Looking back on Harry Potter first times NO SPOILERS

[dangermousie]

Well, the last Harry Potter book is drawing nigh.

So, I thought it would be fun if the Potter-fans (or even non-fans, if they feel like it) chatted about when they first discovered Potter-world.

For me, it was in 1999. I was in college at the time, and on a holiday, and earning a little extra $$$ by working part-time in a TJMaxx (for those not in the US, it's a sorta discounter-nice stuff store, if that makes any sense. It sells clothes, home furnishings, and jewelry). I haven't even heard of Harry Potter at that point (college is a very world into itself and Potter-mania wasn't as high). But I came across the first book, in paperback, in the children's department. I picked it up solely because it was the only book in the store that didn't have ducklings on the cover and contents of 'dogs go woof-woof, cows go 'mooooo.' And I had some dead time to kill.

From the first two pages I was gone. I found and devoured the second and third books and when I got back into college, hooked my Best Friend (also my Roomate) soon after. Soon after that I met Mr. Mousie and spread the virus to him :)

Fourth book came out actually pretty soon after I finished 1-3, so I was good (even if I did have to go to four diffferent stores to find it, as they were sold out), but the wait for the others was horrible :) I even (very briefly) got into fandom.

So, that's my story. Yours?

Oh, and I found this utterly hilarious MV on youtube. It's Harry-Ginnyish I suppose but it's mainly utterly hilarious (just imagine the Weasleys as rednecks telling Harry to treat Ginny nice :D)

Comments

Harry Potter

[fcrawford.livejournal.com]

I started workiing in bookselling in 1996, the year before Philosopher's Stone was published. My then manager said to me "You should read this, we think it's going to be big." Well she was right wasn't she? I've read them all, and as from 12.01 till 2am (Sat)I will be selling it to hordes of fans. I have my copy reserved at work, and will start reading it as soon as I can. We usually have a queue before the shop opens. However, it is absolutely tipping down, and the shop is in an open market square, so I anticipate we will have some very wet people eagerly waiting for us to open the doors! I am looking forward to finding out what happens, but so far my favourite of all the books is Prisoner of Azkaban, probably because that's when Sirius makes his first appearance - he's my favourite character. I'm not dressing up this time - just black trousers and tee shirt.

[queenofthorns.livejournal.com]

Heh! OK, I was in a bookstore getting Gemini, the last of Dorothy Dunnett's Niccolo series (so it was the summer of 2000) and I noticed all these kids coming in getting very excited about the new Harry Potter book (Goblet of Fire) so I was very intrigued by the fact that they were THIS excited about a BOOK! (Intrigued and delighted!) I bought the first book in paperback, read it that night, went out the next day and bought the next three in hardcover (they weren't out in pb yet) and the rest, as they say, is history. (I still haven't read Gemini though :P)

[crumpeteer.livejournal.com]

I didn't read the books until I took an fantasy class in English in college, so I wasn't on the "can't wait until the come out" bandwagon until books 5 and 6. I had initially avoided them because I thought they would be over hyped, but found out that they completely live up to it.

[eccequambonum.livejournal.com]

late summer 97. i was listening to BBC radio, and they were doing a round up of books to watch out for, and what was big on the horizon. i remember sitting in the driveway so i could finish listening to the summary of this children's book of all things that sounded so absolutely wonderfully adorable. scribbled down the info and headed inside to hit amazon.uk. a few weeks later after devouring my copy of sorcerer's stone, i was hooked. to the point that the following christmas when the US version was finally released, everyone under the age of 15 on my list got a copy of the book, i was so convinced in it's coolness.

[mycenae.livejournal.com]

Summer 1999. I would have just turned 15 then. I was at my grandparents house (where we spent most of our summers) and my mom called me into the kitchen where she had the news on (might have been BBC World) because they were doing a report on the popularity of some fantasy children's book and she wanted to know if I'd heard of it. I said no, but that it sounded kind of interesting. Not long after that we were in a bookstore and my mom saw Sorcerer's Stone in paperback and got it for me. I liked it ok, but wasn't mad about it. I didn't even really get around to reading the other two that were published. In fact, I didn't read them until Christmas, when my mom gave them to me. I read Prisoner of Azkaban and it was all over. I loooooved them from there on out.

So basically I have my mother's weird tenacious determination to make me read the books (though she never read them herself) to thank for my Harry Potter love.

For Goblet of Fire, I had no idea how popular it was going to be and eschewed the midnight release... then was deeply saddened to not find any copies anywhere. That Sunday my mom and I were at a mall and went in a Tower Records (which has a small book section). Now, they also had empty Goblet of Fire displays, but I decided to just go look for the other books in the regular shelves, and then there on the shelf, just sitting next to the first three, was one copy of GoF. I may actually have screamed. I remember giving myself a terrible headache reading in the car on the way home, so that by the time I got home I felt too awful to read and had to take a nap (while huggling the book, of course) to feel well enough to continue.

[janlake83.livejournal.com]

i knew about Harry Potter since 1999 but i didn't read it until i read it for my senior english class for a book report * i was picking an easy book so i won't have to do much work... damn senioritis* and i finished the first one in a day and then knowing my little sister was fan she had the books until goblet so i read all of them that weekend... and as of 8 in the evening i am joining the festivities at Barnes and Noble and will wait for midnight to get my copy of HP DH...

[stardreemer.livejournal.com]

I was working in a children's library when the fourth book came out. I had heard about Harry Potter, but never had any desire to read it. Parents kept asking me if I thought the books was age appropriate for their kids, so I thought I would at least read the first one so I could give some sort of answer. And just like that I was hooked! I went to the midnight release of 5 and 6 and am sad that I will not be making it to this one too!

[wistfulmemory.livejournal.com]

I remember glancing at the books occasionally when the first three were out, but I wasn't really interested in reading them. Then GoF came out, and there was a huge outcry by various religious groups, which caused me to look at the books a little closer, but I still didn't pick them up and read them. This soon changed during Christmas break my Junior year of high school. I was looking around in my father's den to see if he had anything interesting to read and found all four books kind of hidden away in a corner of one of his bookshelves (because my mother was very against these books at that time). I decided to give them a try and enjoyed every minute of reading them. Now all of my family (father, mother, older brother, and me) has read and love the books, though I'm going to be forever amused that it was my father who was the first one of us to read and enjoy the books.

[carviangli.livejournal.com]

oh...I was a lot younger than most probably when I started it and looking back now, if I hadn't been that age I might have never liked Harry Potter,

I always tell my friends/family this when I ask. I had a choice. I could've been a Narnia fan or a Harry Potter fan-and I chose Harry Potter.

I think I was nine maybe...if was 2001(the first movie was yet to come out though:P)and I walked into the library looking for a good book. I was a nerd, always, so the librarian knew me and recommended me Narnia AND Harry Potter. They were both sitting there and well, frankly(I KNOW-don't judge a book by it's cover) but that's what I did and I chose Harry Potter because our old libraries Narnia copy was old and looks worn-out. Of course, I fell in love instantly.

Until this day I maintain that I will never read, or probably like, Narnia and I will always, exclusively be a HP fan over Narnia.

I still can not believe that 6 years after that chance read I am here, with the 7th book and all the answers...I am half scared and half excited. All I know for sure is that JK Rowling has changed and inspired people. I mean, right now I love reading- and reading a lot at that. I completely admit that Harry Potter help strengthen my liking of reading- and I am sure she has done that the countless thousands...wow...the end is finally over...I think I'm going to cry...

Oh, and funny little story. I have been reading HP for about 7 hours now(still going:P) and my dad came up to me deadly serious and said " stop reading that, you'll get a headache...go watch some tv or something!" I laughed so much...ahh...Harry Potter...I love you...and will miss reading you so much...I can't WAIT to get my children hooked on this(in 20 years or so:P)

[shinystory.livejournal.com]

I heard about Harry Potter and I saw them displayed in bookshops but I never really knew how big of a phenomenon it was. College pretty much took over my life.

I was waiting on a job, just got conferred a degree, and I had a shelf full of books to read that I didn't get to. My younger brother's assigned book report that finished some two or three semesters ago was among them. Its name: "Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone." It was 2001.

I wasn't really a fan until the movies, which is probably unusual. But I did intend to finish the series--because it's a series and I'm weird like that, too. :)

[ladysaotome.livejournal.com]

I originally picked one up because I attended a Christian college and had been hearing a lot on the whole "Harry Potter magic: natural vs super natural source" debate & wanted to be informed. Like you, Dangermousie, I fell in love instantly. It had the same old-school literary quality that I love. It was like reading the Narnia Chronicles or a Sally Watson novel.

[leechunsa.livejournal.com]

Ahh it has really ended, I am now reminiscing, like Harry did when he was going to say goodbye to PRIVET DRIVE *wipes tears*, I will never get to accept it as soon as possible but yes, for the purpose of this post, I shall recall...

I clearly remember it as if it was yesterday, my class were in a hype with pocketbooks, Judith Mcnaught and Jude Deveraux where one of the favorites. I have read all their books and I was craving for more. It was one day when my close friend told me to read HARRY POTTER. I knew that book but I didn't really like it, it looked like children's story to me and as I am leaning to a more adult like book, I told her NO. But I couldn't fight her off, the next day she gave me the book, and I read, for the sake of our friendship, in class. I was drowning I tell you. The next day the second book lay on my table and yet again......I drowned. Third, Fourth, Fifth, Six...they were like a blur, but I remember quite well lining up for the other's I got lucky enough to have known the first day of release...and now the Seventh. It all seems like a blur of colors to me, twisting and swirling right before my eyes...and I can't help but weep that it is all over :(

I am and will always be a Harry Potter fans. I still have this fervent hope of having BOOK 8, hahaha but yes, I know this is futile...*sighs*

THE BOOK ENDS, BUT THE MAGIC CONTINUES.
Harry's journey will never end, as we will always be with him throughout like we did in the 7 years of his life <3


OKAY CRAP IM GOING TO CRY.

[leechunsa.livejournal.com]

*faints seeing the video*
OMG THAT'S FUNNY 8D

[sourisvho.livejournal.com]

I read the first one sometime between the time that Chamber of Secrets came out in paperback and Prisoner of Azkaban came out in hardback. I felt like I just needed to see what all the fuss was about, and I was hooked. Goblet of Fire was the one that REALLY sucked me in.

I think it would lovely if at some point JKR writes a bit more in the universe, perhaps for charity and dealing with Harry, Ron, Hermione & Ginny's seventh year. Assuming the first three do go back to Hogwarts, they'd be in the same year their last year.

That H/G video is hysterical!