Tuesday, April 05, 2011

Succumbing to the Harry Potter phenomenon

I started Sunday morning with a emptiness inside - withdrawal symptoms after the Cricket WC2011. With India reigning champions and the celebrations and the shouting done with - suddenly you asked yourself what you would look forward to.


S, a friend was brainwashing me slowly with her continued shock that I had not read Harry Potter (To put the record straight I had read Book1 and have seen all the movies to date). But I had not read all 7 books. And this was shocking! I like to consider myself somewhat of a bibliophile. And like to pretend I'm an elite one at that. So if some of the accomplished literati I have read about, shun the potter-mania, I feel, as a faux literati, so must I.

But then I reasoned with myself, that as an example of its genre, it was supposed to be a shining one. And must one really be so true to ones fake self? Such deep thoughts were inspired by the glorious peans sung to the Potter books by the said friend. 


So I succumbed with a very vague promise to read all the books. And that brings us to the 2nd part of this story. We were hanging out on Brigade road on Sunday evening - and our aimless walking took us outside Blossoms.


Oh you've not heard of Blossom? Aaah, dear reader you do not know what you've missed. 


Blossom is a book store on Brigade road. Inspiration struck and I realized I could pick up all the Potter books at a bargain at Blossom. 


3 floors high and packed floor to ceiling with books, books, books. There are dozens of shelves on every floor chock a block with books. And not just new books. Blossom also sells Used books. In fact its called Blossom - Home of Used Books. Every sqare foot of space in Blossom is filled with books. Of its a fantasy come true. And they have one of the widest range of books you could have. 


So we ask one of the men on the 2nd floor for the Potter collection in Used books. And boy did this man know his books. Remember I already had the first one. So he found me the 2nd, 3rd and 7th. And promised to have the 4-5-6 ready in 2 days. And now comes the kickers. For the 3rd book he had handed me a India published - slightly used - in great condition copy. But then as we were looking around he came back with a UK edition used copy - which he said was very rare to get here. Of course it being India and all. Oh,it felt like such a find. Like it was a treasure I had come upon. A secret. So I came away with 3 Potter books discounted. Used - with the previous owners names - it is so much fun to imagine who they must be and how they must have read this book. And a very special UK edition find in that. 


Lets back up in the story in a bit. Once I had made that vague promise to succumb to Potter Mania - I though I might as well re-read Book 1. To get a sense of continuity. So here's the reading progress so far:


Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone - Sun Night to Mon Night
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets - Mon night to Tues late morning
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban - To begin on Tues night


I'm on a mission people. There is magic in the air. 
And Darkness.