NYT Reviews "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows" Before Publication

[DeepModem Mom]

NYT/Reuters: NYT Reviews Potter Before Publication
By REUTERS
Published: July 19, 2007

LONDON (Reuters) - The New York Times published a review of the final Harry Potter book on Thursday before its official release, drawing a stinging response from its British publishers.

The review, by Michiko Kakutani, appeared in the newspaper's online version overnight, ahead of the official release of the eagerly awaited "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows" at 00:01 British Summer Time (23:01 GMT) on Saturday on Friday night....

***

The New York Times review said its copy was purchased from a New York City store on Wednesday.

Bloomsbury called the review "very sad," adding that there was only one more day to wait until the official release in book stores around the world. Twelve million copies of the book have been printed for the U.S. market alone....

(A Bloomsbury spokeswoman) likened recent events in the United States to the Boston Tea Party, a protest by American colonists against Britain in 1773.

"But over here it is blockades as usual, with the embargo being enforced unflinchingly and without exception by all our customers," she said.

"We would like fans all over the world to be able to come to this book on July 21 to find out for themselves what's going to happen. It's only a few more hours to go."...

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

[leftchick]

1. and JK is pissed....

JK Rowling rails against spoilers

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/6905873.stm

JK Rowling has hit out at US newspapers that have published plot details from the final Harry Potter book.

The author said she was "staggered" that papers including The New York Times had printed reviews ahead of the novel's publication on 21 July.

The author said the information was in "complete disregard of the wishes of literally millions of readers".

UK publishers Bloomsbury said spoilers remained "unauthenticated". Some books have been sent out early in the US.

The book's US publisher Scholastic has sued online retailer DeepDiscount.com for breaking the strict embargo by dispatching a number of copies.

[DeepModem Mom]

3. Thanks for the link, leftchick! I saw the review on the NYT website last night...

and couldn't believe my eyes. Stupidly, I read it. While Kakutani didn't give away the ending, she revealed some info.

[Skink]

2. Interesting. All bookstores here are supposed to be on lockdown.

[DeepModem Mom]

4. Kakutani didn't say which "New York store" she purchased the book from. nt

[yardwork]

5. Kakutani is known for doing hatchet jobs

I have no respect for the Times doing this. Disgraceful.

[DinahMoeHum]

6. I saw the review, but now, knowing what I do know now about Kakutani

(thank you, BTW)
methinks that whole article is a red herring - or a POS.

Regardless, I'm certainly not losing sleep over this whole mania. I've read all the Potter books and I have them in paperback, but I'm very patient and can wait a year until this last volume comes out in paperback. Of course, by then, I will have read the hardcover in the library.

:shrug: