Date: 19 Jun 03 - 11:24 PM

Am I the only person who noticed that Harry Potter is J.K. Rowling's take on the British class system. We have the old wizarding families, who can get away with murder, more or less, and then we have lesser types like Ron and Hermione, or dear old Hagrid. I hope J.K. Rowling didn't turn her latest into a "coming of age" novel. The school librarian used to wish those attrocities on me, and I kept trading them in for Sabatini and Dumas.

Subject: RE: Harry Pottering
From: GUEST,Lord Voldemort
Date: 19 Jun 03 - 08:04 PM

So, you want to know who dies, do you? Well, it's not that oaf Hagrid. It's the weasel, Ron! He gets splattered by trying to deflect a bludger in his first and last game as Keeper for Gryffindor!

Nayahahahahaha!!

(Say, ain't it nifty neat how JKR works in all that stuff from medieval bestiaries as well as her degree in languages? Take my own name: vol de mort. She's one tee-rrific lookin' woman, too! Sure want to work the old spells on her!!!!)

Subject: RE: Harry Pottering
From: Ebbie
Date: 19 Jun 03 - 07:03 PM

Hmmmm. One of these times I'll have to get hold of a Potter book and discover what the hubbub is. I remember years ago I resisted for the longest time readig the Tolkien books- and of course, was enthralled.

I haven't read any of the Rowlings books but a few weeks ago I did pick up a video at the market of one of them. I watched. Nice special effects. The story of course was definitely tailored for the preteen crowd- and that's OK. I'm going to give the video to some kid who hasn't got that one.

Subject: RE: Harry Pottering
From: GUEST,Wesley S
Date: 19 Jun 03 - 06:56 PM

I'm not too worried about one of the charecters dying. Just look at Gandolf in LOTR. It's a world of magic remember - they can always come back in some shape or form.

Subject: RE: Harry Pottering
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 19 Jun 03 - 06:54 PM

Here is a link to a transcript of that interview with JK Rowling the BBC broadcast earlier this evening.

A very likeable lady. Mind, when it comes to magic, including Wizard School, or sheer writing ability she ain't in the same league as Ursula Leguin, with her Earthsea books. But it's great to see a book getting published being seen as a major event - big signs up on our local all-night supermarket saying "Harry Potter - 12.01 am Saturday".

I reckon it'll be Hagrid for the chop, on the basis that JK Rowling says she got really upset at having to do it.

Subject: RE: Harry Pottering
From: Catherine Jayne
Date: 19 Jun 03 - 06:36 PM

Got my book on order just waiting for it to be delivered...hopefully it will arrive on Saturday!!!

Subject: RE: Harry Pottering
From: alanabit
Date: 19 Jun 03 - 06:34 PM

I am looking forward to it. Apparently one of the characters gets killed off - and I can't wait to see who it is.

Subject: RE: Harry Pottering
From: Liz the Squeak
Date: 19 Jun 03 - 06:13 PM

I'm waiting for the paperback version.... it's a bloody thick and heavy book!!

Interview was good though, I liked her comment regarding a letter sent to her by a mother requesting that the books be safe and sensible so that her children could 'escape there from all hurt, fears and harm'..... The poor boy goes through more each term than your average paratrooper does in a lifetime!

JK quite rightly said so and put this paranoid and delusional mother in her place.

LTS

Subject: RE: Harry Pottering
From: okthen
Date: 19 Jun 03 - 05:04 PM

Interesting BBC2 interview with JK Rowling tonight, apparently this is the biggest 1st print run ever (200 million I think)750 pages.There are 250,000 words which makes it longer than the new testament, "Oh great" said JKR, that will give the (religous group)something else to criticise me for, "more verbose than God".
I'm hoping my copy arrives 1st post Saturday.

Subject: Harry Pottering
From: Peter T.
Date: 19 Jun 03 - 04:44 PM

Given that this is the biggest thing in the book universe at the moment, thought it might be interesting what the always literate Mudcat crowd thinks. Certainly it is cheery having people going nuts over a book that is not the Bible or the Koran or The Valley of the Dolls for that matter. Personally, having gone to a boy's school exactly like Potter (without the magic, but with the houses, ties, and Lord of the Flies type wars), I enjoy them, but am not lost in them -- but then I am not 12 years old. They are certainly very dark, which is interesting. They certainly show the power of suspended story lines -- shades of people on docks waiting for the lastest segment of a Dickens novel!! The movies are sort of dull: nicely cast though.

yours, Peter T.