While I can see why you see this as a benefit, I can truly say it was an honor to experience the brouhaha surrounding the books’ publication. I read the first two books and awaited the publication of the third and each subsequent book thereafter. I enjoyed each and every release party. I enjoyed attending Lumos in Las Vegas. I have enjoyed sharing this passion with my husband. Now we are passing that passion down to our 9 year old son (who is currently reading POA).
see if your library has em. they are pretty expensive on Itunes. Even if you can watch the first couple of films and don’t mind a few spoilers, it might hook you into the story enough to go and read them anyway.
I wasn’t trying to scare you, (i was trying to be cute) sometimes its the same thing.
maybe i will see you on platform 9 3\4.
Thanks THX1966, I’ll check my library first. 
I’d emphasize ‘the first couple.’ The books get longer and more elaborate as the series goes on, so the remaining films are essentially the Cliff’s Notes versions.
If I am not misremembering, they even were award-winning audio books.
Agreed. I read the first three after POA came out (we had them around the house) and since then my whole immediate family was kind of Potter-crazy. My sister was in Ireland when GOF came out and got a copy there, and my brother and I went to the local release party together. The three of us went to the release party for OOTP, which was very fun. I was out of the country when HBP came out, but my family bought 3 copies (we all always bought multiple copies, so we didn’t have to wait for someone to finish it!). It was kind of sad for the 7th book none of the 3 of us were in the same place - but we all went to get the book at midnight! And happily, spouse was here in the US so he got the crazy Harry Potter book frenzy experience.
Very true. Spouse refused to read them (he’s like that) until after the 4th movie, when he really wanted to know what happened but the next movie wasn’t coming out for a year or two. So he started reading the books, and was hooked.
Also, just a note out there - if you like the books, they’re very good practice for reading in a foreign language, too. Spouse read them in English (not his first language), and one of my siblings read them all in German to practice hir language. Ze said it was really helpful. The only thing that sucks is that usually translations aren’t available until much later (for #7 the Spanish translation was released in February of 2008. seriously. but there was an online informal translation circulating a week or so after the book’s English release)
I haven’t done a re-read on any of the recent film adaptations, be they Potter, or any of the myriad of others in recent years (Bridge to Terabithia, Narnia, etc.) simply because I was so wrapped up in other reading at the time.
I may have to make an exception here and split my time between the witty slaughter of Dexter, and go back and grab Half-Blood one more time just as a refresher…too many storylines, so many books and shows, so many characters…heh. I hope I don’t get sleepy, and start picturing the Weasleys wandering around Miami at night, looking desperately for Ginny, who has been exsanguinated, quartered and packed in plastic! =O
Here’s a taste.
All magical children in England go to a school named Hogwarts. They are divided up into houses. You get assigned to the house that best matches your personality. For example:
Chuck = Gryffindor
Audra = Ravenclaw
Sean = Slytherin
RMHPH = Hufflepuff
You don’t have to read through all the books because of the arc, you must do it because it is great.
P.S. Star Wars has nothing on Harry Potter <ducks>:eek:
Bad idea. Read the third. The first two…are pretty much the worst in the series. Let’s be honest. First is very slow and very childish, second is somehow worse, third starts getting really good, and so forth
Hufflepuff! Ha! According to the Sorting Hat, I’m definitely Slytherin.
Your in-depth results are:
Slytherin - 13
Ravenclaw - 8
Gryffindor - 8
Hufflepuff - 5
That was fun!!
Your in-depth results are:
Ravenclaw - 13
Gryffindor - 12
Hufflepuff - 11
Slytherin - 9
So… is that bad? 
I guess I’m Huffenpuff. Is that good or bad? (Didn’t get that far in the book).
Your in-depth results are:
Hufflepuff - 12
Ravenclaw - 11
Gryffindor - 10
Slytherin - 10
‘Not Slytherin, not Slytherin, not Slytherin, not Slytherin…’
Your in-depth results are:
Gryffindor - 12
Hufflepuff - 12
Ravenclaw - 11
Slytherin - 7
Not surprising. I totally had you pegged as Slytherin but it is too easy to stereotype you with the whole Badger thing. 
Your in-depth results are:
Ravenclaw - 10
Slytherin - 10
Gryffindor - 9
Hufflepuff - 9
As I get older I tend more toward the Ravenclaw side. In my heart I have thought of myself as Slytherin and people who know me call me Slytherin.
Slytherin Pride!!!
Is it just me or do you think this forum will be heavy on Ravenclaw’s. Good thing they can fly to keep the scales balanced.
How is that a stereotype?
As I get older I tend more toward the Ravenclaw side. In my heart I have thought of myself as Slytherin and people who know me call me Slytherin.
Slytherin Pride!!!
Will there be a parade? 
Is it just me or do you think this forum will be heavy on Ravenclaw’s. Good thing they can fly to keep the scales balanced.
So, how are the different houses good or bad? Considering how definitively I’m Slytherin and how much everyone else isn’t, should I be concerned? :eek:
Your in-depth results are:
Hufflepuff - 12
Ravenclaw - 12
Gryffindor - 10
Slytherin - 9
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OK, so which one is Hufflepuff? Does that mean I’ll be a good accountant?
I expect you all to show up on time, and well prepared for the next Huffenpuff meeting. We must defeat these other lesser Houses.
This will take hours in the library. I’ll bring the study guides and we’ll prepare 20 page game plan. And remember: NO ONE GETS LEFT BEHIND!
Mind if I ask a very very stupid question?
What House was Harry in?