The world's best-known teenage wizard, possibly, and lead character in a series of books by new author JK Rowling.
Characterised as being small, meek, dark of hair and possessing a lightning-bolt scar on his forehead. Not conspicuously afraid of spiders.
For further details, well, just read the books, fools . Beware of fakes, pastiches and dubious Chinese knock-offs.
are the five books released so far. These children's books caught the public imagination when first released, and became an overnight phenomenon. Time and the vast (apparently Writers' Block induced) gap between books four and five had greatly reduced Harry Potter mania, but on midnight on 21st June millions of people were queueing once more.
The first two books have been filmed with a cast including the late Richard Harris as Albus Dumbledore, Maggie Smith as Minerva McGonagall, and Daniel Radcliffe as Harry Potter. Along with the Peter Jackson films of LOTR, the Harry Potter films seem to be competing for the Cinema Economy Class Flight Syndrome award. Mind you, in the case of book four, the books aren't doing too badly either. The fifth is reputedly to be even bigger than the fourth. Weighing in at 1kg in hardback, 760-odd pages and 0.25 million words, it undoubtedly is.
Responsible for large numbers of film crews invading Oxford every summer or whenever the students aren't there.
Also responsible for large numbers of tourists invading Oxford at any time of year. To judge from the scenes on film of Harry and chums lazing around in Magdalen Cloisters, Hogwarts must be located somewhere in Magdalen College Deer Park. There is probably room.
The fifth book will be out in a few months, we're told, and will be called the "Order of the Phoenix". America Landians may have some difficulties though... :
<http://news.bbc.co.uk/cbbcnews/hi/uk/newsid_2695000/2695969.stm>
As things stand, first editions of the second book (albeit signed) are still selling like hot uranium cakes in North Korea.
<http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/2713577.stm>
(Hm. With Richard Harris having succumbed to cancer, and Daniel Radcliffe - Shock! Horror! - growing up, and a change of director in the offing, the fourth book likely to have to be two films, and the fifth book even bigger than the fourth, how much longer will this last? --TL)
Around Christmas 2002, Stephen Fry seized control of the radio for a marathon recital of the entirety of "Harry Potter and the Philosophers' Stone". Rumours as to whether he has managed to speak since are unsubstantiated.
This page restored from vandalism attack on 2/04/03 at 10:08am by WJR. Pre-defaced version now scavenged and assimilated.
Category Book Category SF Movie (times three) Category Radio Programme
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