Any unusual fans?

[Celestial_Skies]

The most unusual fan I met raved on how they weren't a fan at all. Being a religious person and knowing how the series was trying to "bewitch" the young children and over throw the christians.

The strange thing was this person knew more about Harry than Harry..all of course trying to prove his point, but still he didn't even realize he was fantical. I saw him on the midnight release of the HBP, evenually he was asked to leave.

Don't know if that would be a fan or not but still...

[chatterbox32496]

It's not unusual but I started reading the books at six yet being able to understand about most what was going on.

[Mollywobbles]

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Wrighty wrote:
Every now and then I hear of someone who is a Harry Potter fan that I would never expect to like these books. (My brother-in-law in the military is one good example!) I don't know why it surprises me because this series appeals to so many people. Does anyone know of someone who is not the "typical" fan of this type of book?

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I am a newcomer to this, or any other message board, chat room etc. so please excuse any breaches of protocol.
I probably qualify as "unusual", or rather "not typical" of the expected demographic. I am a 58 year old, childfree,Canadian widow who discovered the Harry Potter books about 4 months after the death of my husband. I had heard of the books, what reader hadn't, and their tremendous popularity, but I dismissed them as being for children. My taste in reading had been running in a somewhat darker channel, Deaver, E. George, J. Kellerman etc. One night, I fell asleep in front of the tv and awoke to find HP and the Prisoner of Askaban on the tube. While I channel surfed for a while trying to find something more to my taste, nothing was coming on for another hour so I watched the HP movie. At the end of the hour, all thoughts of leaving HP had vanished. The next day, I drove the 40km to the nearest town with a proper bookstore and purchased the 5 books then in print. (I have never yet seen a movie which lived up to the book). For the next 4 days, chores were not done, phone messages were not returned, I barely took time to eat. Fortunately for me, book 6 was released shortly after my discovery of this series. I don't know how early fans stood the wait for the next book, waiting for 7 is driving me crazy.

I am making a trip to Scotland this fall, and plan on purchasing the whole series there for my collection, as I am curious to know what differences there are between the books published in the U.K. and those pubished for Canada and the U.S. Besides, I have read the series now, some two years later, at least 5 times, and books 1-5 are getting a little dogeared.

I won't go so far as to say HP changed my life, but the books did provide me with entertainment and, frankly, escape, at a difficult time in my life.
cheers

[dcsbelle]

How nice to read your story; thanks for sharing it with us and welcome to the boards! Please come and join us on the Waiting for Harry and Harry by the Month boards for some very stimulating discussions as we all keep ourselves occupied until the release of Deathly Hallows. You'll be glad to know you're not so unusual a fan as you may think; there are many of us here who are in our forties ane fifties who have fallen under JKR's spell. I am 55 myself. I'm glad you were able to find some of your grief lightened after discovering these books although there are parts which I'm sure started the tears rolling again. My sympathies on the loss of your husband!

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Mollywobbles wrote:br>I probably qualify as "unusual", or rather "not typical" of the expected demographic. I am a 58 year old, childfree,Canadian widow who discovered the Harry Potter books about 4 months after the death of my husband. I had heard of the books, what reader hadn't, and their tremendous popularity, but I dismissed them as being for children. My taste in reading had been running in a somewhat darker channel, Deaver, E. George, J. Kellerman etc. One night, I fell asleep in front of the tv and awoke to find HP and the Prisoner of Askaban on the tube. While I channel surfed for a while trying to find something more to my taste, nothing was coming on for another hour so I watched the HP movie. At the end of the hour, all thoughts of leaving HP had vanished. The next day, I drove the 40km to the nearest town with a proper bookstore and purchased the 5 books then in print. (I have never yet seen a movie which lived up to the book). For the next 4 days, chores were not done, phone messages were not returned, I barely took time to eat. Fortunately for me, book 6 was released shortly after my discovery of this series. I don't know how early fans stood the wait for the next book, waiting for 7 is driving me crazy.

I am making a trip to Scotland this fall, and plan on purchasing the whole series there for my collection, as I am curious to know what differences there are between the books published in the U.K. and those pubished for Canada and the U.S. Besides, I have read the series now, some two years later, at least 5 times, and books 1-5 are getting a little dogeared.

I won't go so far as to say HP changed my life, but the books did provide me with entertainment and, frankly, escape, at a difficult time in my life.
cheers

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[Wrighty]

Mollywobbles you have my sympathy as well. I'm sorry for your loss but I'm glad you found books that you enjoyed. I like them very much too and am fascinated by how creative JK Rowling is. Discussions on the different boards here are fun and you can join in as much or as little as you want. Everyone is very nice and I've learned a lot about Harry. I'm also anxious for book 7. I want to see how it ends but I don't want it over. I can't wait to see what this author comes up with next. Enjoy the groups here!

[Mollywobbles]

Thanks DCSBEllE an WRIGHTY-good to know I am not the only person out there who isn't under 20. I also thank you for your kind comments on the loss of my husband..2 1/2 years later it is still very much an open wound. My late husband loved to read too, but he never re-read a book. Me, totally the opposite. I have about 3 shelves in my main bookcase dedicated to books I love. If I wake up in the middle of the night and need a book, I can go to those shelves and pick something out at random and know I will love it. HP now occupies a central position in those shelves.

I really am new to book clubs, chat rooms, etc. but I have been making up for lost time. Since Barnes & Noble sent out the email, I guess they have been innundated with new contributors, including me, and all of a sudden I have found a whole group of amazing people who, much more erudite than I, have been having these HP discussions for years.

Thank you for your welcome, I'm only sorry I came to this grouping so late in the game. Mind you, I'm sure that like the Kennedy assasination, stories about HP will go on for years, regardless of how JKR ends the series.

Cheers

[vegheadHPfan]

me!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!????????????!?!?!?!!?!!!!

[vegheadHPfan]

kiddding....how about my mum? she has to work all day, AND read one a day........

[spartan-lover]

The HP serie were recommended to me by my 43 yr old dad.My mother didnt approve though b-cuz were catholic and the whole dont believe in magic thing....But i told her to shove it..but then i realized i just turned 12 and almost got my butt beaten but i was forgiven (i turned 12 this year just lettin u no cuz someone thought it a a decade ago)

Message Edited by spartan-lover on 06-18-2007 06:43 PM

[amm1]

Mollywobbles, I too am very sorry to hear of your loss. I'm glad you found a place to discuss the HP series. It's wonderful to have you around.

[coreen222]

Basically everyone I know has read the books (a few have only watched the movies, but I am convincing them to give the books a try). I am 32, and started reading them a month before book 4 came out, apparently my dad had already known about them from some of his friends. My grandmother (who is in her eighties) is as excited about the last book as me. In fact, when the last book came out she told all of us not to call her until she was done because she was afraid we would finish first and spoil it for her. I have one friend who has neither read the books, nor seen any of the movies, but she doesn't like anything that has to do with fantasy, although I do think she would like it if she read it--but not enough to talk about it and try to figure out the missing pieces.

[Wrighty]

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coreen222 wrote:
Basically everyone I know has read the books (a few have only watched the movies, but I am convincing them to give the books a try). I am 32, and started reading them a month before book 4 came out, apparently my dad had already known about them from some of his friends. My grandmother (who is in her eighties) is as excited about the last book as me. In fact, when the last book came out she told all of us not to call her until she was done because she was afraid we would finish first and spoil it for her. I have one friend who has neither read the books, nor seen any of the movies, but she doesn't like anything that has to do with fantasy, although I do think she would like it if she read it--but not enough to talk about it and try to figure out the missing pieces.

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Isn't it great? Your family must be so much fun when a new book comes out. I would love to meet your grandmother!

[stacielynn]

I met a man at the HP premier party for the last book. He was an older gentleman and he came dressed up as snape with Neville's grandmothers clothes on. He was a dead ringer. He was very kind when I talked to him and he spent a lot of time talking with me about the series for over an hour.