Apologies, I've not done one of these for ages!
This week I've chosen a pretty obvious book:
We got this book when it came out in 1997. I was only 7, my brother was 5 and my sister was 3. I think my brother got it for his birthday, possibly off one of our aunts? My mum read the book to us because we were so young; a chapter a night. I remember, she cheated because in Chapter 16 'Through the Trapdoor' where it says at the end: "It wasn't Snape. It wasn't even Voldemort" she turned the page and read who it was before reading it to us the next day! I felt, and still feel, very betrayed by this.
But yeah, I liked reading even before this book; but this series really inspired a sort of hysteria over books in people; which was lovely. It's the only book I've queued at midnight for and it's got to be one of my favourite series'.
How old were you when you read a HP book for the first time? Were you as gripped by it as I was?
I read Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone for the first time in 2001 after I saw the first movie. I was 23. The movie made a huge impact one me. I didn't like reading before that but because I loved the movie so much, I wanted to know more and I ended up reading the first four books (they were all that were out by then) in one week. It totally changed my life.
ReplyDeleteI read this book in 2002 after all the hysteria. I didn't think it would be that good, but I tried it because one of the kids I babysat asked me to read it and even bought me the first book. I always had trouble getting this kid to read so I though if this book interested him I'd have better read it (and I was afraid he'd quiz me on it the next time I saw him). I can't believe how wrong I was about it. It completely blew me away and I believe it changed reading for almost everyone.
ReplyDeleteI remember my big sister got the book for Christmas and I always wanted what she got so when she went away for a weekend I went in her room and took it, best decision I ever made.
ReplyDeleteThen like the next year the first movie came out and my family was hooked everybody liked it even my dad so now its a tradition in our house even with us grown now we always come back and watch the movies together.
Yeah good times I own the complete paperback edition and two hardcovers of my fav books in the series 4 & 7.
I even did my senior thesis paper on Deathly Hallows best A I ever got on a paper best paper I ever did period.
THERE IS NO COMPARISON TO HP!!!
Aw Jenni-Elyse I'm so glad HP got you to this point now! Wow, that's so awesome. I remember going to see the first film too, it came out on my birthday and I was so excited for it!
ReplyDeleteLisa that kid had great taste! I totally agree it changed reading for most people. I didn't get really into the series till the 4th book, when all the hysteria over it really took off. Before that I did read the others but I liked them just as much as other books.
Ashley that's such a cute story!! I love that you all watch them together still. the 7th is my favourite book too =] I wish I could write a HP essay!! I wanted to do my dissertation on it; but I doubt my tutor would've been happy with that.
Believe it or not my first HP book was The Goblet of Fire. It was a present for me from my folks for successfully completing my first year of high school (2002). Turns out, it was my cousin who bought it and thought that it was the whole series, 1-4 since when she asked the saleslady it was, the lady said yes.
ReplyDeleteAnd me, ever the naive one at 12 years old read the whole book through, thinking it was IT. I was really confused when reading it, so I did my own research and finally got the correct order of things.
Needless to say, from that time on, I bought the books myself.
Believe it or not, I just read the first HP book last year! (I'm late!) I'm working on the 5th book now. :)
ReplyDeleteI think this is the series that made me realize I was a bandwagon reader. I didn't start reading the series until right before the 4th movie came out (I was around 28 years old). I had gotten the first 3 movies for free by joining a movie club. I had been curious about the hype for the series and thought free movies was a good way to see what it was about. I sought out the books soon after watching the movies.
ReplyDeleteOh Harry Potter. I think he is the reason why I enjoy reading now--cause pre-HP I certainly never picked a book up...unless it was to steal it from the library. My mother was not pleased. But yeah, I was actually 11 when I first started reading--so that would be around three years after it first came out (?)--and I was so convinced that it was real that I sat around all summer waiting for my Hogwarts letter. It never came. I cried then convinced myself that in the US, magical schools didnt start until you were 12...then 13...then high school. I couldn't accept I was a muggle. Still can't actually... LOVE the walk down memory lane. Fun post!
ReplyDeleteAyanami I'm not surprised you bought your own books from then on, or that you were confused. I can imagine your 12 year old self "Who's this Voldemort guy and why's it so bad he's come back??"
ReplyDeleteChristy I'm amazed you held off for this long!! Wow, that's truly an achievement
Haha Donna nothing wrong with being a bandwagon reader; better than never reading them at all! I only started reading the mortal instruments series in feb; and I'm so glad now that I did!
Lizie I waited for my Hogwarts letter too =[ my dad actually made one for my brother! Not for me though =[ And we aren't muggles; our letters just never arrived ;) Glad you enjoyed the post!! I think HP is the reason a lot of people started reading which is excellent