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Post by amanda on Jul 16, 2005 10:09:35 GMT -5
We made the trip to the Bartlesville Hastings last night 11:30-ish for the midnight release of Harry Potter. The book is thirty chapters spread over 652 pages. Rowling thrusts us right into the story this time. There is no easing into it with the latest mistreatment of Harry by the Dursleys at Privet Drive. Exciting! But, I promise not to say much more as I know that some won't be diving into the book this weekend even though they have it in their possession... Happy reading, everyone! Be sure to announce any spoilers should a discussion of the book pop up on this thread.
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Post by Jeff on Jul 16, 2005 11:34:20 GMT -5
Last night we went to B&N at 10. We had to circle the parking lot twice in bumper to bumper traffic and still never found a space. We parked at a nearby apt complex and made our way down the street with the other wizards and witches. Inside the store was a children's paradise. There was face painting--Maddie and Emily got the requisite Potter scar. They got to pet a big rat named Scabbers, and for some reason there was an alligator in the children's book section. There was wand making. And for Jenn and I good cappuccino. Someone once asked the famous book critic Harold Bloom ( wrt-brooke.syr.edu/courses/205.03/bloom.html ) if children’s reading Harry Potter was so bad. After all, kids reading Rowling today will go on to read Stephen King when they are adults. Bloom famously responded, "Just so." And that has pretty much been my thought about the Potter books, too. But last night I had the opportunity to wander through the store while the kids were getting painted. In almost every aisle there was a young person reading a book. God may save us from Stephen King: I saw a young girl clutching the Elder Edda and a lad perusing a history of Elizabethan England. Jenn thinks I have been a total snob about Harry Potter. But last night softened my views considerably: It's only words, but the kids were craving them like Cabbage Patches, eating rice crispy treats in front of Descartes and Wittgenstein.
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Post by amanda on Jul 16, 2005 12:07:39 GMT -5
Face painting!? Wand making!? Man. All I got was a free bar of chocolate..
Are you all reading the book together?
I'm of the impression that the Potter books have had a positive influence, prompting young readers to seek out other fantastic tales and even more serious works and classics. But, maybe that's just me justifying my terrific liking of the series.
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Post by Jeff on Jul 16, 2005 12:13:59 GMT -5
I think you are right and the famous literary critic and my previous opinion are wrong. I got up early this morning while Jenn was asleep and read chapter 28-30 of the new Potter--largely because I can't stand those Dursley chapters and the rehashing of basic Potter-speak in the first 5 chapters or so of the previous books. I am not going to reveal anything about the plot. But I will say that I found the ending very satisfying!
Jeff
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Post by amanda on Jul 16, 2005 12:31:26 GMT -5
*shakes her head* Baaaad, Jeffrey! Skipping to the end. Actually, there wasn't a typical Dursley chapter this time, and there doesn't really seem to be much of the rehashing (although, it's been long enough since I finished book 5 that a rehashing might not be a bad thing for me). Rowling has pretty much gotten straight into it this time.
Are you or Jenn going to read it aloud to the girls?
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Post by Jeff on Jul 16, 2005 13:04:09 GMT -5
I quit reading this series of books to the girls when they got bored with them. I have MP3s of the first 5 books, so we are definitely going to get through Book IV before the next movie comes out. No...matter...how...much...it...hurts...
Though she watches the movies again and again, Emily never really liked hearing these stories--she loves hearing Native American stories and the Brothers Grimm. I kept Maddie interested till Book IV. The first 200 pages of that book are dreadfully dull. And I have been forced to read most of them aloud three times now. By the time things start to get bearable--with the introduction of Mad-eye--Maddie is asking me if we have to continue. Fortunately, Maddie has never had such reactions to Watership or the Narnia books.
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Post by amanda on Jul 16, 2005 13:09:42 GMT -5
So.. have you not made it through the series, then?
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Post by Jeff on Jul 16, 2005 13:10:34 GMT -5
Jenn wanted me to share this. It is the text of the flyer our local B&N printed for their party last night:
Join us for our Midnight Magic Party celebrating
[shadow=red,left,300]Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince![/shadow]
Friday, July 15, 2005
Festivities Begin at 9P.M.; Book sales begin at midnight.
Come dressed as your favorite character
and enjoy enchanted activities including:
Wand and Cape making, Picture taking, Fortune Telling, Games, Costume Contests and more!
Please note the following event Guidelines:
• Numbered wrist bands will be distributed July 15th. You must have a wristband In order to purchase a book at the party.
• Customers who pre-ordered a book will receive a yellow wristband and will line up first. All other customers will be given an orange wristband.
• All children must be accompanied by an adult.
• Pre-ordered books must be purchased by Monday, July 18th.
• Quantities may be limited. The only way to assure that you will get a book is to place a pre-order.
• Due to the large number of people expected to attend, access to the store may be limited until some party guests have left.
Barnes & Noble Booksellers 4005 North 10th Street McAllen, TX 78504 (936) 683-7773
Don’t forget- Members save an additional 10% on the already discounted price!
All information is subject to change.
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Post by Jeff on Jul 16, 2005 13:26:41 GMT -5
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Post by Jeff on Jul 16, 2005 13:51:02 GMT -5
Here is another interesting literary assessment of HP: No Wizard Left Behind: Harry Potter and Left Behind are more alike than you might think. www.slate.com/id/2100637/
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Post by amanda on Jul 16, 2005 14:21:00 GMT -5
I missed one question on the CNN quiz, one question on the MSNBC quiz... and managed to correctly answer 8 questions before using up my three chances. Pitiful.
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Post by Dan on Jul 16, 2005 15:14:26 GMT -5
Reading now.
Awesome book.
Excited.
Speak in a few.
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Post by amanda mcbride on Jul 17, 2005 22:13:56 GMT -5
Wow. I just finished the book and I'm just.... shocked. I'm not sure now what the final book will be like.
Great great book, though. I really enjoyed it.
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Post by katie on Jul 18, 2005 6:39:02 GMT -5
Finally finished about 4 this morning. I don't want to spoil it for anyone who hasn't finished yet, so I'll just say "Wow!"
And Amanda, email me as soon as you can!!!
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Post by Dan on Jul 18, 2005 11:45:13 GMT -5
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Post by katie on Jul 19, 2005 13:51:40 GMT -5
I really want to discuss this book with everyone, but I don't want to give anything away! And I'm afraid that Rick will look at this thread, even though I have warned him not to!
How many of you guys have read or are reading the book right now?
And Jeff, I don't know if you count since you cheated!!! Just kidding...sort of......
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Post by Jeff on Jul 19, 2005 14:31:46 GMT -5
I don't count. But if you don't mind, I would enjoying reading your comments on the book.
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Post by katie on Jul 19, 2005 15:11:43 GMT -5
Of course you count! But I think you might like Book 6 better than the first five if you read the whole thing. It is much faster paced, there is no long, drawn out Dursley stuff. Although you might not want to read it now that you know the ending. That is typical of JK Rowling, to bring everything to a head and explain everything right at the very end. Rick says that in any given HP book, you only need to read the last five chapters to know everything that happened in the book. I hate to admit it but he's right.
Do you often read the endings of books first? Or maybe just when you don't plan to read the whole thing?
I think this may be my favorite of the 6, or possibly second favorite.
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Post by amanda mcbride on Jul 19, 2005 16:33:31 GMT -5
Should we maybe start a different thread for the discussion of HP and the HBP (with the appropriate spoiler warnings)... or wait a while longer for more people to finish?
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Post by rickus on Jul 19, 2005 16:35:18 GMT -5
Go ahead and start a new board with spoiler warning. I PROMISE I wont look in it. Or at the "Last 10 Posts" link.
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