Thursday, May 10, 2012

Those Harry Potter fans . . .

It's been 19 months since I last read a Harry Potter book, and with each passing month it gets even harder to resist diving back into the books again. The itch started at about the 15-month mark just like it always does, and the only reason I've resisted it this long is because Shannan and I got a lot of books for Christmas. Playing around in Pottermore and watching all eight of the movies helped satisfy the craving a bit, but it was a bit like eating semi-sweet chocolate chips when I what I really wanted was mounds of pure milk chocolate.

Even as I sit here, I can picture the books sitting in my living room, all pristine and lovely, seductively calling my name.

Eventually I will give in, but the longer I fight this battle the more enjoyable losing the battle will be.

In the interim, I will continue to heap my praises upon my favorite series of all time.

It's rewarding to watch the birth and progression of a legacy. J.K. Rowling started her writing journey years before someone helped her distribute her story to the world, and today the books have been translated into 67 languages, they sat on the New York Times Bestseller List for 79 straight weeks, and after about 10 years officially outsold the KJV Bible, which was one of the first books published and was the only book many families had in their homes for generations. The movies have generated more revenue than the Star Wars franchise, and J.K. Rowling is the only author that became a billionaire from her book sales.

Harry Potter books have inspired eight movies, at least four theme parks, and countless fan sites, not to mention an entire generation of children who secretly hope to get a Hogwarts acceptance letter on their 11th birthday.

But it doesn't stop there; Harry Potter continues to find ways to affect our daily lives. April Fools Day is more than a silly holiday that gives you an excuse to pull pranks; it is also Fred and George's birthday. Halloween is first and foremost a solemn day to remember Lily and James Potter, and some fans may even remember to celebrate Nearly Headless Nick's deathday as well. May 2 is known by Potterheads everywhere as the anniversary of the Battle of Hogwarts. Quidditch is played in college campuses across the world, the biggest tournament of which will take place in London during the 2012 Summer Olympics.

The books may be published, the movies era may be over, but one thing remains clear: fans have not forgotten the love they have for Harry Potter, for Hogwarts, for the tidbits of information Rowling has leaked about the wizard world. And most of all, we can't quench the magical memories of discovering Harry's world for the first time.

I suspect the Harry Potter Generation will continue basking in Harry Potter goodness for years to come. If the Trekkies can keep their fanbase alive, the Potterheads most certainly can.

3 comments:

  1. Whenever I read your thoughts on Harry Potter, I feel inspired to read them myself. I read them once through a few years ago, but I think I might enjoy them more when not reading them purely as an escape mechanism from my miserable Russian homework, where I had to start and stop a lot.

    I don't think I even knew most of those holidays, which makes me feel shamed.

    And I am not positive whether or not I have seen all the movies. I have seen a lot of them, but not necessarily even in order.

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  2. Keep reading this blog and you'll turn into a full-fledged Harry Potter geek eventually. :)

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  3. Heh heh, I agree with that last statement.

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