Harry Potter!

Hello all,

Back in 2003, when I would be traveling on the underground or the buses in London, I would see so many adults reading Harry Potter books. Why would adults want to read children’s books? I mean, aren’t Harry Potter books for kids, about magic and wizardry? No doubt that Harry Potter is a worldwide phenomenon and its author J.K Rowling is given credit to revive the interest of reading books in children.

During my recent trip to Pakistan, my 10-year-old cousin was reading the Harry Potter books, and she had all six of them. Our of curiosity, I picked up Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone, the first book, and managed to finish reading it within a week. I had no idea how involving and interesting it could be. I picked up Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, which is the second one, and am almost near the end.

Ever since the Harry Potter phenomenon has hit the world, there have been both praise and criticisms, and more often we hear criticisms of the books. Religious groups in the US claimed that Harry Potter is all about witchcraft and wizardry and these kinds of books shouldn’t be given to children to read. Islamic groups discouraged these books because it was about magic, which is discouraged in Islam. Other literary figures talked about how these books are not really well written and don’t stand up to the classic children books like The Chronicles of Narnia.

Personally speaking, I think Harry Potter books are fine, and they should not be read with the intention of seeking to be a wizard. These are fantasy books, where we get to see what an imaginary world of Wizardry and Witchcraft would be like if it existed. I also saw the first movie after I finished the first book, and will soon see the second movie as soon as I finish the second movie. The characters grow progressively and the books get darker and deal with more adult-like themes, namely death.

There was a huge noise about one of the principal characters getting killed in the sixth book, and these kinds of issues are not exactly children’s issues. Harry Potter is a huge publishing phenomenon, and although I have joined the bandwagon quite late, I must say I enjoy reading the books.

I am trying to finish up the second book so I can get to the third and fourth one, because they will soon be releasing the fourth movie here in the UAE.

Take care you all,

Mansur