Magical World of Harry Potter

JK Rowling now is half-way through a series which has taken the world by storm. Unusually, she has attracted success both in terms of massive sales figures and critical acclaim. This study will look at her books and consider some of the reasons for their phenomenal success. This will be done against a background of how Harry Potter relates to other contemporary childrenÆs books so that students and teachers can place them in the context for which they were written.This book has not been authorized by JK Rowling, her agent, or Warner Bros.

This thoroughly revised edition includes updated essays on cultural themes and literary analysis, and its new essays analyze the full scope of the seven-book series as both pop cultural phenomenon and as a set of literary texts. Critical Perspectives on Harry Potter, Second Edition draws on a wider range of intellectual traditions to explore the texts, including moral-theological analysis, psychoanalytic perspectives, and philosophy of technology. The Harry Potter novels engage the social, cultural, and psychological preoccupations of our times, and Critical Perspectives on Harry Potter, Second Edition examines these worlds of consciousness and culture, ultimately revealing how modern anxieties and fixations are reflected in these powerful texts.  ("DISCLAIMER: This book is not authorized, approved, licensed, or endorsed by J.K. Rowling, Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc., or anyone associated with the Harry Potter books or movies.")

A guide to the history behind the world of Harry Potter--just in time for the last Harry Potter movie, Harry Potter and the "Deathly Hallows" (Part II) Harry Potter lives in a world that is both magical and historical. Hogwarts pupils ride an old-fashioned steam train to school, notes are taken on parchment with quill pens, and Muggle legends come to life in the form of werewolves, witches, and magical spells. This book is the first to explore the real history in which Harry's world is rooted. Did you know that bezoars and mandrakes were fashionable luxury items for centuries? Find out how Europeans first developed the potions, spells, and charms taught at Hogwarts, from Avada Kedavra to love charms. Learn how the European prosecution of witches led to the Statute of Secrecy, meet the real Nicholas Flamel, see how the Malfoys stack up against Muggle English aristocrats, and compare the history of the wizarding world to real-life history.Gives you the historical backdrop to Harry Potter's worldCovers topics ranging from how real British boarding schools compare to Hogwarts to how parchment, quills, and scrolls used in the wizarding world were madeIncludes a timeline comparing the history of the wizarding world to Muggle ""real"" history Filled with fascinating facts and background, "Harry Potter and History" is an essential companion for every Harry Potter fan.

Harry Potter. The name conjures up J.K. Rowling's wondrous world of magic that has captured the imaginations of millions on both the printed page and the silver screen with bestselling novels and blockbuster films. The true magic found in this children's fantasy series lies not only in its appeal to people of all ages but in its connection to the greater world of classic literature. Harry Potter's Bookshelf: The Great Books Behind the Hogwarts Adventuresexplores the literary landscape of themes and genres J.K. Rowling artfully wove throughout her novels-and the influential authors and stories that inspired her. From Jane Austen's Emmaand Charles Dickens's class struggles, through the gothic romances of Draculaand Frankensteinand the detective mysteries of Dorothy L. Sayers, to the dramatic alchemy of C.S. Lewis, J.R.R. Tolkien, and William Shakespeare, Rowling cast a powerful spell with the great books of English literature that transformed the story of a young wizard into a worldwide pop culture phenomenon.

The Harry Potter series forms a single epic story that has been published in nearly 70 languages, and has been examined in a large number of disciplines. This collection of essays contributes to the scholarly discourse that forms Potter Studies.

The new essays in this book make two central claims. First, for some people, the word feminist has been either poorly defined or, in some cases, even demonized. Hermione Granger, of the Harry Potter series, serves as an outstanding example of what modern young feminism looks like: activist, powerful and full of agency, yet feminine, romantic and stylish--a new kind of feminism for a new kind of girl. The second claim the essays make is that our young, emergent feminist Hermione Granger is a pivotal character upon whom the entire series rests--not Harry Potter himself (or, at least, not Harry Potter solely). It is Hermione who solves every difficult puzzle, performs every difficult spell, and to whom her two male companions look for guidance and advice. Quite literally, on several occasions throughout the series, Hermione Granger saves the world through her actions. This is an outstanding model for young women (and for young men as well) who are confused about how feminism manifests and operates in 2012.

This collection examines the ways fictional heroism in the twenty-first century challenges the idealized forms of a somewhat simplistic masculinity associated with genres like the epic, romance and classic adventure story. The collection's three sections address broad issues related to genre, Harry Potter's development as the central heroic character and the question of who qualifies as a hero in the Harry Potter series.

"Aberforth! Two more fire whiskeys for these friends! Welcome, HARRY POTTER readers, to the Hogs Head,the gathering place for members of Dumbledores Army and the historic rallying point before the Battle of Hogwarts. We scholars of the Hogwarts Saga (Harry Potters triumph over the Dark Lord) have come together here to share our researches on the meaning of Harrys seven adventures. Listen attentively to discover hidden secrets of the series and learn why the books are worthy to be studied more closely! Sip that fire whiskey slowly. Sit back and enjoy the ten best Hogs Head conversations of the past year, edited into this handy collection. And dont forget to throw your peanut shells to the goat in the corner. [includes essays by John Granger, Colin Manlove, Amy H. Sturgis, James W. Thomas and many others].

'Suman Gupta's book, Re-Reading Harry Potter , should be required reading for anyone who takes the Harry Potter novels seriously. His study will make a major contribution to the already-flourishing scholarship on the Harry Potter series/phenomenon because it is incisive, reflective, and original. Gupta's major purpose is to understand what constitutes the popular phenomenon of the books and their social and political implications and effects by using a text-to-world methodology. He is critical and most perceptive, pointing out the contradictions and ideological tendencies of the novels with great clarity. His explanation of the Harry Potter phenomenon is most convincing and fits well with his critique of unthinking reading and of elitism that are disturbing forces in modern society which often account for literary bestsellers.' - Professor Jack Zipes, University of Minnesota, USA '...a closely argued piece about the sinister side of the Potter phenomenon...If Gupta is right, the secret of Harry Potter's success must be that the books offer what we 'unthinkingly' desire, or, worse, that there is a growing tendency towards irrational belief.' - Times Higher Education Supplement

The Twentieth Century was a milestone in itself for transportation history, and buses played a major role in the transformation of America. The Museum of Bus Transportation presents this special book about the buses that made a difference, from the first Mack bus in America, the famous and few double-deckers, postwar sightseeing buses, and the various innovative designs that defined the modern bus. Important models, manufacturers, bus lines, innovative features and designs are featured with captions presenting their contributions to bus history. With this educational timeline through captioned photographs, follow the growth of the bus industry from 1895 through the 20th Century.

The fastest-selling book in publication history, HARRY POTTER AND THE DEATHLY HALLOWS was a critical success and is loved by fans around the world. In THE DEATHLY HALLOWS LECTURES, John Granger reveals the Potter finale's brilliant details, themes and meanings. Even the most ardent of Harry Potter fans will be surprised by and delighted with the Hogwarts Professor's explanations of the three dimensions of meaning in DEATHLY HALLOWS to include why Ms. Rowling chose to make Lily's eyes green, why Harry buried Moody's eye where and when he did, and why Ollivander prefers the three wand cores he does. Ms. Rowling has said that alchemy sets the "parameters of magic" in the series; after reading the chapter-length explanation of DEATHLY HALLOWS as the final stage of the alchemical Great Work in THE DEATHLY HALLOWS LECTURES, the serious reader will understand how important literary alchemy is in understanding Rowling's artistry and accomplishment. The other seven chapters explore, among other things, the five writing tricks Ms. Rowling uses to work her story magic, the deciphering of the "Triangular Eye" symbol for the three Hallows, Harry's "struggle to believe" in Albus Dumbledore, why Ms. Rowling revealed that she "always thought" of the Headmaster as gay, and the more than 25 echoes of her first book, PHILOSOPHER'S STONE, in DEATHLY HALLOWS. Did you wonder why Fred died in the end? Why Harry went underground seven times in Deathly Hallows? Granger explains how Ms. Rowling's story formula required these twists - - - as well as two trips to King's Cross and two meetings with Albus Dumbledore at story's end. John Granger, the Hogwarts Professor, has spoken about the meaning and magic of Harry Potter at major universities from coast to coast and as a Keynote Speaker at fan conventions in the United States and Canada. Enjoy these lectures to learn the ins and outs and fascinating depths of DEATHLY HALLOWS - - - information unavailable anywhere else

Now available in paper, The Ivory Tower and Harry Potter is the first book-length analysis of J. K. Rowling's work from a broad range of perspectives within literature, folklore, psychology, sociology, and popular culture. A significant portion of the book explores the Harry Potter series' literary ancestors, including magic and fantasy works by Ursula K. LeGuin, Monica Furlong, Jill Murphy, and others, as well as previous works about the British boarding school experience. Other chapters explore the moral and ethical dimensions of Harry's world, including objections to the series raised within some religious circles. In her new epilogue, Lana A. Whited brings this volume up to date by covering Rowling's latest book, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix.

This new book provides the hints and clues readers need to unravel the complex mysteries that are found in J.K. Rowling's septology. Illustrations.

Harry Potter has provided a portal to the wizarding world for millions of readers, but an examination of Harry, his friends and his enemies will take us on yet another journey: through the psyche of the Muggle (and wizard!) mind. The twists and turns of the series, as well as the psychological depth and complexity of J. K. Rowling’s characters, have kept fans enthralled with and puzzling over the many mysteries that permeate Hogwarts and beyond: Do the Harry Potter books encourage disobedience? Why is everyone so fascinated by Professor Lupin? What exactly will Harry and his friends do when they finally pass those N.E.W.T.s? Do even wizards live by the ticking of the clock? Is Harry destined to end up alone? And why did it take Ron and Hermione so long to get together? Now, in The Psychology of Harry Potter, leading psychologists delve into the ultimate Chamber of Secrets, analyzing human mind and motivation by examining the themes and characters that make the Harry Potter books the bestselling fantasy series of all time. Grab a spot on the nearest couch, and settle in for some fresh revelations about our favorite young wizard!

Can Fluffy the three-headed dog be explained by advances in molecular biology? Could the discovery of cosmic "gravity-shielding effects" unlock the secret to the Nimbus 2000 broomstick's ability to fly? Is the griffin really none other than the dinosaur Protoceratops? Roger Highfield, author of the critically acclaimed The Physics of Christmas, explores the fascinating links between magic and science to reveal that much of what strikes us as supremely strange in the Potter books can actually be explained by the conjurings of the scientific mind. This is the perfect guide for parents who want to teach their children science through their favorite adventures as well as for the millions of adult fans of the series intrigued by its marvels and mysteries.

The Seeker's Guide to Harry Potter offers 'seekers' of all kinds profound and fascinating insights into the narrative themes, symbols and mythic elements encountered in the Harry Potter books. Drawing from diverse spiritual and scholarly sources, it is an open-minded guide to the rich layers of meaning and symbolism we encounter in all seven of the novels.The Seeker's Guide doesn't try to 'read' J.K. Rowling's mind about the symbolism she may or may not have meant to put in the books, but to read the symbols as they appear, with some of the layers of meaning that they have traditionally held. Drawing from anthropology, theology, psychology and the history of the human experience of the Sacred, The Seeker's Guide to Harry Potter offers fans of any or no spiritual faith a deeper sense of magic and meaning in the novels and in their own lives.

UNLOCKING HARRY POTTER gives you five essential keys for understanding the HARRY POTTER series. Not just who will live or die in DEATHLY HOLLOWS, but how J.K. Rowling created the most successful books of our times. To understand the story behind the stories, John Granger, author of THE HIDDEN KEY TO HARRY POTTER and editor of WHO KILLED ALBUS DUMBLEDORE?, introduces the themes and patterns Rowling uses to write books that resonate with readers of all ages. This book is for "serious readers" but Granger writes in a very entertaining style. If you never understood the term "postmodernism" or how "literary alchemy" is used by great authors from Shakespeare to J.K. Rowling, then this is a fun way to learn. UNLOCKING HARRY POTTER is the only book to examine in depth the importance of what Rowling said in an interview from 1998, that "to invent this wizard world" she had to learn about alchemy "in order to set the parameters and establish the stories' internal logic." - . - . - . - . - Here's what other HARRY POTTER authors and experts have to say about UNLOCKING HARRY POTTER: - . - . - . - . - "I got so hooked I had to stop everything else and just read, read, read. I carried it around the house, read it while using the excercycle, I hid in rooms away from the action of daily life so I could take it all in. I haven't had that reaction to a book since, well, THE HALF-BLOOD PRINCE. A spectacular read for all serious fans of Rowling's works. Compelling, well-argued, fun and funny. Engaging. Thought provoking. Erudite." - Tom Morris, author of IF HARRY POTTER RAN GENERAL ELECTRIC and PHILOSOPHY FOR DUMMIES. - . - . - . - . - "John Granger peels back the layers of Rowling's stories and sees patterns the rest of us miss - and he never forgets to be a fan, engaging in fun speculation about what will come in the finale. Once more Granger has shown himself to be second to none among Potter commentators and literary sleuths. Some books are meant to be ingested quickly. Not this one. Serious fans of HARRY POTTER will relish it." - David Baggett, editor of HARRY POTTER AND PHILOSOPHY.

Six fan-theorists attempt to unravel the clues of THE HALF-BLOOD PRINCE. Joyce Odell of Red Hen Productions, Daniella Teo of Mugglenet, Sally M. Gallo of The Leaky Cauldron, Wendy B. Harte and the mysterious "Swythyv" - along with editor, John Granger (author of Hidden Key to Harry Potter, etc.)- provide Harry Potter readers with exciting and insightful ideas of what happened and what will happen based on their close reading of the texts ... ideas that will challenge and engage readers everywhere. Travis Prinzi, creator of THE SWORD OF GRIFFYNDOR website, writes that these essays "will stand as a monument to the kind of guesswork we were all involved in as we awaited the final Harry Potter book."