when being a fifteen-year-old female student, the things that were most on my mind were friends, meet them, going out with them, no more. Far from it were wizards, witches, brooms, goblins, etc. So when my little cousin, who was eleven, took the first book to a family lunch on Christmas and offered me to read it, the Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, my reaction was basically this: “There is no way in Hell I’m going to read that stupid kiddie story.” I have loved reading my whole life, but this was not what I considered to be a worthwhile. after lunch, she and her sister fell asleep. I look at the book. It haunted me… I was bored, I had absolutely nothing to do. So I decided to give it a try.
I opened the SS/PS. I’m pretty open-minded, but I wasn’t for this book. When my cousins woke up, it was nearly finished. I couldn’t finished it that day. I was intrigued…but I refuse to buy the book or asking her to lend me. The truth was, I was dying to read it. It was near a month later when I finally finished the book, when a friend of mine lend it to me when I was in the hospital for 2 weeks. At the end of the book, I cried. It wasn’t the only emotion I had, either. I wanted to punch Dudley and Uncle Vernon in the face at the beginning; I resented Draco trying to put down Ron before the Sorting Hat ceremony; I felt so happy when Harry got presents for Christmas; I was scared when Ron almost died on the chess board. I can’t tell you why, really…it just made me so happy. The Sorcerer’s Stone was one of the best books I’ve ever read. Amazingly, the second book was even more interesting. I read these two a few times, and every time I got something else out of the story. I had the books 1 to 3 the same day I left the hospital. I knew it. I loved Harry Potter. And most of them, Ron and Sirius.
By the time the first movie was out, I was hyped. I had created a web with 3 guys I met in a chat. I went to watch SS/PS in VO, first session. I told a friend of mine, Rai, to come with me. His reaction was much like mine when my cousin offered me the first book. He refused to come, but when I came back home I phone him ...having read the SS and CoS, asleep over the PoA. He too was taken by the magic of the Harry Potter stories. I went to see it again with him, and another time with my cousins. It was that. I loved Harry Potter and his world. I had to wait a whole year to see Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets movie. Meanwhile, I read the fourth book. And the four another time. I was amazed…it wasn’t that I read fast, it was just that it was so easy to absorb. I couldn’t put them down. I had to fight to close it every night, and all I thought about the next day was where I had left off.
My whole point in writing this is to fulfil two basic objectives: one, to show how a fifteen-year old got into these books, now I am twenty, proving that they transcend age; and two, to tell you why I believe everyone should read these books. First objective completed, here’s why I know that everyone should have a copy of each of the Harry Potter books.
Harry isn’t a character. Many great books have been written through the course of time, but no book, in my opinion, has had characters to which people can relate so well as the Harry Potter books. Harry is a real person. When we read the books, we don’t just see the events take place, we feel them. Now, you may say that any good book can do that. But I’ve read a lot, and none have had me so captured in the first five lines as the Harry Potter books. From the first line of Prisoner of Azkaban, I was caught. I couldn’t think on my own anymore. The phone could ring, the lights could flicker, a bomb could go off, but you wouldn’t notice it. Harry isn’t a character that we leave when we close the book. When we’re at school, we can understand what it’s like to want to joke about the absurdity of a teacher’s comment; we can want to tell off our least favorite professor; we can feel ourselves bottle up anger when a bully taunts us. These traits are so common, and yet, J.K. Rowling makes them so elegant, so perfect. What’s even more astounding is Harry’s age. Although many of the things he does seem a little advanced for his age, we never say, “No way! An eleven-year-old can’t do that!” We see Harry longing for his parents, and we long for them as well; we see his heart pounding as the basilisk chases him, and our heart pounds; we see a wand raised to Cedric, and we cannot believe it, the shock, the pain, the horror of it all…it’s not a book, it’s a life. where are we left when we finish all the books? Well, am I done? Of course not! I’m going to go through all of them again, and find as many connections as I can, I’m going to lay awake at night, replaying every one of Harry’s adventures over and over in my head, and right before I fall asleep, I’ll remember why I love these books so much.
They take us so far away, and yet, they show us exactly what is so great about where we are. They scare us to death, and yet, they let us fall in love. They drop us when we’re so close to the truth, only to catch us before we hit the bottom. They never lie, never cheat, and if they are to steal our hearts, it is only in the most welcome and loving way possible. Forever I will remember being a sixteen-year-old girl who was unwillingly convinced to read a book, which, over the course of two hours, changed my whole outlook on life. Because, as I had finished the four books, and was anxiously awaiting the fifth book, I realized something about Harry Potter: I am Harry Potter. We all are, we’ll always be running away from the Snapes and Filches in our lives; we’ll always be going to the Dumbledores for advice and protection; we’ll always be fighting with the Crabbes, Goyles, and Malfoys; and ultimately, we’ll all have to face our own Voldemorts. But, above all else, above the laughter, fear, anticipation, friendship, love, and happiness that Harry Potter has given me, he has given me one more lasting sentiment: What will come, will come. And when it does, we will face it. But until then, we can enjoy everything there is to enjoy about life, for as far away from Hogwarts as we may seem to be, we are closer than we can ever imagine.
So I have to thanks four people who had made my life easier with HP: first of all my cousin Carla (apetujo), my friends Elisabet, Rainer and Joan. I say to everyone who wants to hear me: read Harry Potter, it is not only I am a little mad about it, it is the books who made me do so and be like this.
WHAT WOULD YOU SAY AND WHAT I WOULD ANSWER
“I’m of a certain age…I simply can’t read this kiddie books, I think my mind is superior to that”
Then, you’re idiot. Most of my friends are really idiot, for they don’t want to read them. They simply keep saying I am a bit childish. Am I childish? Ok, if you say so. You are so close-minded as a shoe.
“there are books better than that.”
Sure. But...Have you read Harry Potter’s book or simply overlook at them? Have you read them or has anyone explained you the whole story? Come on… Well, I can’t read it for you, but it may change your life a little.
“I don’t like Harry Potter’s books, because I don’t like stories of Magic, brooms and stuff like that.”
Magic…brooms…have you gone mad? HAVE YOU READ THEM? Is there only stories of magic and brooms? Guy, lend me your book, it’s a fake! Have you read all I have written of how many things have done the stories for me?
I AM REALLY BORED OF YOU ALL WHO KEEP SAYING I AM CHILDISH JUST TO HAVE DISCOVERED THE BEST BOOKS EVER, AND KEEP ARGUING HARRY POTTER ISN'T WORTH...YOU WHO HAVEN'T READ ALL BOOKS CAN'T SAY ANYTHING. UNDERSTAND?? NOTHING AT ALL! YOU WHO HAVEN'T A CLUE OF WHAT IS HARRY POTTER AND KEEP SAYING IT IS A NONSENSE...YOU S...I HAVE SAID. YEAH!
pd. i wrote all this as if i was fifteen but i don't remember exactly when it all happened...surely when i was over 14 or 15...it doesn't matter, HP goes through ages
I opened the SS/PS. I’m pretty open-minded, but I wasn’t for this book. When my cousins woke up, it was nearly finished. I couldn’t finished it that day. I was intrigued…but I refuse to buy the book or asking her to lend me. The truth was, I was dying to read it. It was near a month later when I finally finished the book, when a friend of mine lend it to me when I was in the hospital for 2 weeks. At the end of the book, I cried. It wasn’t the only emotion I had, either. I wanted to punch Dudley and Uncle Vernon in the face at the beginning; I resented Draco trying to put down Ron before the Sorting Hat ceremony; I felt so happy when Harry got presents for Christmas; I was scared when Ron almost died on the chess board. I can’t tell you why, really…it just made me so happy. The Sorcerer’s Stone was one of the best books I’ve ever read. Amazingly, the second book was even more interesting. I read these two a few times, and every time I got something else out of the story. I had the books 1 to 3 the same day I left the hospital. I knew it. I loved Harry Potter. And most of them, Ron and Sirius.
By the time the first movie was out, I was hyped. I had created a web with 3 guys I met in a chat. I went to watch SS/PS in VO, first session. I told a friend of mine, Rai, to come with me. His reaction was much like mine when my cousin offered me the first book. He refused to come, but when I came back home I phone him ...having read the SS and CoS, asleep over the PoA. He too was taken by the magic of the Harry Potter stories. I went to see it again with him, and another time with my cousins. It was that. I loved Harry Potter and his world. I had to wait a whole year to see Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets movie. Meanwhile, I read the fourth book. And the four another time. I was amazed…it wasn’t that I read fast, it was just that it was so easy to absorb. I couldn’t put them down. I had to fight to close it every night, and all I thought about the next day was where I had left off.
My whole point in writing this is to fulfil two basic objectives: one, to show how a fifteen-year old got into these books, now I am twenty, proving that they transcend age; and two, to tell you why I believe everyone should read these books. First objective completed, here’s why I know that everyone should have a copy of each of the Harry Potter books.
Harry isn’t a character. Many great books have been written through the course of time, but no book, in my opinion, has had characters to which people can relate so well as the Harry Potter books. Harry is a real person. When we read the books, we don’t just see the events take place, we feel them. Now, you may say that any good book can do that. But I’ve read a lot, and none have had me so captured in the first five lines as the Harry Potter books. From the first line of Prisoner of Azkaban, I was caught. I couldn’t think on my own anymore. The phone could ring, the lights could flicker, a bomb could go off, but you wouldn’t notice it. Harry isn’t a character that we leave when we close the book. When we’re at school, we can understand what it’s like to want to joke about the absurdity of a teacher’s comment; we can want to tell off our least favorite professor; we can feel ourselves bottle up anger when a bully taunts us. These traits are so common, and yet, J.K. Rowling makes them so elegant, so perfect. What’s even more astounding is Harry’s age. Although many of the things he does seem a little advanced for his age, we never say, “No way! An eleven-year-old can’t do that!” We see Harry longing for his parents, and we long for them as well; we see his heart pounding as the basilisk chases him, and our heart pounds; we see a wand raised to Cedric, and we cannot believe it, the shock, the pain, the horror of it all…it’s not a book, it’s a life. where are we left when we finish all the books? Well, am I done? Of course not! I’m going to go through all of them again, and find as many connections as I can, I’m going to lay awake at night, replaying every one of Harry’s adventures over and over in my head, and right before I fall asleep, I’ll remember why I love these books so much.
They take us so far away, and yet, they show us exactly what is so great about where we are. They scare us to death, and yet, they let us fall in love. They drop us when we’re so close to the truth, only to catch us before we hit the bottom. They never lie, never cheat, and if they are to steal our hearts, it is only in the most welcome and loving way possible. Forever I will remember being a sixteen-year-old girl who was unwillingly convinced to read a book, which, over the course of two hours, changed my whole outlook on life. Because, as I had finished the four books, and was anxiously awaiting the fifth book, I realized something about Harry Potter: I am Harry Potter. We all are, we’ll always be running away from the Snapes and Filches in our lives; we’ll always be going to the Dumbledores for advice and protection; we’ll always be fighting with the Crabbes, Goyles, and Malfoys; and ultimately, we’ll all have to face our own Voldemorts. But, above all else, above the laughter, fear, anticipation, friendship, love, and happiness that Harry Potter has given me, he has given me one more lasting sentiment: What will come, will come. And when it does, we will face it. But until then, we can enjoy everything there is to enjoy about life, for as far away from Hogwarts as we may seem to be, we are closer than we can ever imagine.
So I have to thanks four people who had made my life easier with HP: first of all my cousin Carla (apetujo), my friends Elisabet, Rainer and Joan. I say to everyone who wants to hear me: read Harry Potter, it is not only I am a little mad about it, it is the books who made me do so and be like this.
WHAT WOULD YOU SAY AND WHAT I WOULD ANSWER
“I’m of a certain age…I simply can’t read this kiddie books, I think my mind is superior to that”
Then, you’re idiot. Most of my friends are really idiot, for they don’t want to read them. They simply keep saying I am a bit childish. Am I childish? Ok, if you say so. You are so close-minded as a shoe.
“there are books better than that.”
Sure. But...Have you read Harry Potter’s book or simply overlook at them? Have you read them or has anyone explained you the whole story? Come on… Well, I can’t read it for you, but it may change your life a little.
“I don’t like Harry Potter’s books, because I don’t like stories of Magic, brooms and stuff like that.”
Magic…brooms…have you gone mad? HAVE YOU READ THEM? Is there only stories of magic and brooms? Guy, lend me your book, it’s a fake! Have you read all I have written of how many things have done the stories for me?
I AM REALLY BORED OF YOU ALL WHO KEEP SAYING I AM CHILDISH JUST TO HAVE DISCOVERED THE BEST BOOKS EVER, AND KEEP ARGUING HARRY POTTER ISN'T WORTH...YOU WHO HAVEN'T READ ALL BOOKS CAN'T SAY ANYTHING. UNDERSTAND?? NOTHING AT ALL! YOU WHO HAVEN'T A CLUE OF WHAT IS HARRY POTTER AND KEEP SAYING IT IS A NONSENSE...YOU S...I HAVE SAID. YEAH!
pd. i wrote all this as if i was fifteen but i don't remember exactly when it all happened...surely when i was over 14 or 15...it doesn't matter, HP goes through ages
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YOU ROCK
but you already knew ;)
ashley
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