Out of the in-crowd again...

[susandennis]

I am not a books snob. Really. I read a lot and a lot of what I read is trash. All I ask is that by page 50, I am sucked in and have found something that makes me want to turn to page 51.

Alas, Harry Potter never did. I tried - twice really. And I really tried. People who's recommendations I generally live and die for love all of the books and rave about them. They are just not for me.

However, I am kind of intrigued by the economic impact of HP. There are a lot of young women picking up knitting needles for the first time to make a Harry Potter scarf. I think a fair number of them would have never considered knitting anything without the HP incentive.

My own little company got a nice fat contract from Borders Books. They hired us to call all of their customers who ordered HP books and tell them when and how to pick their books up. Judging from past one-shot deals like this, it means we'll see a lot of further business from Borders Books.

Those are just two strange examples I know of off the top of my head. And it's not a pet rock deal. I mean if this book that is coming out this week is the last one (and nothing seems to point to its being the last), the phenomena will have already made an indelible mark.

Just amazing. I may not be so interested in reading the books, but I have great admiration for the effect.

Comments

[kyrielle]

It sure better not be the last. I love them - and there should be seven, for the seven years of school. Whether she'll keep it going after that, I don't know.

[angelamermaid.livejournal.com]

It's the fifth book out of a planned seven. And I am getting giddy thinking that my copy is being delivered Saturday. :-)

Remember how "Star Wars" sparked a lot of people into discovering science fiction? Harry Potter has sparked a lot of people into reading, period. Young and old. I'm guessing that a lot of children will be reading this weekend, instead of playing some bloody video game, and that makes me happy.

I like video games, don't get me wrong - my taste is for the ones with a point, the adventures where you have to use your brain to put together clues to get to the next part. Like my Harry Potter game. ;-)

[miss-hand.livejournal.com]

I too am an Harry Potter lover. My husband loves it, my kids love it. I thought the movie was perfection - the best book/movie adaptation yet - I too have pre-ordered the next copy online.

I also found it very interesting when I happened to be in a room with about 8 women over the age of 60, and they had all read and loved Harry Potter.

I usually say that someone who refuses to read it is just being arrogant (book snobs who think that if something has such wide appeal it must be trashy and simple) - but I guess you at least tried....DO try again!

[hlee.livejournal.com]

I'll be walking over to pick up my pre-ordered copy after midnight at Borders. Steve leaves for California saturday morning and he's arranged for a friend to drive him to the airport so I won't be interrupted from my reading.

[shanynrose.livejournal.com]

I think I finally got into Harry Potter on about the third try, and then I couldn't put it down. We have to buy two copies of the Potter books because we have three people here who MUST read them first. Add to that one other who is insisting we buy the audiobook for her, because the narrator is so wonderful and because she hates wearing her glasses...
But tonight Borders is having one of those parties, and along with it a trivia contest with the prize being the book for free. Knowing my eldest child, I shall only have to buy the second copy and/or the audiobook. She can quote book, chapter, and page number for certain things. It's quite scary.

Sorry the books didn't grab you, but good on your company for getting the Borders contract!