The book blurb: "Harry Potter has never been the star of a Quidditch team, scoring points while riding a broom far above the ground. He knows no spells, has never helped to hatch a dragon, and has never worn a cloak of invisibility.
All he knows is a miserable life with the Dursleys, his horrible aunt and uncle, and their abominable son, Dudley -- a great big swollen spoiled bully. Harry's room is a tiny closet at the foot of the stairs, and he hasn't had a birthday party in eleven years.
But all that is about to change when a mysterious letter arrives by owl messenger: a letter with an invitation to an incredible place that Harry -- and anyone who reads about him -- will find unforgettable.
For it's there that he finds not only friends, aerial sports, and magic in everything from classes to meals, but a great destiny that's been waiting for him... if Harry can survive the encounter."
Seven books main, plus some extra ones about magical beasts, Quidditch, and wizard fairy tales. Eight movies. Countless fan websites, Pottermore (which is still in Beta. Sigh.), an entire music genre, an intercollegiate level sport, dozens of international conventions, and countless projects towards good have resulted from this book about the Chosen One. J.K. Rowling has pioneered not only a new generation of readers, she has rallied an entire community in a way that no author has ever done before.
Obviously this book is a HUGE part of the 21st century pop culture (despite the first book having been written at the end of the 1990s). For any of you who have been, say, living under a rock, let me clue you in on why Harry Potter is so great: it's a series of seven fantasy novels that chronicle the Harry from his 11th birthday through his 17th year (plus a poorly written epilogue but we won't mention that, ever) and the things he goes through... all while constantly having epic battles on issues of good versus evil. Which is, ya know, kind of an important theme...
Mostly, though, what I love about these books is the community that has been inspired from it. The knowledge that books can have such an impact on people astounds me. And gives me hope that a literate future awaits.
Works Cited:
Rowling, J. K. Harry potter and the sorcerer's stone. Arthur A. Levine Books: New York, NY. 1997.
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