Ok I am going to made a really HUGE admision here. I don't know who Harry Potter is. I mean I know he's a character in a series of books and films but I have never read one of these books nor watched one of the films.
Am I the only person in the world who hasn't really got a clue what the fuss is all about? I haven't been tempted so far to read a HP book or watch a HP film. Does that make me abnormal? When I have spoken to friends and colleagues in recent years and said that I am clueless about it all, they look at me as if I'm totally mad. Like it's something compulsory in life that I am missing out on... I can safely say that this phenomena has completely passed my husband by too LOL! As far as he's concerned it's all for kids. BUT I know many adults who are really into HP. Please let me have your thoughts, am I mad for not being into HP or are you also one of the few people alive who hasn't got into the hype?
[question posted by anonymili]
responses and comments:
Harry Potter is basically the modern day Oliver! he is an orphan who lives with his aunt and uncle and is ill treated by them and his cousin. he finds out on his 11th birthday that he has a life within a magical world that previously he never knew existed. the 7 books revolve around his school years and learning to become a great wizard as well as learning all about the life he could have had if his parents were never killed. they are very good books, but if you aren't into reading that sort of thing, then there is no reason why you should start now... especially not just because other people read them! even if you never read the books, you could always give the movies a go, they cater for both children and adult audiences, so it's not like you would be watching a totally childish film. i am 27, and i have read the books (all of them) purely because it is something that my son is into, and he likes for me to read to him at bed time. i am quite glad that i read them, they were enjoyable, but not nescesarily what i would normally choose to read (i am more of a thriller/horror reader). [bobbyjoe143]
Thanks for your detailed response Bobbyjoe, much appreciated. I have heard snippets of Harry Potter info over the years, the most recent being the fact that the actor who plays him in the films is now a young man and might not be able to continue playing the character for much longer :) [anonymili]
Don't worry about it, I'll tell you the same thing I tell some of my other friends who are not into the books or the movies, either. It's not that big of a deal. For those of us who are big fans and love the books, it's a good way to kill a day reading and enjoying the stories that we love. For those who aren't into it, then it's not like you are weird for not wanting to not being able to get into the books. The fuss is really more about the people who like it and follow it than the books and the movies themselves. You are definitely not abnormal, it's a matter of what people like. I am a big Harry Potter fan, but I understand it's not for everyone. It's like Star Trek, I am not into that, but I understand how some others are. Don't let it get to you, it's usually either a big thing or nothing at all. [thrwbckjay67]
Thanks for your lovely response. I have to admit I used to watch Star Trek when I was young and only enjoyed it back in the day when there was Captain Kirk and Spock and the others. Haven't watched any of it since the did the new generation. Also with Star Wars I think I watched the first two many years ago and then never bothered with the rest. Now on the other hand, as a kid I watched and was quite scared of Doctor Who but I love the new series being aired of late! I will try not to feel too left out when I'm in the pub with friends in their 20s and 40s talking about Harry P :) [anonymili]
o,friend ,i same to you ,i never read the book of HP and watch one of the film,a friend of mine tell me that he couldn't understand what's the meaning of HP,he tell me that the moive's tableau of HP is make him uncomfortable ,i don't know if it real ,maybe i should watch it moive myself!! [fikiabc]
I have no intention of reading a HP book and have only watched 2 of the first films because there was nothing else on TV and I thought I would see what all the fuss is about. Before that though the only things I knew about HP were what I heard other people saying and with blanket coverage every time there is a new book/film then the only way I could know nothing would be to live on Mars LOL I can understand the hype though as something that would appeal to people but it really isn't my thing and the majority of it has passed me by too. [goddessglamourpuss]
Thanks for your response. I see you've managed to get caught up in the hype by even watching 2 of the films. How I've managed to even bypass watching them, I'm not sure. Maybe they haven't been shown on TV here. My husband's niece lives in the USA and she's 16 and she was even asking us a few years back if we could help get her a part in one of the films LOL! Apparently they were looking for a girl of Indian origin who was about 12 or 13 years old! [anonymili]
My husband is not into it either, he has no interest in watching the shows or reading the books, I am huge into both the movies and books and so is most of my family but I do know a few people that have no interest in it. [tinybop]
Thanks for your response. Good to know of at least a few others who are not into HP :) [anonymili]
LOL...No, you are definantly not abnormal..I too have no interest in these. I have never read any of the books or seen any of the films...It really just dosnt interest me at all, maybe because there was too much hype about it, and it was over the top which turned me completely off. [Calais]
Thanks for your response. Good to know of yet another person who's not been caught up with the hype :) [anonymili]
WOW, you are really out of it. Harry Potter is the boy wizard who becomes a hero. He attends Hogwarts School, and his parents were murdered by Valdemort. He has two friends, Ron and Hermoine, and he kicked some major butt in Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, it's too bad that he could not save his Godfather. [rogue13xmen13]
Thanks for your response. This site is truly educational. Here you have so kindly summarised the whole Harry Potter saga for me so nicely. Thank you. x [anonymili]
hello pal can I join your club lol , I have never read a HP book nor seen a HP film the only HP I have read is the label on th HP sauce bottle , I was beginning to think I was the only one in the world lol , nice to know there are 2 of us , can we have a clob badge please lol xx [weemam]
weeheee I am a member of a really exclusive club , thanks sweetheart , I love it lol xxxxxxxxxxxxx [weemam]
You have heard of him, so you are not that weird :) I don't think everyone in the world likes the books and the movies about HP. My nephew who is ten years old doesn't like it at all and doesn't care about watching the movies. I don't think you should be worried about the opinion of your friends. It is not like the best literature in the world. I personally don't like that much HP. I never read one of the books. I went to see the movies because I have some friends who love. [Daelin]
Thanks for your response. I see you're a very good friend - even my best friends wouldn't be able to entice me to go watch a HP movie LOL :) I was at a kid's party a few weekends ago and it seemed everywhere I turned people were talking about the Potter books and films. I was most bemused (and bored too) hehe! [anonymili]
A few weeks ago I would be saying the same thing anonymili, but it was then that I read the first book and really liked it. Then I got the second book and finished it about a week ago. I haven't seen any of the movies but will eventually. [dsantacruz]
Thanks for your reply Chad:) [anonymili]
I think we should start our own exclusive club or something. I have not read or seen anything Harry Potter, other than all of the advertising and celebrity buzz. I am sure that I will eventually go and read the books, just not when everyone else is. I have always been that way. Tolkien, Louisa May Alcott, and others. I have waited, and explored them in my own time. I have always been out of step. I was reading Beowulf when everyone else was reading Tolkien, The Illiad, the Odyssey, any HARD reading you can think of, as I was a bit of a show off. I will read HP later sometime. [GardenGerty]
Thanks for your response and good to hear that you're not a "fashion victim" :) I am not avoiding HP for any particular reason apart from the fact that I have an addictive personality and some people I know who started the books said they could not put them down till they finished them and I probably would be the same... [anonymili]
It actually wouldn't hurt you to read the books or watch the movies. So why not do any one of them on your free time? It's a win-win situation actually. You get to know Harry Potter personally, and then you get to jive w/ the flow of all the fanatics w/o ever getting the feeling of being abnormal again. What have you got to lose? Time is a small price for knowledge... [irongsaag]
Thanks for your response. I have heard brief synopses about the HP books/films and nothing about it appeals to me. I have a whole pile of books at home already that I have yet to read which are within my interest genre and I don't really have the spare time to get through all of them never mind starting on a new genre altogether :) [anonymili]
You are not abnormal. It wasn't until I saw the first movie that I really got into Harry Potter. I thought at first, it wasn't my thing and I would be glad when it was over. I have all the books and will purchase all the dvds. I took my oldest child to see it because my mother-in-law took without asking us and I wanted to see if it was appropiate for her to see and I got hooked. You are not abnormal to not get into the hype. I guess you could say that Harry Potter is an acquired taste. Harry Potter goes two ways, you really love it or you are not that into it. There is no in between. [student7]
Thanks for your response. Interesting views you have there. As I don't have kids and don't go to the cinema very often (just once or twice a year), I would much rather go for a genre I would definitely enjoy if and when I do go :) From the brief outlines I have heard about HP I feel it wouldn't appeal to me so I guess I'll carry on being in the minority that isn't into it :) [anonymili]
I was like you till 2003. Afterwards, when I first read the Harry Potter Book, first few pages no interest at all. I too told the same words of yours, what is big deal, why you all are exagerating about this book? But Lol, I tell you, when the story started picking up, oh my goodness I could not keep the book down. It is not simple magic, it is something different, catering to all ages, not only kids. You know once I was so engrossed in the book and my husband took me to temple suddenly. I could not come out of that spell. I prayed for Harry potter in the temple and got scoldings from my husband. Then ofcourse I realised that it is book. But at that time you completely go into Harry's world. That is the power of JK Rowling's writing. You know what is my age? 58. Just imagine if oldie like me is so mad about that book, then what about kids? It is an unique experience in total. Do'nt miss it. I have read so many books in my age. But never before such book, which comepletely took me into it. [Buchi_bulla]
Oh I'm not saying that one has to be a child to enjoy this series of books and films, just that I personally did not know what the hype was about. But really I shouldn't say that until I have read one of the books or seen one of the films. As I mentioned in an earlier response on this discussion I have so many books in my own interest area at home that I still haven't read that I don't want to buy a HP book and let it "jump the queue" per se :) Maybe one of these days I will be tempted, until then, I'll let the rest of you make J K Rowling richer LOL! Thanks for your response :) [anonymili]
Woah!! I thought that I was the only guy in the WHOLE world who has never read a Harry Potter book or seen a HP movie and have no idea about the story or the plot or the characters!! Well, I',m glad I have company. I dont think I'm a lesser human being or an ignoramus just because of this! Just a personal preference! My wife has been telling me to buy the new book and I'll probably do it soon, but I doubt I'll become a reader overnight! Welcome aboard to our club!! [pitstop]
Yeyyyyyyyyyyyyyy thanks, so glad to be in your club! My husband is also in the club, although he doesn't read fiction books at all nor does he like watching films. Also in our club is my brother and my parents, my brother who likes mostly action or horror films and my parents who like Bollywood films! I might get kicked out of the club one of these days though as I might get tempted but not too soon hopefully LOL :) [anonymili]
Hi, I'll give the history of it. Harry Potter is actually the name given to Hari Puttar (meaning Son of Hari, a Hindu diety). He was born in India but was bought up by his uncle abroad and hence he got that name Harry as it is easy to spell. J K Rowling forgot to mention this important episode in her series. So folks now u know where Harry comes frm. (Dont beleive that anyway: thats what we call him in our friend circle) [AryanIndia]
Hahahahaahahahah that was so funny. I was actually reading the first bit and believed it till I read the full response. Thanks for giving me such a good laugh :) [anonymili]
harry potter is the boy who lived :-)..well that's the title of the first chapter. if you don't know harry potter, i don't think there is something wrong with you. besides it will only take one chapter of the book or one film and you will know him completely. just so you will have an idea about him. he is an ordinary boy with ordinary problems...it's just that he is a wizard and happens to be the one who had once defeated voldemort ( the evil villain in the series). harry potter is a wonderful story..creative, interesting, and full of lessons on family, love, and friendships [misshoney]
Thanks for your response. Since starting this discussion, I have received lots of information about the HP books and films but still I don't feel the urge to read a book or watch a film. I guess it's just totally out of my taste range :) [anonymili]
You're not alone.. It was only a few weeks ago that I first watched the Harry Potter movies. The first ones were definitely child-like but the ideas of J.K. Rowlin I thought were very good. I have never read the books at all and am not really interested in doing so. But being lazy, I thought I would watch the films and see what the fuss is all about. The later films I can see have a little more philosophy about them (but at a very simple level). Good winning over evil etc. and how it doesn't always turn out happy ever after. Because some of Harry's friend's actually die. Personally I feel all the characters to be very "cardboard" in the film with no real depth at all -but I must bear in mind it was written for children, not adults. It is good escapism from the trials of every day life. No, I don't think you are mad for not getting into Harry Potter, if you had children though, you may not have much choice! When my kids were young, the "in film" then was Star Wars. I did enjoy that, but without it being part of our kids lives, I doubt that I would have got involved. LOL [derek_a]
Thanks for your response. Well I guess as we don't have kids and I never get persuaded to go to the cinema with friends who have kids I have managed to escape the hoopla that is HP! I feel quite proud of myself for managing this rather large feat as HP mania seems to be everywhere LOL! [anonymili]
i love HP very much.i think everyone's interest is different. certainly you can not like him and the books`` because you have interested in another thing.^ _ ^ [yoyolove428]
Thanks for your reply. Are you a fan of Harry Potter yourself? :) [anonymili]
I don't think you have to know about Harry Porter just because others talk about him. You have your own focus of life. If you always follow the trend(do everything just because you find many people are doing so )you will easily be self-lost! [smilinglulu]
Thanks for your email. I quite like your philosophy! :) [anonymili]
Hi! I know who he is because I have been bombarded by the media. But I am proud to say i haven't read any of the books nor have I seen any of the movies. There are so many great books out there for ADULTS. I would rather see someone on my communte reding one of those than this stuff. To be honest I wasn't into this kind of fiction when I was a kid so I don't think I would have liked it even then. I like to think I had more refined tastes! [fizzytom]
Thanks for your response hun. I have to admit that when I was very much younger I was in books by Enid Blyton LOL (remember her) and got a taste for Agatha Christie in my early teens and have never looked back :) [anonymili]
I am a fan of Harry Potter. This discussin is so informative. I get to know more about Harry Potter. Will keep checking this post to see more information. :) [lavenderbloom]
Thanks for your response, so glad to know that you are finding this discussion informative. It certainly has received a mixed bag of responses which is fun for me reading through them all :) [anonymili]
No. Ofcourse you are not mad for not knowing Harry Potter. Well, he is just a school boy trying to save the entire wizarding world from Lord Voldemort, who in fact, is the greatest wizard - in a bad way that is. Harry Potter has been a household figure since its debut. [dannakatrina]
Thanks for your response and the information :) [anonymili]
I can say that i have not read a single book, but i have seen the movies. Mostly because all other people seem to wanna watch them. I have not been tempted to read the books either. I am the same way with Lord of the rings. I have not read a single book and I watched the movies when all of them was in the moviestore =) [Marie2473]
Thanks for your response Marie hun, yes, like you too, I haven't got into the Lord of the Rings either. BUT unlike you, I've managed to escape the films as well as the books. I'm kinda proud of myself LOL! [anonymili]
LOL... No, you are not an alien or some remote species who doesn't know HP. There are so many stuffs that can keep you engaged and constructively so other than HP!! Robin Cook, Richard Dawkins, Stephen Hawking....John Grisham, dan Brown....can be your taste. You don't have to swim with the tide! i never did, until i read The Sorcerer's Stone of HP. I felt, the innocence and the magic in the lucid sentences are more touching than literary and by the time i finished a few chapters, i was totally into it. It's like a fairy tale where a simple boy was being tortured by his uncle, aunt and cousin soon to realise that he is a wizard. He was sent to the school of wizardy which is totally different from those of muggles!! Then the plot develops and intrigues you like anything. I have read only 4 of 7 books of the HP series. the last one, The deathly hallows was the most wonderful of all reads of the series, i admit. I really liked it. now, this is getting long, i must not digress.. All i want to say is that its worth giving a try (from book 1 to get into the feel of it) if you are thinking of what to do and banging with someone in a multiplex..lol.. With or without HP, wishing you sunshine.. [mimpi1911]
I was at 3 parties this weekend and discussions about HP came up at ALL of them which was really bizarre. I will make the effort soon to watch one of the films - if I can stand it I might try a book :) [anonymili]
Hello anonymili, you are not alone. All i know about Harry potter is its a world famous book of J.K.Rowling, i'm not even sure whether the initials i wrote i.e 'J.K' are correct or not. Some Rowling, that i know. I've only seen the main character Harry potter with glasses on, that's all. I know nothing else about it. who wants to scratch head about things which one is not interested about. I know what i have to know as a general knowledge. I don't bother much about imaginary adventures of Harry potter or someone. I like to read Non-fictional books, fictional i've read are only short stories which can be finished reading in a matter of minutes. Also i don't like movies that are far from reality, unless they are too interesting ones. [I_LUV_U]
I never took enough interest in Harry Potter to read the books or watch the films either but I got caught up in one when I flew from Heathrow to Vancouver... it was the inflight film. lol. After a very short while, I found myself dozing off, so I guess that indicates that he is of very little interest to me, too. Brightest Blessings. [Darkwing]
LOL you're so funny hun. Lavender bag sounds perfect with the film hehe! [anonymili]
Well I thought I was an endangered species till I read your mail and the responses to it. It seems a lot of people either don't know or are not interested in Harry Potter. I know the basics like the author, the protagonist and the other characters (they are all over TV, newspapers, mags…no escaping the promos) but I have never felt like going through the details. As it is the books are quite expensive in India (about Rs. 1000/- each) and too voluminous for my liking. Also my kiddo is only 8 now so no point is reading out to him. I did take him for two movies though…The Prisoner of Azkaban and The Order of the Phonix. I enjoyed the movies and popcorns but found nothing extraordinarily exhilarating about them. They were like OK (I have grown old, cynical & disillusioned, I think). Another thought that crossed my mind while watching these special effects was the fact that if you have money to spend on marketing and hire the right people to do the movies, you can become a pioneering bestseller indeed! Such stories of boy wizards riding on brooms and winged horses and flying et al were there in our Indian mythological stories too (Indian folklore is resplendent with such imaginative plots, I believe you are an Indian too by roots), but just because we never knew the value of marketing and money power, most of our children these days don't even know that such stories exist within us. It made me very sad indeed. I went home, took out old dusty volumes of folktales from my childhood and started reading out to my son. To my disgust, after a few paras, he just started comparing with and jabbering about Harry, Ron & Hermoine. He was just not interested and he is an active example of his tribe. [sudiptacallingu]
It's funny you should say this hun 'cos I remember a few years back on an Indian comedy show here in the UK, one of the characters was insisting that Superman was Indian. Why? Because in India men can really run faster than trains HAHAHAHA! Maybe we need to get lots of Indian parents up in arms about why there are no films made for kids. Krishh was a good example of what the industry can do when they put their mind to it and it did better in the box office than the new Superman film did, shows what Indian film-makers can achieve when they really try eh? x [anonymili]
WOWsers... So you are not caught up in the Harry Potter stampede. Not one of the Potterphiles and not interested in the fad, the fascination and the frenzy! So I can't see you rushing out for the fifth film which has only been released on DVD! I have to admit that you are the only person I know who doesn't know Harry. Even my 88 year old neighbour next door knows him LOL! But it's good to see that somewhere somehow there are people who have never heard of Harry, sacrilidge LOL! Poor Harry would be devastated. [wolfie34]
Hehe thanks Wolfie for implying that I am unique, but it's apparently not so! It seems there are a few other rebels like me who've let the madness pass them by LOL! xx [anonymili]
I'm afraid I have to admit that I am a Harry Potter fan. At 64, I doubt that I am the oldest fan, but maybe one of, if you know what I mean. The thing is, I can't give you one good reason why. I find them very easy to read, probably because they were written for children, however, they are well written. Perhaps that's the main thing. I usually can tell after reading the first two pages whether or not I can finish the book. When I first saw these books, I felt they were probably too long to sustain my interest. Wow, was I wrong. I don't think you are mad for not reading them, but I do think you may be missing something if you don't at least try one. It wouldn't cost you a dime, and you might find something that will give you many hours of great reading. But, it's up to you! [Raysrunt]
Thanks for your response and along with so many others here, you've shown me that the Potter books appeal to a cross section of age groups which is nice. Maybe one of these days, I'll borrow a copy from someone and have a browse :) [anonymili]
Harry Potter is a series of seven fantasy novels written by British author J. K. Rowling. The books chronicle the adventures of the eponymous adolescent wizard Harry Potter, together with Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger, his best friends. The central story arc concerns Harry's struggle against the evil wizard Lord Voldemort, who killed Harry's parents in his quest to conquer the wizarding world, after which he seeks to subjugate the Muggle (non-magical) world to his rule. Since the release of the first novel Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone in 1997, which was retitled Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone in the United States, the books have gained immense popularity, critical acclaim and commercial success worldwide.[2] The series has spawned films, video games and Potter-themed merchandise. As of April 2008, the seven book series has sold more than 375 million copies[3] and have been translated into more than 64 languages.[4] The seventh and last book in the series, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, was released on 21 July 2007.[5] Publishers announced a record-breaking 12 million copies for the first print run in the U.S. alone.[6] The success of the novels has made Rowling the highest-earning novelist in history.[7] English language versions of the books are published by Bloomsbury in the United Kingdom, Scholastic Press in the United States, Allen & Unwin in Australia, and Raincoast Books in Canada. Thus far, the first five books have been made into a series of motion pictures by Warner Bros. The sixth, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, began filming in September 2007, with a scheduled release of 21 November 2008.[8] The series also originated much tie-in merchandise, making the Harry Potter brand worth £7 billion ($15 billion).[9] Plot summary The story opens with the conspicuous celebration of a normally secretive wizarding world; for many years, it has been terrorised by the evil wizard, Lord Voldemort. On the previous night, October 31, Voldemort discovered the Potter family's hidden refuge, killing Lily and James Potter. However, when he attempted to murder their toddler son, Harry, the Avada Kedavra killing curse he cast rebounded upon him. Voldemort's body was destroyed, but his spirit survived: he is neither dead nor alive. Meanwhile, the orphaned Harry is left with a distinctive lightning bolt-shaped scar on his forehead, the only physical sign of Voldemort's curse. Harry is the only known survivor of the curse, and Voldemort's mysterious defeat causes the wizarding community to dub Harry "The Boy Who Lived". Harry (and the Dursleys) are protected by the enchantment that was produced when Harry's mother died while protecting him from Voldemort. This protection will last until his 17th birthday. On November 1, Hagrid, a 'half-giant', delivers Harry to his only living relatives, the cruel and magic-phobic Dursleys, comprised of Uncle Vernon, a bad-tempered uncle; Aunt Petunia, a woman who appears to absolutely loathe Harry; and Dudley, their spoiled and overweight son. The Dursleys are, in the words of Professor McGonagall, "the worst sort of Muggles imaginable" and seek to deny Harry his magical birthright by making up a false story about Harry's parents dying in a car accident. They treat Harry like a slave and force him to live in a small, cramped closet under the stairs at their Privet Drive home. However, as his eleventh birthday approaches, Harry has his first contact with the magical world when he begins receiving letters from Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, which are delivered by owls. Unfortunately, his uncle confiscates the letters before he can read them. Much to the Dursley's chagrin, Hogwarts is aware that Harry is not receiving his letters. However, the letters keep on coming and Uncle Vernon decides to move the family (Harry included) to a deserted island off the coast, hoping that the letters will cease. At the stroke of midnight on Harry's eleventh birthday, Rubeus Hagrid (Hogwarts half-giant gamekeeper) kicks in the door of the house where they are staying, and presents Harry with a letter explaining that he is a wizard and has been selected to attend Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Each book chronicles one year in Harry's life, which is mostly spent at Hogwarts. There he learns to use magic and brew potions. Harry also learns to overcome many magical, social, and emotional hurdles as he struggles through his adolescence, Voldemort's second rise to power, and the Ministry of Magic's corruption and incompetent negligence. After facing many obstacles, forging lasting friendships, and losing countless loved ones, Harry Potter confronts the Dark Lord for the last time, and only one will survive. For a detailed synopsis of the novels, see the relevant article for each book. Universe Main article: Harry Potter universe Hogwarts school, as depicted in the first film The wizarding world in which Harry finds himself is both completely separate from and yet intimately connected to our own world. While the fantasy world of Narnia is an alternative universe and the Lord of the Rings' Middle-earth a mythic past, the wizarding world of Harry Potter exists alongside that of the real world and contains magical elements similar to things in the non-magical world. Many of its institutions and locations are in towns and cities which are recognisable in the real world, such as London. It possesses a fragmented collection of hidden streets, overlooked and ancient pubs, lonely country manors and secluded castles that remain invisible to the non-magical population (known as "Muggles"; i.e. the world of the reader). Wizard ability is inborn, rather than learned, although one must attend schools such as Hogwarts in order to master and control it. However, it is possible for wizard parents to have children who are born with little or no magical ability at all (known as "Squibs"). Since one is either born a wizard or not, most wizards are unfamiliar with the Muggle world. The magical world and its many fantastic elements are depicted in a matter-of-fact way. This juxtaposition of the magical and the mundane is one of the prominent motifs in the novels; the characters in the stories live normal lives with normal problems, for all their magical surroundings. Chronology Main article: Chronology of the Harry Potter stories The books mainly avoid setting the story in a particular real year; however, there are a few references, which allow the books, and various past events mentioned in them to be assigned corresponding real years. The time line is sufficiently set in Chamber of Secrets, in which Nearly-Headless Nick remarks that it is the five-hundredth anniversary of his death on October 31, 1492; thus, Chamber of Secrets takes place from 1992 to 1993. This chronology was again reiterated in Deathly Hallows, in which the date of death on James and Lily Potter's gravestone is October 31, 1981. Thus, as Harry was a year old at the time of his parents' murders, his year of birth is 1980 and the main action of the story takes place from 1991 (the second chapter of Philosopher's Stone) to 1998 (the end of Deathly Hallows). Interviewed for an ITV documentary broadcast in December 2007, Rowling stated that the final battle with Voldemort's forces takes place on 2 May 1997, however, this would seem to be a mistake, and that the actual date should be 2 May 1998, fitting in with the dates given in Chamber of Secrets and Deathly Hallows. Series There are seven books in the Harry Potter series: Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (26 June 1997) Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (2 July 1998) Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (8 July 1999) Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (8 July 2000) Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (21 June 2003) Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (16 July 2005) Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (21 July 2007) Completion of the series In December 2005, Rowling stated on her web site, "2006 will be the year when I write the final book in the Harry Potter series." Updates have since followed in her online diary chronicling the progress of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, with the release date of 21 July 2007. The book itself was finished on 11 January 2007 in the Balmoral Hotel, Edinburgh, where she scrawled a message on the back of a bust of Hermes. It read: JK Rowling finished writing Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows in this room (652) on 11 January 2007.[16] Rowling herself has stated that the last chapter of the seventh book (in fact, the epilogue) was completed "in something like 1990".[17][18] In June 2006, Rowling, on an appearance on the British talk show Richard & Judy, announced that the chapter had been modified as one character "got a reprieve" and two others who previously survived the story had in fact been killed. She also said she could see the logic in killing off Harry to stop other writers from writing books about Harry's life after Hogwarts.[19] On March 28, 2007, the cover art for the Bloomsbury Adult and Child versions and the Scholastic version were released.[20] After Deathly Hallows Rowling spent seventeen years writing the seven Harry Potter books. In a 2000 interview through Scholastic, her American publisher, Rowling stated that there is not a university after Hogwarts. Concerning the series continuing past book seven, she stated, "I will not say never, but I have no plans to write an eighth book."[21] She has since said that if she does write an eighth book Harry Potter will not be the central character, as his story has been told, and that she would not begin such a project for at least ten years.[22] When asked about writing other Harry Potter-related books similar to Quidditch Through the Ages and Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, she has said that she might consider doing this with proceeds donated [mtlaxsar]