Is it Possible?

Can you be Harry Pottered out?

Right before Thanksgiving I decided to revisit the Harry Potter Universe. I had a couple of reasons.... I had read the books as they were published and had seen all of the movies to date as they were released (and own them all on DVD and have viewed them all many times since!). The problem was the books stretched out over a pretty good stretch of time, and my memory isn't always the best. Oh, I knew I retained all of the main ideas from each book, and these main ideas were reinforced by each of the movies as they came out, but I also knew that there were subplots left out of the movies, and there were things that I didn't remember clearly as I made my way thru each new book. I also had plans to pick up the new Tales of Beedle the Bard. And, finally, with Christmas right around the corner this would keep me from buying any new books.... at least for a little while and still have plenty to read!

I went to my storage unit and dug out the first 5 books and pulled the last 2 out of my bookcase here. I was ready to start. Looking at the books, I remembered when I picked up the first one. I had been hearing about the Harry Potter books for a little while, but hadn't picked any of them up yet. I was at a bookstore buying something else, and as I stood at the checkout I noticed a a trade paperback version of the Sorcerer's Stone in a display sitting there. I shrugged and picked it up, figuring I would see what all the hoopla was about....

I didn't read it right away, after all I had the two books I had actually gone in to buy that I read first, but soon I picked it up and and opened it and began to read... I was quickly captivated by this world of witches and wizards and magic. Next trip to the bookstore I looked and found the next two books were also out in trade paperback format and I grabbed them. I quickly devoured these and wanted more. By a trick of timing it turned out that the next book (#4) came out in paperback just as I finished the third. From then on I was hooked and bought each book in hardback within a day of them reaching the bookstore. This is saying something... I rarely buy books in hardback. I usually wait for the less expensive and more portable paperback versions, but with these books I couldn't wait!

Still, as much as I liked them, I hadn't re-read any of them till now. I started with Year 1 a couple of days after Thanksgiving and read straight thru till I finished Year 7 this evening. I was right. There were many little things that I had forgotten, or not caught on my first read thru. Knowing how it would all end, I saw many early hints and little things that I had overlooked or missed. It was a very enjoyable way to spend the Month of December, and I finished it all up with the Tales of Beedle the Bard this evening. These books are definitely just as good the second time around... and I'm sure I will enjoy them again in the future.

The Tales of Beedle the Bard was a quick read, but a fun one. It's only 107 pages and is comprised of 5 Wizarding Tales, much like our Fairy Tales. One of the stories, of course, plays an important part in The Deathly Hallows.  It wouldn't be of any interest to anyone who wasn't already a fan of the Harry Potter Universe, but was a nice way to round out my Harry Potter Journey.

Now I am going to go to my TBR pile and pick up something not Harry Potter related to read! LOL!