Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J.K. Rowling
Scholastic • $34.99 • Originally published July 21, 2007
It feels like yesterday that I was waiting in line at a bookstore in New York City—at midnight—about to explode with excitement over the publication of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. (It seems like I can track my childhood in terms of where I was when I bought the Harry Potter books. Like, the time when I had one overnighted to rural Tennessee so I could read it at summer camp. Or the time I made my parents pull over to a Books-a-Million in Hattiesburg, MS, so I could read the latest Harry Potter en route to Florida on a family vacation.)
If you don’t know what Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows is about, then you probably have no interest in the series at all, because there’s no way you could read earlier books and not make it to #7, in which Harry continues on his quest to find the final horcruxes and destroy Lord Voldemort once and for all.
I’m always shocked when I meet people who didn’t read Harry Potter when it was coming out (especially people who are now in their ’20s or ’30s—wasn’t everybody you knew reading it?). The Harry Potter series is fantastic. Even if you have never liked fantasy or children’s/YA books, I’d encourage any person of any age to start the series. Forget about reading them because they’re popular, or because the movie is coming out this week (woo-hoo!). Read them because J.K. Rowling’s world building and character development is so detailed and alive that these stories will truly stick with you forever.
Here’s a short excerpt from Deathly Hallows:
I had proven, as a very young man, that power was my weakness and my temptation. It is a curious thing, Harry, but perhaps those who are best suited to power are those who have never sought it. Those who, like you, have leadership thrust upon them, and take up the mantle because they must, and find to their own surprise that they wear it well.
What are you reading today? Anyone pledging to start the Harry Potter series?
Also in BookPage: Read our feature from 2007 about Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows; watch the movie’s trailer.
Reading Great House by Nicole Krauss
I’m reading Pat Conroy’s MY READING LIFE which is wonderful!
I’m reading Lark Rise to CandleFord by Flora Thompson and Ghost in Trouble by Carolyn Hart
My 10 year old started Sorcerer’s Stone yesterday…feel’s like a rite of passage!
I’m finishing Loving Frank by Nancy Horan for book club tomorrow night. I think it will be a very lively discussion!
I CANNOT wait to introduce the Harry Potter books to my kids one day. I grew up with Harry, Hermione and Ron and gobbled up each book as soon as it came out. I think a re-read of Deathly Hallows is in order this week!
the transformation of bartholomew fortuno
I just finished The Immortals by J.T. Ellison. This series gets better with each new book.
I’m reading The Confession by John Grisham. I haven’t read any Grisham in awhile but I’m definitely into this one.
I’m reading my Biochemistry textbook for an exam tomorrow :/ But, as soon as the exam is over, I’m driving to the movie theater, sitting on the floor to line up (hopefully first!) and re-reading Deathly Hallows
Just finished ‘Ten Things I Love About You’ by Julia Quinn and started ‘A Creed Country Christmas’ by Linda Lael Miller. Never have read any of the Harry Potter books, but have the movies(which I have not yet watched).
Harry Potter! Everyone is getting ready for tomorrow night’s release. I just finished a great book that also deals with that classic “Good vs Evil” story line. It’s called Mojo by Kris Sedersten. Mojo is edgy and frightening with ghostly images and surprising paranormal twists keep the reader engaged until the last page. You guys should really check it out!
I’m reading White Ghost Girls by Alice Greenway.
Our book club is reading Cutting For Stone.
I am reading The Brutal Telling by Louise Penny.
I am finishing up The Imperfectionists by Tom Rachman, and I’m starting the Harry Potter series again, but this time I’m listening to it on cd. It’s read by Jim Daly and he does an amazing job. I highly recommend it!
I believe I see some Payola on this page. Not that hard to spot.