Welcome to Favourite Things Friday for another week. If you'd like to link up and share one of your favourite things , write your own post showing off something you love and link up at the bottom of this post. I love to see what people choose each week and anyone can throw up a post and link in.
This week my favourite thing is the Harry Potter book series. I know the target audience is young people aged 10-18 but these books are really enjoyable for all ages. I was surprised by how much I actually did enjoy the first one.
I was late to jump on the Harry Potter bandwagon. I bought the first Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone for Miss P in about 2001. I'm pretty sure she never read it. I finally got around to reading it in about 2002. I loved it.
So I kept reading and by the time the 4th book came out I was all caught up and had morphed into one of those people waiting for the next book to be released. On the day it was released I raced out to buy it and spent the next 3 days completely immersed in the world of Harry Potter. And I've done that with all the books since then too. Geeky much?
These books have it all - good versus evil, mystery, morality, humour, a hero that still has flaws, (He's only a kid after all!), faithful but strong sidekicks with their own definite personalities, and a cast of supporting characters that provide a backdrop to the whole series of stories. One of the things I enjoyed through the series of books, is the development of the characters as they mature and the headlong rush to a final confrontation in the last book. The series is full of imagination, humour, and wonderful and scary situations.
I'm re-reading the Harry Potter series again at the moment for at least the third time and I'm enjoying it as much as I have on previous occasions. Sometimes it's good to escape into a world of fantasy.
JK Rowling captured the imaginations of a generation of young people and adults alike when she wrote these books and to date over 400 million copies of the series of books have been sold. If you haven't read them give them a try- they're a really great read.
27 comments:
I loved them too! My #1 son and I stood in line to buy the 6th (or 7th) one because he was leaving for Iraq the following day. A good memory for us. (His advance order copy showed up at 5 a.m. so he actually had two copies!)
I have wanted to re-read them myself -- maybe before the last movie comes out.
Took my son to see that latest movie the other week and then I had to re-read the last one so that I knew what was coming up. Amazed about how much I had forgotten, the movie did clear a few things up for me though I tend to be a bit of a skim reader and sometimes miss bits. It was slow and steady for me this time (well slow for me anyway). He won't read them or wants to start half way through which I keep telling him he can't do so he hasn't read them... one day... so for now he looks after my set in his room, and I just grab them when I want to reread.
Ha! Mee too!!! I just finished RE-reading book #6 and started on #7 last night...couldn't put it down! Can't believe I forgot most of it (all except the end, of course)....lovin' it!!!!
I, also, love the series and they definitely not intended for my age group. I am looking forward to seeing the last movie.
My favorite thing this Friday is my new drawer organizer tool Such a simple little gadget but what a help in straightening up my cluttered drawers. Now I won't cringe when someone trying to "help" me in the kitchen opens a drawer to find something.
I have a picture of my new gadget on my blog. It doesn't look like much but it works!
I haven't read them yet but I've been thinking about it. I'll put them on my list.
Another great fave Shay. I bought them for Miss B too back in about 2002 and she has barely read any of them. I read them instead and then I eagerly awaited each new book in the series. I even bought the series on CD read by Stephen Fry, that was fabulous.
I have read them twice and will probably read them all again soon.
Great books and like you said enjoyed by a very wide audience.
Have a fantastic Friday. Hope your holidays are living up to expectations.
I love Harry Potter! I was even later to the HP party--I waited until the last book came out before I read them. Then I read all 7 books in two weeks. Not much sleeping then...I've re-read them all a bunch of times since. I just love the characters, the quirky Brit phrases and descriptions, and all things Hogwarts. Just terrific!
I always feel a bit lacking when it comes to discussing great books like Harry Potter, because I haven't read the series, though I did make it through most of the first one and I've seen at least the first three movies and loved them. Anyway, I'm glad that you've enjoyed all the books and are all doing the same all over again!
I heard about Harry Potter on Public Radio and bouth the first book for my neice that year. I didn't read the first book until we saw the movie and didn't understand a lot of it. From that point I was hooked. I've reread the first 4, but not the last 3. Can't get kiddo interested in them. She read the whole Twilight seris, but won't touch Harry Potter because the books are to long!
Great favorite. You wear your Geekyness well.
Seems everybody loves Harry Potter..me too..I read all of them. The first one in German and afterwards I started reading the english ones cause they were relised about half a year earlier...:-)
Hope you are having a wonderful vacation. My favourite thing comes later..gotta go to work first.
As if I could be still long enough to read Harry Potter! When my eldest started reading them there was just one book and she loved it. I was crazy about a different series of books by an Aussie author Robin Klein. All in the Blue Unclouded Weather, Dresses of Red and Gold, and The Sky in Silver Lace, were more my thing. Still love, love, love those books! My daughter still loves Harry Potter!
I am a huge fan of HP myself!!! I have the full collection on my bedstand!!! I love to pick one of them and go on a magical journey!!!
Cheers
I've never jumped on to the HP bandwagon, but my mother, a teacher has been amazed the books have really motivated some kids to read. That's no small feat.
Sorry that I'm going to miss FTF this week. I sure look forward to it--but life has its own ideas.
Just put my favourite on.
Love the HP books! I actually have some of them on audio and listen to them in the car on my way to work some mornings. How many times have I reread them? Ummm....I lost count. Excellent choice for FTF!
I've read them all, too, and thoroughly enjoyed immersing myself into the world of HP. :o) I even cried when some of the characters met their demise. My boys aren't into the books, but I'm holding out they will be one day. Great favourite! Happy FTF! :o)
I've never read any of the HP's or seen the movies, by my dad is a total addict. It's funny to hear a man pushing the end of his 60's talking about them.
I managed to squeek out my first FTF post this week, too.
We are HP geeks here. Okay, I am and The Boy loves his HP Legos. The HP Lego video game is also a blast to play.
I think I've said too much. I must now go do something cool.
Any suggestions?
I last read through them all when the 7th one came out, and I'm not sure where in the house they've ended up since then. My dorkiness levels remain high though, because I regularly re-read the Discworld novels. There's 38 of them, and they've never been made into Hollywood blockbusters, just some not-as-good-as-the-books TV movies.
I think that's where Harry Potter nerds got super lucky. If you want a fix, without having to spend 3 days reading 600 pages, just pop in a DVD.
Finally, posted .. guess I should wait to comment until I'm ready to post ... I also finally put your button on my blog. Have a great Saturday!
Hello Shay,
Thanks for all your good wishes.
I LOVE Harry Potter too. Haven't been to see the latest. Probably need to reread the book first. That's the trouble with the time it takes to get the movie out but I think they have all been done so well.
Yep, great FTF.
Cheers
Helen
Harry Potter is a wonderful series and I don't tire of it either. :)
Good fav pic! They are yummy, I think it's time to read them again!
Like you I didn't get into them until late. It was after seeing the first film then I got hooked. If you can ever get hold of the audio books by Stephen Fry I can highly recommend them, he is just genius, every voice is different.
My husband and I got two copies of the Deathly Hallows the day it came out and started reading right after supper-- and finished about 3AM. I kept having to stop to let him catch up with me so we could talk about everything-- because I kept giving away some things (like Hedwig and Dobby's deaths, by crying.)
I hope to God she decides to write more books. There's nothing like a good story.
Harry Potter is one of my all-time favorites! Love, love, love them! I've read each book at least 3 times (some of the older ones more) and listened to them on audio at least twice each. LOVE Harry Potter!
xo -El
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