Friday, July 15, 2011

The End of Harry


My youngest daughter, at age 26,  went to the 3AM showing of " Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2" today.  The "Harry" party started after work with other Harry fans.  They met at a friends house to watch Harry on DVD and then went to the movie and then went to work this morning afterward.  She had posted on Facebook that being up for 31 hours was worth it.

Our Harry Potter experience started in 1999 when I read a small article in a magazine or a newspaper about the these books causing a big stir in Britain about this little boy that is a wizard.  They were hughly publicized here.  The third book had come out that year as well. So, for Christmas, my younger daughters got the first 3 books.  They were hooked. 

I'm not sure of the publish date, in 2000, of the 4th book, but in July,  Daughter #3 and Terry were interviewed by our local newspaper about Harry Potter fever. By then they girls were 15 and 17.  I thought they were on the older end of Harry fans, but I was wrong.


They convinced their Dad to read the books and soon he was hooked.  I needed more convincing but Harry soon grew on me too.  I became a fan because I saw children in lines at book stores and libraries.  I saw children in restaurants, in movie theaters and at ball games all reading Harry Potter. One of the Daughters took Harry with her to read, to the theater, before "Wicked" started and she was not alone.  There were other Harry books on laps there.  J.K. Rowling, single handily, got people, young and old reading in masses.  

A new book hitting the market caused book stores to hold Harry Potter parties, and to open at 12:01 am to sell books to the line of customers standing outside their doors.  I had never seen anything like it, since Daughter # 1 waited in line overnight to get a Garth Brooks wristband that would allow her to get in another line to get tickets fora concert.  (She did and we all went. Yeah!)  But, I digress.  I had never seen that happen for books.

Harry is not without controversy.  There was some protest concerning Harry being a Wizard and the books promoting witchcraft.  There are witches in Cinderella and Snow White.  I think the kids know Harry is not real.  ( Although, don't try to tell me that Camelot, King Arthur and Merlin weren't real.)  To me these books are very much like the Narnia books. Good vs. Evil is always a struggle.

One of my girlfriends  has a 16 year old son.  She posted on Facebook this morning that the two of them had gone to the midnight show, something they had shared since the first movie came out.  What a wonderful Mom and son adventure.

Somewhere after the newspaper article we "acquired" a male kitty that soon became Harry Potter. I can  truthfully say I  have reached Harry overload, but I still love that the books and the movies are fun, family entertainment.
I applaud J.K. Rowling.  Good job!

8 comments:

Laura said...

My daughter just blogged about her Harry Potter story http://frommyclassroomwindow.blogspot.com/2011/07/for-love-of-harry-potter.html
I promised her many years ago that I would read the books and just never got that far into the first one. I think they're great though. You're right about getting kids (and adults) excited about reading. I may try again...

Sweet Tea said...

I think it's great that your entire family share the love of Harry - both the fictional and the lovely kitty...I saw the first movie but am not really a fan, but I know what it's like to be a Fan of something and enjoy it in a BIG way!

Just Stuff From a Boomer said...

Laura and Sweet Tea- I have to confess, Harry Potter would not have been on my reading list either, if my younger daughters and Terry had not been after me to try it. So I read all but the last book. And, I'll see the latest movie.

It's the same thing with the Twilight vampire books. I tried one and didn't care for it. No more peer pressure for me. The daughters can't guilt me into more reading. lol

mary said...

I love what the series has done for us! I confess, I have not read the series, but my children (20 and 30 yrs) have. My whole family (husband included) have seen all of the movies though. The people that refused to read or see Harry where I live are the same ones that, sadly, won't do Halloween. No one is worshiping wizards or devils! It is a wonderful time for the entire family to have a play day of fantasy and fun.

Kathy said...

I must confess, I haven't read any of the books, nor have I seen the movies. Not because I'm opposed to them, I just didn't think they'd interest me. Yay for getting people interested in books though! I didn't get "into" the Twighlight series either...

I loved your comment on yesterday's post--concerning "talking" in the driveway. LOL Those were the days :)

Intense Guy said...

Perhaps, if you haven't read them already, I could twist your arm to read the first first of the Lord of the Rings books... "The Hobbit".

The story grew in the telling - much like J.K. Rowling's tale.

:)

Daughter #2 said...

J.K. Rowling is my hero. What a woman to fully believe in what she was doing, and what masterful story-telling she wove together throughout 7 books. Mom, you have got to finish the series. Book 7 (Chapter 34) ties it all together. It's epic. Intense Guy, don't get your hopes up. She's more into the mystery genre than the fantasy genre.

Daughter #3 said...

I second guessed the worth it amount at around 6am as I sat at my cube with 3 energy drinks and 7 hours ahead of me until bed. In the end, it was worth it and I'd have done it again.

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