Day 36

I spent almost the entire day reading Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows and I have about two hundred pages left. Since I started reading it this morning and it's over 750 pages long, I think that's good. I was never one to revel in an ice cream cone or a book, but suck it down whole, reveling in the speed with which that pleasure became only a memory. I read the 1st through 3rd Harry Potter books in one overnight session.

I wasn't actually planning on reading this book, honestly. I didn't read the 6th book, and as I have read this one, I don't think I ever finished reading the 5th book either. However, my dad was kind enough to surprise me with it during visitation on Saturday. So last night, I found book notes for the 6th book to get caught up and plunged into the 7th book this morning. Even then, I had to find the "Harry Potter Lingo" website and refer many times to it for forgotten creatures, curses, and people.

Considering the pile of books in my room and on my iPod, I don't regret my avoidance of Harry Potter, even though I have very much enjoyed the book so far. I think the problem is that Harry Potter is best read at a dead sprint without stopping for anything except breath and food (when necessary). I guess that's what makes it good children's literature: it instills a love of reading. An addiction to literature. A complete NEED to keep flipping the pages, waiting to see what will happen next. When you're a kid, and it's summer, Harry Potter is the kind of book that offers a compelling argument that TV is not the best form of entertainment.

However, if you're not young and it's not summer, Harry Potter is a little daunting! This is my experience at least. I read the first three books in one go. I read the fourth in a few long evenings, between homework and everything else. I may have had a job at that point; I don't remember. It was definitely worth it, but it was exhausting to be swept up in something that stands in complete contrast to things like responsibilities. (Which is not to say that the imaginary doesn't matter.)

By the fifth book, my schedule was even more packed, and the book was substantially thicker, and so I started it, but an hour here and an hour there is not really enough to get into it and stay in it, so I didn't finish the book! The 6th book was even thicker than the fifth, so I just shrugged and kept thinking I would read it next time I had a couple of days with nothing to do and nothing better to read. Which, of course, never happens. Before the 7th book came out, I assumed it would be even thicker than the 6th (which I think was right) and figured I wouldn't read it.

Well, I did get a few days with nothing else to do (42 days, to be precise), and I got a copy of the 7th book, and now, after 12 solid hours of reading, I have to say I am really enjoying this book! But if I wasn't in here, I don't think it would be very good.

And yet... I am the one who grew up with Harry Potter, who read the first books when the paper was still warm from the printer! The kids who made Harry Potter a celebrity are now in their late years in college or older. I wonder how many of them stood in line at midnight for a copy of this book? And if there were many, I wonder when they sat down and read the whole thing cover-to-cover... I wonder if it was unavoidable that the first Harry Potter fans would grow into muggles before Harry defeated Voldemort, grow into adults while their childhood symbol of evil is still alive, still undefeated.

I was 11 when the first Harry Potter came out.

Speaking of Harry defeating Voldemort, I still haven't finished the book, so possibly he doesn't...? I think I will go see if I can read 200 pages in the next 3 hours or so.