Should I Read Harry Potter And The Sorcerers Stone Or Watch The Movie
While the movie is undoubtedly well made and a thrill to watch, the books are far more detailed and a very thrilling read. Most people who have both read the books and watched the movies always choose the former as a better experience. Furthermore, there are several interesting and amusing characters and scenes in the book that the movie couldnt incorporate. So, one would be missing out on a lot if one doesnt read Harry Potter and the Sorcerers Stone.
Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone Review – A Thrilling Read
- Lasting effect on the reader
Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone Book Review
Harry Potter and the Philosophers Stone by J K Rowling is a thrilling read that hooks the reader from page one. Published in the year 1997, it is one of the highest grossing novels ever written. Some elements of the novel like its elaborate yet accessible world-building makes it a very entertaining read for children and adults alike. It follows the story of an orphan boy named Harry Potter who realizes he is a wizard and the rest of the book records his journey as a young wizard in Hogwarts, a school of magic. This book, and the series as a whole have been a definitive part of an entire generations childhood and have garnered very high praise as an entertaining read.
Pros
- The plot is entertaining and is a very immersive read.
- Has a lot of early lessons for children on morality.
- The characters are well developed and the story world is well structured and interesting.
Cons
Why Was Harry Potter Banned
Harry Potter was banned in a catholic school in Nashville, Tennessee because of fear of evil spirits. Some other places have also banned Harry Potter books for similar religious fears. Some religious leaders were concerned that the spells and enchantments mentioned in the book were real and that they could summon evil spirits and dark magic.
Is Your Harry Potter Book Valuable
First edition, first printing, first state
The first edition is likewise easy to tell, since both UK and US publishers indicate it with the words First Edition on the copyright page. When you have a first edition, first printing book its commonly referred to as a 1/1 copy. There is one additional consideration to make: the state of the book. A book might have multiple states if a change was made during the first printing. For example, the dust jacket of a book might be changed midway through the first printing. The 1/1 copy with the original dust jacket would be considered the first state. Not every book has multiple states its entirely dependent on whether changes were made mid-run. Finding out whether a particular book is first state often requires a bit of research, though in the case of Harry Potter books that information is relatively easy to find online, and mostly relevant to just the most valuable copies .
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Condition The condition of your book plays a large role in its value. Mint condition Harry Potter books are the most valuable, but even true first editions that are worn and tattered from library use can be valuable. Learn more about determining your books condition here.
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Harry Potter Hard Cover Limited Edition Box Set
This beautiful hard cover set of Harry Potter books comes in its very own magical chest! These are high quality, hard cover books. A great option if you love re-reading Harry Potter over and over again .
The chest is made of cardboard, so you probably dont want to be taking it on the Hogwarts Express or anything, but it will look amazing on your bookshelf!
Sacrifice In Harry Potter
Sacrifice is an essential part of this novel. Harry Potter and the Philosophers Stone uses sacrifice to define both friendship and love. Harrys parents die because they sacrifice themselves to protect Harry. Ron sacrifices himself while playing Wizard chess. Several people who fought in the war against Voldemort sacrificed themselves for the well-being of the collective community.
The trope of sacrifice plays a major role in setting up differences in morality between the good and the evil. As Dumbledore points out to Harry, Voldemort does not understand love. The fact that Harry understands love and values it, sets a specific difference in choices that Harry and Lord Voldemort make.
Harry is willing to sacrifice himself when he takes over the task of protecting the Philosophers Stone. On the contrary, Voldemort uses others for his selfish motives. This stark difference between willing to sacrifice oneself and using others as a shield to protect oneself, makes all the difference and definitively separates good and evil in this book.
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Custom Leather Bound Harry Potter Set
This is the ultimate level of luxury for Harry Potter books! These are hand crafted, natural leather covers made by Velimira Books, and you can find them for sale on Etsy.
The covers are made from soft lambskin and feature convex details and antique bronze acrylic painting. They also come with a leather bookmark with pendant. There are different colours of leather you can choose from when you order.
This could make the ultimate gift for the Potterhead in your life, or something to save up for and proudly display on your bookshelf. But be warned, luxury comes with a high price!
Harry Potter Book Set 1st Edition Collectors Guide: Investment Outlook
Investment Rating: Strongest Buy Possible
Ownership Disclosure: None
The Harry Potter set is always going to be a collectors item, and that is especially true for the rarest first editions.
Its true that Kindles and smart devices have transformed the way in which we consume media, but theres still a burgeoning market for rare books, especially when its one of the most popular series in existence.
However, its unlikely that many of us have first edition copies of the Harry Potter series which just happen to be lying around.
Even if you do, youd have to have taken special care of it, and that didnt happen too often, especially when its a book made for children.
The earlier you look, the more likely you are to pay a significant premium when looking at first editions in the Harry Potter series.
This is especially true when looking at signed versions, although theres also a good market for some of the later releases in the set.
Given current trends, wed strongly recommend looking at the earliest UK first edition options, as long as theyre in decent condition.
Values are likely to rise, and theres a clear rarity when looking at either the early books or signed versions.
With the prices involved, there are a number of fakes on the market, while many books are mis-sold as first edition copies when they were released in later months. If you do plan to make a purchase, only do so from a reputable dealer.
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Best Harry Potter Boxed Sets Of Books To Gift
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Are you struggling to find the best Harry Potter boxed sets of books to gift? I have compiled all of the most EPIC sets here, for quick and easy gifting for Harry Potter fans, both new and old.
This list contains every Harry Potter book collection from classic hardcovers and paperbacks, to illustrated editions, adult editions, Hogwarts House editions, and so many more!
You are bound to find the perfect Harry Potter boxed gift below, whether you are buying it for yourself or someone else to complete the Harry Potter reading challenge.
Fill Your Book Shelves With Magic
The Harry Potter books are some of the most popular books of all time, and this means there are lots of editions to choose from! Including some very fancy ones.
If you are anything like me, you will have several non-matching Harry Potter books that were bought at different times and from different places. This list is partly me planning out my dream library of the future and partly wanting to share all the amazing Harry Potter books I have come across on the Internet!
I hope you enjoy this list of amazing Harry Potter books! Leave me a comment at the bottom telling me which is your favourite.
*This post contains affiliate links to products I recommend. If you make a purchase through these links I will receive a small commission at no cost to you.
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Harry Potter Values By The Book
Weve covered how much Harry Potter books can be worth and what makes them valuable now, well break down each book in the series so you can determine whether you have a valuable copy.Harry Potter and the Philosophers Stone The original title of the first book in the series, published in the UK by Bloomsbury with a first print of just 500 copies. This is the holy grail of Harry Potter collectors and is valued at $35,000 to $55,000, with autographed copies being the most valuable.Heres how to tell if you have a true first edition of Harry Potter and the Philosophers Stone:
- J.K. Rowling is credited as Joanne Rowling on the copyright page
- On the copyright page, there is no space between Taylor and 1997 in the line Thomas Taylor1997
- The printers key is 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
- The publishing date is 1997, and the publisher is Bloomsbury
- On the front cover, Wendy Cooling is quoted as saying A terrific read and a stunning first novel
- The back cover features an illustration of a young Dumbledore. Later versions depict an old Dumbledore
- Hogwarts is known as the school of Witchcraft and Wizardry, but on the back cover of the first printing the words are swapped, reading Wizardry and Witchcraft
- On the back cover, the word Philosophers is misspelled as Philosphers
- On page 53, the phrase 1 wand is listed twice in the list of Harrys Hogwarts supplies
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Harry Potter Book Set 1st Edition Collectors Guide
Why are first editions so valuable? For one, its a good way to differentiate between the various versions, and its most likely to be true to the original intent of the author. Given that were looking at a series, earlier editions tend to be worth more, as owners werent aware that it was going to be such a massive success at the time.
For example, the original UK version of the Order of the Phoenix came in at 766 words, while the 2014 edition had 800. In comparison, the US edition has 870. Thats a significant difference, which saw multiple rewrites to make it more suitable for a North American audience.
Harry Potter Book Questions
Q: Is there an 8th Harry Potter book?A: Nope. And there never will be peroid.
Q: How many Harry Potter books are there?A: 7
Q: How much is the Harry Potter set?A: Depends email us at value@goldcardauctions.com with pricing questions
Q: Where is Harry Potter set in the books?A: The magical kingdom of Hogwarts
First editions are great as a long-term investment piece, depending on the book itself. If its a popular bestseller from an award-winning author, its probably not going to be that expensive, unless its an older title. In the case of Harry Potter, this makes the earlier books significantly more expensive, and harder to find in fine condition.
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Well go through each of the books below, so you know exactly what to expect if youre looking at picking up a first edition book for yourself.
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Uk Childrens Edition Boxed Sets
These boxed sets include the original UK childrens editions of all seven Harry Potter books, featuring artwork by Thomas Taylor, Cliff Wright, Giles Greenfield and Jason Cockcroft. The paperback box artwork features the illustration of the Hogwarts castle and grounds from Jason Cockcrofts Deathly Hallows jacket artwork.
Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows
UK & US release: 21/07/07
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows is the finale, focusing on a showdown between Harry and Voldemort, which encompasses the rest of the wizarding world. A massive tome, it comes in at 607 words for the original UK edition, 759 words for the US edition and 620 for the 2014 UK rewrite.
A truly massive release, publisher Bloomsbury spent £10m in an attempt to keep the books contents secure until the release date. The gambit paid off, as it currently holds the Guinness World Record for the most novels sold within 24 hours of release, with 8.3 million sold in the US and 2.65 million in the UK.
However, as the last book in the series, its not worth as much when looking at first edition copies, with a number of exceptions.
These stem from when Rowling launched the book at Londons Natural History Museum.
She signed 1,700 copies of the book for lucky people who won exclusive tickets to the event. Those copies have considerable value in the present day, and prices for signed versions usually begin at the $1,000 mark. A premium copy in great condition can sell for five times as much. If youre hoping to bag a rare copy, this is the one to look out for.
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Harry Potter And The Prisoner Of Azkaban
UK release 8/07/99 US release 9/08/99
The Prisoner of Azkaban was when the series began to take a darker tone. It was supposed to match an aging audience, who were ready to deal with more adult topics while being packed full of the traditional charm seen in the early books.
The initial hardcover print run was stopped midway through after it was discovered that Joanne Rowling had been printed on the copyright page. Joanne versions are available for roughly $1,500 and can go up to $10,000 for signed pristine copies.
First edition first printings have the number line 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1, as well as a block of misaligned text on page seven. The error is clearly something for collectors to look out for, but its hard to say exactly how many copies there actually are.
Regardless, its another expensive first edition of the Harry Potter series, so its worth taking the time to check out your old copy just in case.
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The Literary Lifestyle is written by: Julianne a/k/a Jules Buono.
I share the best of books and related modern lifestyle pairings in this cozy little virtual book nook.
I live in Philly with my husband and cats and am an introverted homebody. I’m a classic style lover, mostly vegan eater, and a fan of character-driven novels and epic family sagas.
I’ve been on The Today Show’s Read with Jenna book club, Oprah’s Book Club, Reese’s Book Club, and Buzzfeed, and my essay about The Rory Gilmore Book Club was published in the book But I’m a Gilmore!
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Harry Potter Book Set: The Basics
The Harry Potter series follows the exploits of the eponymous boy wizard as he begins his schooling at the magical castle known as Hogwarts. As such, there are several books, with one for each year hes in education. They grow impressively in scope and tone, with later editions winning almost every award imaginable in a number of regions around the world. The first was released in the UK in 1997, with the final book coming out roughly a decade later.
Harry Potter Book Set 1st Edition Collectors Guide: Signed Editions
As weve already mentioned, signed copies are extremely valuable, but only if its been inked by either the illustrator or the author. Since the 2007 launch of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, every book signed by Rowling at special events included a holographic sticker to authenticate the signature.
The sticker is an integral part of proving the authenticity of a signed edition, so make sure any books signed since then include a holographic sticker. Of course, thats not particularly relevant for the majority of the earlier options, with many being inked during various book signings and events before 07.
As for first editions signed by the cast, theyre not especially valuable when compared to unsigned copies. Its also unlikely that Rowling will respond to any requests to sign a first edition copy either, so were stuck with what weve got.
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Harry Potter And The Half
UK & US release: 16/07/05
The penultimate book in the series, the Half Blood Prince was released at the same time as the Goblet of Fire film. It had a wide hardcover release, and it was well-received by critics and fans alike. In the present day, its worth little, even for first edition copies of the UK version.
Thats unless its been signed by Rowling herself, although thats fairly unlikely given shed stopped the book tours by 2005. A signed copy will go for four figures, while the first printings can be picked up on the cheap.