Hype And Hysteria as Harry Potter Series Nears End

[DeepModem Mom]

NYT/Reuters: Hype And Hysteria as Harry Potter Series Nears End
By REUTERS
Published: July 15, 2007

LONDON (Reuters) - One of the most hyped books in history goes on sale this week with the release of the seventh and final installment of the Harry Potter series.

"Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows" hits shelves at one minute past midnight British Summer Time on Saturday, July 21, and anticipation over how the last chapter will end may ensure it becomes the fastest selling novel of all time.

On "P-Day," as it has been dubbed, thousands of Potter fans dressed as wizards and witches will queue at stores in major cities, eager to learn the fate of Harry and his Hogwarts pals after author J.K. Rowling said she would kill off characters.

Twelve million copies of the 784-page tome have been printed for the U.S. market alone, copies of the book are being kept under lock and key, and families are imposing news blackouts in their homes to avoid spoiling the ending.

The publishing world has never known anything like it....

***

The six books published so far have sold 325 million copies worldwide, and have been translated into 64 languages.

Hollywood adaptations of the first four stories amassed $3.5 billion at the global box office, and the fifth, "Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix," is in cinemas now....

http://www.nytimes.com/reuters/arts/entertainment-arts-potter.html

[MelissaB]

1. My daughter and I are waiting here.

She's had a countdown going for quite a while.

[MaineDem]

2. My copy's on order

And I'm old enough to be Harry's grandmother.

I adore the series!

[krispos42]

3. I wonder if Keith Olbermann is right about how it will end...

I guess we'll know in six days!

And then... time for those kids to start reading other stuff. Expanding horizons, and all that.