Today, all across the globe, children (and more than a few unashamed adults) are nestled comfortably in chairs, lying outstretched on couches and sitting slumped over kitchen tables racing through 784 pages as if their very lives depended on it. They are reading, they are excited about reading, they are no doubt going to beg their parents (well, not the adults -- I hope) to let them stay up to keep reading because of one woman: J. K. Rowling. The author of the Harry Potter series had done something that in this age of electrified entertainment I thought was damn near impossible, gotten kids to put down their Playstations and pick up a book. And to pick up said book, they’ll happily line up and wait for hours and hours. Wow, she really is magic. The story of how she dreamed up Harry is fable by now -- the dole, a train trip, a four hour delay -- and the legacy of what she created will live on in the imaginations of generations to come.I’ll admit, I haven’t read the entire series. Still I think I’ll pick up “Deathly Hallows” so I can find out how it all ends for myself (if I can stay strong and stay away from all those damn spoilers). Because I too know the thrill of falling in love with literary characters and reading along as they grow up page by page, book by book. I had my own J.K. Rowling, but her name was L.M. Montgomery. Instead of Harry it was Anne. Instead of black magic it was red hair. And instead of Hogwarts it was Green Gables. But I felt the same delight that today’s crop of bibliophiles no doubt feel while cracking open the final book. Their joy of finding out “What happens?” will too soon become a bittersweet “Is it really over?” It will be with sadness that boys and girls (and discerning grownups) will let Harry, Hermione, Ron and the rest go at the end of “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows.” But the love they feel for those characters, those books and (with any luck) reading will never end. And that’s all thanks to the talented Ms. Rowling. Like I said, magic. Happy weekend, all.
She's sweet and sensitive and fabulous, and smoking hot - JK thanks a million for seven fantastic years ;D
ReplyDeletexxx
Happy Weekend all
Harry Potter is the book series of my generation. I feel very close to the novels because as I grew Harry and his friends grew right along with me. I have my 5th grade teacher to thank for reading us the first book everyday after lunch. Now I'm 18, I've graduated high school and I'm moving on to a new stage in my life. It's amazing that as I'm saying good-bye, Harry is too. It's so very poignant for my friends and I. We all got together at our local Border's last night and joined in the festivities with kids more than half our age, adults more than twice our age, people from the football team, from marching band, from Stu Co, people-from-that-one-lunch-table-that-wore-black-every-day-and-scared-us. We were all there and we're all saying goodbye together. All I can say is what a way to close 7 amazing, life changing years. It's not just a book series; it really is magic.
ReplyDeleteI've pretty much been thinking about the book daily the title was released in Dec. Amazing book, let me tell you.
ReplyDeleteFunny that you should mention Anne. Today I was reading the last chapter of "Deathly Hallows" and I too was reminded of "Anne Of Green Gables". I love that series too.