Some international bandwagons are worth joining

I finished the seventh and final Harry Potter book in a few days. I couldn't stop reading it. On some level, I wanted to read it instead of hanging out with my sister, whom I hadn't seen in 6 months. She won, in the end, which is only right.

Since finishing, I haven't been able to stop thinking about it. Every day glimpses of scenes or phrases from the book flit across my mind; sometimes I even dream about it.

I just saw that "The seventh installment of the Harry Potter saga is the fastest-selling book in history, publishers say, with some 11 million English-language copies sold in the first 24 hours."* 11 million. In one day.

I saw a kid in Wal-Mart yesterday who was waiting in line with the book. The loving way in which he handled it, the somewhat euphoric grin on his face mirrored my own feelings of first laying hands on what would turn out to be the best book in the most well-written young adult series that I've encountered.

Immediately after finishing the final pages, I wanted to start reading the whole series over again, just to see how well J.K. tied characters, plots, and themes together throughout all of the books. I've resisted this urge, however, since I have about three different extensive lists of books to read. That said, I still haven't managed to pick up a book since completing The Deathly Hallows. I'm afraid anything I jump into will be highly disappointing after such a perfect ending to a brilliant series.

I resisted beginning the Harry Potter books until this winter because I didn't want to be that person -- the one like millions around the world who were "ooohing and ahhing" over the books and J.K., who were dying to read each successive installment, who had animated discussions about characters and places and animals that didn't really exist. Having heard from several close friends that they were the best young adult literature to come around in years, I finally picked them up. And I'm thankful I was able to read them all in a few short months. I would have been pre-ordering or standing in lines to get it, had I not had the good luck to know people who owned Books 1-6 and who purchased the final book early on, letting me borrow it a few weeks after it was released.

Recently, I've found myself joining in several animated discussions about the characters and events of these books. When a friend asked me what animal I'd most like to run into, I said a Hippogriff, which of course, is not real. It is legendary, however, and thus not just a Potter series invention. When I found out that Disney World is creating a Harry Potter Theme Park, complete with Hogwart's School of Witchcraft and Wizardry and the Forbidden Forest, I knew I would want to go. The world Rowling has created is simply THAT amazing.

As in all good books, the characters seem real and are believable. Their motivations and psychoses need to be discussed, deconstructed, and further developed. Severus Snape and Sirius Black are, indeed, remarkable men, though tormented. Harry is an exceptional child. Hermione, brilliant. Draco, quite cowardly and evil.

I'm grateful for this international craze because it is encouraging individuals of all ages, socio-economic backgrounds, and races to enjoy reading. There are so many books being published that aren't worth the ink and paper it takes to print them. It's nice to see a series so well-constructed and written taking the stage. And because libraries caught on early that these books would be hits, virtually anyone in America has access to them...for free. Such a vivid and enchanting imaginary realm deserves the attention and acclaim it is receiving.

* Police arrest French teen over Potter translation, By Reuters.

Join the club

Last night at 9:45 I reached a milestone in my life: I finished Harry Potter and the Half-blood Prince. And it was sad, oh my goodness. I cried. I cannot lie. This last book, or the second to last in the series, is very sad. Which goes to show how fond I've grown of the characters: Harry, Hermione, Ron, Dumbledore, Hagrid, Ginny, and others. I love Hogwarts and Hagrid's cottage, and have learned to despise the Dursleys and Malfoys. (a link to a great H.P. character resource)

It has been just three months since I picked up the first book, H.P. and the Sorcerer's Stone. After quickly racing through that one, I realized that I had to finish the series as soon as possible. It was going to take a lot of time, as the books get longer and heavier with each new installment, and I had no desire to turn into a hermit who sat around with her nose buried in a book during every spare minute.

At that point, I remembered the suggestion of my friend Kate that I listen to the books on CD. The dramatic reading was excellent, she told me. When I found out that one of my co-workers had them all on CD, I began borrowing them. Thus, I could spend my lunch hours "reading" about Harry Potter, while preparing, consuming, and cleaning up after my food. I could continue my journey with Harry during my three weekly trips to and from Muncie. To the grocery store (first time I felt lucky that it was in a different city), on the way to friends' houses in Ohio, on my way to meet my parents for dinner, etc.

I was able to nearly finish a ginormous scrapbooking project because I could listen to Harry's stories and get lost in the process of choosing background paper, matting, and cutting and arranging all of my photos and bits of pamphlets that I'd saved from my trip to Ireland. I also made great progress on my quilting project while listening to Harry Potter.

And did I mention the Jim Dale, the reader of the books on CD, is the best dramatist ever? He won an award (can't remember which one) for the 134 different voices he created for H.P. and the Order of the Phoenix. How could a person keep all of those characters straight without Mr. Dale's voices? He brings life to the characters in a way that reading the words on a page could not (not that I'm discouraging reading them, but I'm saying -- he's good. He's very good.).

But now I'm finished. And I'm sad, though very eager for Book 7 (Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows) to arrive (July 21st). I'm also excited to share the tremendous story-telling ability that JK Rowling possesses and the convincing world she has created.

From one bibliophile/librarian to her readership - you absolutely must read these books. They are so well-written; the characters are endearing and revolting (as per the author's intentions), and there are so many excellent themes woven throughout each book - within each and within the series as a whole. She deals with issues of racism, adolescence, cliques, self-identity and self-esteem, and decision-making. Giving of oneself for others - therefore, selflessness - is a significant theme beginning in Book 1 and continuing.
These are important for ideas for people to consider, and it would be easy for parents to parallel these issues with things their children deal with in real life, thus helping them learn how to digest and personally apply, even to discern positives and negatives, in their own lives.

Thus, READ, I say. And read good literature, the stuff that fortifies your soul and encourages your imagination. This is one example, but there are many books out there. Read things that challenge you (both your intellect and your perceptions), not just the things that make you feel good.