The Rebirth of Sarah, the Harry Potter Fan
For those who need to know, these are the titles of the Harry Potter books in order:
1. Sorcerer's Stone (US title)
2. Chamber of Secrets
3. Prisoner of Azkaban
4. Goblet of Fire
5. Order of the Phoenix
6. Half-Blood Prince
7. Deathly Hallows (to be released in July)
My story starts in 7th grade when one of the girls in my gym class told me one day, while we were changing in the locker room, that she was reading an awesome book about a boy who is a wizard. She showed me her copy of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone (because we're American, and we don't know what a Philosopher's Stone is).
I had heard of Harry Potter, but I hadn't been interested. It seemed like one of those dumb fantasy books that my friends in elementary school would read while I was reading stories about Medieval girls who are apprentices to midwives or betrothed to old men or cursed into obedience by fairies. It didn't really make sense. Harry Potter was just the sort of book that I would have enjoyed reading, but I had already developed a dislike for many things mainstream and popular. If something came with hype, I didn't want it. (Alas, my obsession with N*Sync was an exception.)
Anyway, upon her recommendation (Thank you, Elizabeth!), I read Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone and enjoyed it very much. Within the next few months, I read the next two, finishing Prisoner of Azkaban the very night that Goblet of Fire was released. I dragged my two best friends, neither of whom had read the books (one was actively opposed to them), to Crown Books in time for the midnight release. We stood in line with a whole lot of strange people dressed up as wizards. The friend who was opposed to Harry Potter happened to be a 13-year-old boy with dark hair and glasses. It was a tragically-missed opportunity for him to garner the attention of dozens of pre-pubescent girls.
(If you're a long-time Harry Potter fan, you might remember that around the time of the release of the fourth book, they were casting the first film. I desperately wanted to audition for Hermione, but I knew that I was too old and American. It never would have worked out.)
I bought my copy of Goblet of Fire that night, but I didn't read it. I don't remember what happened, but somehow, my passion for the books just somehow dissolved.
I saw the films and enjoyed them.
Finally, last year, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire the film was released, and I found that suddenly, I wanted to know what happened next. I wanted to read Goblet of Fire and the following books. However, I had donated my copy to the used book store that a family friend owned (It looked great in his shop window.), so I made the trek down to Borders Books (as I often did) to find that they had no copies of Goblet of Fire. Feeling rather disappointed, I picked up a paperback edition of Order of the Phoenix and flipped to the first page of chapter one.
The first paragraph was not all that moving, but it gave me chills anyway. I don't know why, but I knew that I wasn't going to be able to read the first paragraph without reading the rest of the book. With a sigh, feeling disgusted with myself for deciding to read the fifth before the fourth, I bought the book and made my way home to read it over the next day and a half.
Two days later, I went to the library and checked out Half-Blood Prince (because the paperback edition hadn't been released yet, and I couldn't afford to buy the hardback copy). The end of the sixth book had been spoiled for me a few months earlier, but I didn't remember until after I had finished it. I love my selective memory.
Now, I'm obsessed in a quiet, subtle way (really, the same way I do everything). Since picking up Order of the Phoenix in March, I have been in the process of reading a Harry Potter book continuously. I read 5 and 6, then went back and read 4, found what I think was my grandma's paperback copy of Sorcerer's Stone, re-read that one, and then, read Prisoner of Azkaban again. Meanwhile, I read other very good novels (It's easy to read Harry Potter alongside something else.) and a few Harry Potter commentaries. Looking for God in Harry Potter by John Granger (which is very, very good) and Harry Potter and the Bible: The Menace Behind the Magick by Richard Abanes (which made me physically ill and I only recommend reading alongside John Granger's book) are just a couple. Currently, I'm re-reading Order of the Phoenix because I read it so fast the first time that I think I missed a lot of the fun details that Rowling puts into her books.
I spend much of my time visiting fanart websites (accioBrain is my favorite), following the adventures of Harry and the Potters (Check them out and confirm my insanity), waiting for the next film, and contemplating the content of the final book.
Really, I think this is the nerdiest post I've written to date. I just felt like I needed to share this. So many of my friends are surprised when I tell them I like Harry Potter.
I'm not a crazy person.
I like good books, and these books are good.
P.S. I've made some attempts at fanart of my own. If you're interested (and not a meanie), take a look at my deviantART account by following the link up there on your right.
1. Sorcerer's Stone (US title)
2. Chamber of Secrets
3. Prisoner of Azkaban
4. Goblet of Fire
5. Order of the Phoenix
6. Half-Blood Prince
7. Deathly Hallows (to be released in July)
My story starts in 7th grade when one of the girls in my gym class told me one day, while we were changing in the locker room, that she was reading an awesome book about a boy who is a wizard. She showed me her copy of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone (because we're American, and we don't know what a Philosopher's Stone is).
I had heard of Harry Potter, but I hadn't been interested. It seemed like one of those dumb fantasy books that my friends in elementary school would read while I was reading stories about Medieval girls who are apprentices to midwives or betrothed to old men or cursed into obedience by fairies. It didn't really make sense. Harry Potter was just the sort of book that I would have enjoyed reading, but I had already developed a dislike for many things mainstream and popular. If something came with hype, I didn't want it. (Alas, my obsession with N*Sync was an exception.)
Anyway, upon her recommendation (Thank you, Elizabeth!), I read Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone and enjoyed it very much. Within the next few months, I read the next two, finishing Prisoner of Azkaban the very night that Goblet of Fire was released. I dragged my two best friends, neither of whom had read the books (one was actively opposed to them), to Crown Books in time for the midnight release. We stood in line with a whole lot of strange people dressed up as wizards. The friend who was opposed to Harry Potter happened to be a 13-year-old boy with dark hair and glasses. It was a tragically-missed opportunity for him to garner the attention of dozens of pre-pubescent girls.
(If you're a long-time Harry Potter fan, you might remember that around the time of the release of the fourth book, they were casting the first film. I desperately wanted to audition for Hermione, but I knew that I was too old and American. It never would have worked out.)
I bought my copy of Goblet of Fire that night, but I didn't read it. I don't remember what happened, but somehow, my passion for the books just somehow dissolved.
I saw the films and enjoyed them.
Finally, last year, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire the film was released, and I found that suddenly, I wanted to know what happened next. I wanted to read Goblet of Fire and the following books. However, I had donated my copy to the used book store that a family friend owned (It looked great in his shop window.), so I made the trek down to Borders Books (as I often did) to find that they had no copies of Goblet of Fire. Feeling rather disappointed, I picked up a paperback edition of Order of the Phoenix and flipped to the first page of chapter one.
The first paragraph was not all that moving, but it gave me chills anyway. I don't know why, but I knew that I wasn't going to be able to read the first paragraph without reading the rest of the book. With a sigh, feeling disgusted with myself for deciding to read the fifth before the fourth, I bought the book and made my way home to read it over the next day and a half.
Two days later, I went to the library and checked out Half-Blood Prince (because the paperback edition hadn't been released yet, and I couldn't afford to buy the hardback copy). The end of the sixth book had been spoiled for me a few months earlier, but I didn't remember until after I had finished it. I love my selective memory.
Now, I'm obsessed in a quiet, subtle way (really, the same way I do everything). Since picking up Order of the Phoenix in March, I have been in the process of reading a Harry Potter book continuously. I read 5 and 6, then went back and read 4, found what I think was my grandma's paperback copy of Sorcerer's Stone, re-read that one, and then, read Prisoner of Azkaban again. Meanwhile, I read other very good novels (It's easy to read Harry Potter alongside something else.) and a few Harry Potter commentaries. Looking for God in Harry Potter by John Granger (which is very, very good) and Harry Potter and the Bible: The Menace Behind the Magick by Richard Abanes (which made me physically ill and I only recommend reading alongside John Granger's book) are just a couple. Currently, I'm re-reading Order of the Phoenix because I read it so fast the first time that I think I missed a lot of the fun details that Rowling puts into her books.
I spend much of my time visiting fanart websites (accioBrain is my favorite), following the adventures of Harry and the Potters (Check them out and confirm my insanity), waiting for the next film, and contemplating the content of the final book.
Really, I think this is the nerdiest post I've written to date. I just felt like I needed to share this. So many of my friends are surprised when I tell them I like Harry Potter.
I'm not a crazy person.
I like good books, and these books are good.
P.S. I've made some attempts at fanart of my own. If you're interested (and not a meanie), take a look at my deviantART account by following the link up there on your right.
posted by Sarah at 12:58 PM
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