OK, so I just read the first book...

[MerryFlowrOfMay]

At the American Political Science Association meeting in Boston, there was a panel on the Politics of the Harry Potter series. Being that I have research interests in politics and literature, and would love to do the same type of work with LoTR and other fantasy series, I attended, despite having not read the books. :o

Well, the panel prompted me to go and buy the first book, and I finally have been able to read it, and I really enjoyed it. I adore Dumbledore, and I think the series has a ton to say on education (a point that some of the panelists also brought up). I often remember daydreaming in elementary school that I would be spirited away to a school where I could learn really interesting things and find some friends---I'm sure I wasn't the only one.

Now, I just need to find the second book somewhere. I have checked every local bookstore around, but none of them have it...:mad: Looks like I need to make a trip to the Barnes and Noble.

[Bridget Chubb]

Yay Merfy! That's really weird that no one carries it.:confused: It should definitely be at B&N, though.:) Let us know what you think of the next three books!:D

[Katia Elanor]

Always nice to meet another convert. :D:cool: Can't wait to hear if you get ahold of the next book and see what you think of it.

[MerryFlowrOfMay]

Three and Four are sitting on my desk...next to the ninth book of Wheel of Time, the first book of Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire saga and the four books I have to read for class this week (the journal articles are next to my bed).

So of course I'm typing here. LOL

[Monkfish]

If you liked the first, you`ll love the rest.:)

[MerryFlowrOfMay]

Victory...I found the second book at the Uni library, of all places (most surprising since they don't carry any other fantasy series I've ever been interested in reading outside of Tolkien). So far, so good--boy are the Dursleys nasty people. :mad: :jawdrop:

[Anarie]

Woohoo, another HP reader! Keep informing us on your progress, it's really intresting to hear people's opinion when they read it for the first time. :)

[ElfTBD]

I don't know about your grocery stores out where you are, but the super stop&shop here has a huge book section, and their children's shelf is just about all Harry Potter.....

have fun reading the rest...they are really good...I'm always amazed that no matter how many times I read them, they can always suck me in...:)

[MerryFlowrOfMay]

I'm halfway done with Chamber of Secrets...and I can't tell you how many times I have simply laughed out loud. It's like my gifted classroom except the kids are wizards instead of academically gifted---I can just see me and my friends attempting non-magical versions of these stunts, and making the same sorts of comments.

Absolutely fantastic. :)

ElfTBD, the grocery store is where I picked up 3 and 4...they just didn't have 2 there.

I will hopefully finish tonight...I am quite curious to see if my guesses on the Heir of Slytherin are correct. :)

[Irys]

WooHoo! Converts are always good. :D

I acquired my booyfriend's best friend. Have yet to acquire the BF.

[MerryFlowrOfMay]

Well...my guess was quite wrong...LOL

I got Azkaban today...since it was "bar night" for the department, I'm not far into it, but I'm amazed at the ability these books have to make me laugh right out loud. :)

[Anarie]

HP books very unpredictable, that's why I love them so much. I gave up guessing who's the bad guys after the 3 book, there's just no way of knowing it. :)

[MerryFlowrOfMay]

Hands down the funniest moment at the APSA Potter panel (mind you, APSA panels usually focus on stuff like "moving the demos" or rational choice or bureaucracy models) was a professor excitedly exclaiming, "There's going to be something big with Snape. HUGE...we really haven't seen what he's all about yet!"

It was beautiful.

[Monkfish]

Snape?.....................You have no idea!:D


Quote:

"I will hopefully finish tonight...I am quite curious to see if my guesses on the Heir of Slytherin are correct. "


I would have been amazed if you had got it right!:)

[Fleur]

Lol! I love hearing people who are reading them for the first time! Oh, I envy you!

That panel sounds so great! I don't think there is anything like that here lol!

It's cool that you liked the first one so much, too, because as people have said, They get even better! Especially PoA, my favourate!

[MerryFlowrOfMay]

Well, I'm done...so where's the next book?

(I have to wait? It's not like Tolkien? I don't just go to the bookstore? No one knows the end???? WHAT?? ;) :D )

This is just painful...I'm into Wheel of Time and I feel myself being sucked into A Song of Ice and Fire...those two series, along with Potter, were all supposed to have new books in November.

Nope. :mad:

Well, the whole series has been incredibly enjoyable...I can't decide if I like 2, 3, or 4 better (I remember laughing most during 2, but 3 and 4 are great as well).

I'm most interested in the fate of Snape (like most everyone, I am sure) and Dumbledore. I see him as the Gandalf-y type character in the series, and most series that I am familiar with have the main character and his magical mentor type get separated...do we think this will happen with Harry and Dumbledore?

Oh well, that's probably for another thread...LOL

[Katia Elanor]

Originally posted by MerryFlowrOfMay
Well, I'm done...so where's the next book?



Isn't it great? Now you can join the crowd of us HP fans who have been waiting impatiently for two years and have a whooooooole nother year to wait (at least) until we get the next one. I'm thinking that if it doesn't come out next summer, I might just have to organize a protest to go storm JKR's house. :p;)

[Monkfish]

If you see any manuscripts lying around Katia..............with BOOK 7 written on them...............let me know!;)

[Nuratariel]

I'm most interested in the fate of Snape (like most everyone, I am sure)

Youv'e got that right, I know something crucial is coming dealing with that very aspect, I just wish I knew what it was:)

It's odd people are having difficulty finding the second book, in my small town I can still find it at Walmart, course they have almost everything:rolleyes:

I actually find the third and fourth books the best, so those that have yet to read them I suggest you do so ASAP. Although I was really shocked at the end of the second book. :jawdrop: Really didn't see that one coming

[Fleur]

Here every book shop, large or tiny, has the HP books. Most larger chains have a whole section devoted to the books, with board games, figurines, limited editions, wands, and anything else you can think of.

I sometimes forget how good CoS is. I remeber laughn out loud the first few times I read it much more than in the others. Lockhart was such a great charcter. I can't wait to see Kenneth Brannagh as him! He's going to be so funny!

[Nuratariel]

You know I really didn't care for Lockheart at all, each time I read the book I get more and more fustrated by his superioity. I know he was written that way for a reason but I also know that if I were to met someone such as him I would probably end up hurting him:trout:

[blurry]

MerryFlowrOfMay ~ the fourth book is the darkest so far in the series and i really don't know what to expect of the remaining installments of the series....

[Smeagol]

about the surprise endings...

I LOVE them!!!
The way she set up snape in Sorcerer's Stone and then brought up the most unexpected charcter...

and the way she KEEPS managing to pull that off in every single book, I always have to reread the explanation for things just to get it all straitght. Then, of course, I have to reread the book! (such a sacrifice! ):p

Urgh! I heard Book 5 could be due this May...it better...I only read the series last summer and I'm already going nuts!!!

[Katia Elanor]

You think *you're* going nuts? What about all of us that read the series years and ago and have been waiting two freaking years for the next book to come out! :p;):eek::p

[Smeagol]

I can relate to your pain a little bit, Katia!

I found out about the LOTR movie trilogy 2 years before it came out. Course,that's not the smae since I already knew what was gonna happen, but still...

I bow to your patience! :notworthy

[Fleur]

patience? we have no patience. It is forced upon us! On the (new) old boards we had an insane asylum to let off steam in!

GRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR

I hope it comes out in may. I reeaaly do.

[Remus]

I hope so too, the waiting is really beginning to get to me. I just hope that we're not let down about how long we're gonna have to wait for OotP (and that the release isn't too far off)

[Evenstar_18]

OoTP???? I like Harry Potter too.:) I read the first one last winter and haven't read the second one yet:rolleyes:. I think I will read the last 3 after this term ends (nothing like organic chemistry to keep you away from reading FUN things:( ) That will be the end of November and I am hoping that those and the extended FOTR DVD will keep me "occupied" (aka not going crazy with anticipation;) ) until TTT opens. (is it ok to mention that in this thread? Its not the point of my post:) ) I can't wait to read the second one! The first one made me laugh a lot too, so the 2nd one should too!:p
~Evenstar