Poll: Best Harry Potter book?

hhehe

But, seriously..... there is a MAJOR option lacking here..... what about people who have read two of the books, but not the other two yet?
:-/

pick your favorite so far.

or get off your lazy ass and read the other 2 before the poll ends :D

Hey, I ain't gettin off my lazy ass for a poll. ;)

there's another MAJOR option missing... what if we haven't read any of the books, OR seen any of the movies, AND don't intend to because anything Harry Potter induces nausea and eyerolls? there ARE PEOPLE out there who HATE Harry Potter!

You hate harry potter???
:(
I'm so sorry for you... *hugs*

um, you haven't read the books or seen the movies, but hate them? how is this possible?

Well, what she's apparently saying is that she hates them because she doesn't want other people to form a certain opinion of her.... one that is apparently formed of those who like Harry Potter.

*shrugs*

um, okay scratch that, I *tried* to read *one* of the books, but it was so sorry and pathetic I couldn't get through the first few pages. I also hated the Hobbit, and every "Lord of the Rings" commercial induces eyerolls. Perhaps it's the fantasy genre I don't like.

Besides, I pretty much hate everything all the lemmings flock to. Hating Harry Potter comes as naturally to me as hating Britney Spears and Avril Lavigne and N*Sync. "If everyone likes it, it's GOT to be cool!" Um... no thank you. If something's THAT popular it's got to be extraordinary for me to like it. And Harry Potter's just... not.

But really, I hope you all have fun and enjoy reading your books and seeing your movies.

The end.

Sooooo... in rather than blindly liking anything popular, you blindly DISLIKE anything popular?

That's just as bad, IMO.

Did you read my whole post? I quote: "If something's THAT popular it's got to be extraordinary for me to like it. And Harry Potter's just... not. "

There's your answer.

Still, though....I don't think popularity should be a factor in determining your appreciation either way. You're still saying that some things are good enough for you to like as long as they're unpopular, but if they suddenly become a fad, they're not good enough any more. (See, for example, everyone I know and BNL after "One Week" came out.) And...I dunno...I just don't get it. *Shrug.

BNL is completely different-- they SOLD OUT, that's why *I* don't like them anymore. That, and their music isn't good anymore. They're writing for money's sake, not for music's sake. And that's fine for them, I hope they're enjoying their millionaire lifestyles, but I prefer music for music's sake. Which is why I'm a folkie, and here to begin with.

OK, sorry if I didn't give a good example...but my point was just that popularity has no effect on quality. There may be an apparent correlation, particularly in music, between popular and insipid, but I don't see why it should be harder to like something that's good and popular than to like something that's good and obscure. Assuming that mainstream stuff is bad is letting trends dictate your opinions just as much as assuming that it's good.

I would say I had sort of the opposite experience of Shannon... in one way anyhow. Things started out in a similar way... a friend of mine sent me the first book a loooong while back- before all the hype. At the time, I couldn't bring myself to read it because the picture on the front looked like some sort of Encyclopedia Brown thing or something like that, and I had never liked that sort of thing as a kid. A long time after that there was suddenly all this hype. The hype drove me away even more, because now it was not only this lame Encyclopedia Brown thing (so I thought), but a lame Encyclopedia Brown thing that everyone was telling me I simply HAD to read, which never goes over well with me.

Here's where the story becomes different than Shannon's... Finally, after all the books were out and everyone and their mother had read them and told me I simply HAD to read them... I did. I started in finally on that terrible looking book that had been sent to me by a dear old college buddy. And I loved it. Loved loved loved it. I didn't expect that at all. I loved it so much that while waiting for the time I could actually get all the rest of the books (Christmas) I read the next two off of my computer screen (someone had sent the files to my husband)- some from printouts.

Then again, I love the fantasy genre (Lord of the Rings, etc.), so it was much more likely for me than Shannon. :)

ps: the part that actually pertains to this poll... I have liked each book more than the previous one, so my vote was for Goblet of Fire.

People out there who hate Harry Potter? Oh... you must mean Draco Malfoy.

ROCK ON!

I can't say I hate Harry Potter because I haven't read the books or seen the movies. I'm just not interested in it. Maybe I'll read them someday years from now when they're less huge- there's too much hype now and it's putting me off them.

I would, however, be the first in line to buy "Pete Best and The Philosopher's Stone"

I also am totally uninterested in the whole Harry Potter thing. Haven't read any of them, haven't seen any of the movies and I most likely never will.

it's not necessarily just draco malfoy, it could be Crabb Goyle the Dursleys Snape Voldemort Quirrel OR dudleys friends

heh..."fictional people we love to hate, next on Jerry"

What if I liked several book equally...

Yeah....how dare you make me choose?!?!?!

just WAIT til y'all read book 5~'harry potter and the singing bra'......

it will blow all others AND the movies outta the water

*grin*

Harry Potter is the dewil!

Yeah...God forbid we should teach our children about courage or loyalty....sheesh! What was that evil Rowling woman thinking??

God DID forbid it, didn't you get the memo?

It's satanic witchcraft, not a kid's book! Don't you know the evil Rowling woman is really just a pawn of the Devil and being used to further his satanic goals?

Everyone should BURN the Potter books and burn Rowling at the stake.

(I like Potter books because they give Christian religious zealots opportunities to make complete assess of themselves and provide me with many laughs).

yeah there is currently a group of such asshole-ios picketting the movie at the local thatre...

Actually, they reissued that memo. The church has now decided that Harry Potter is actually a source of good Christian morals. (And may I just observe that "satanic witchcraft" is a wonderful oxymoron *g*)

Like swiss cheese?
*heh*
~J~

What's wrong with swiss cheese?

I immediately figured this must be emilie's poll, since it used the title "Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone." But then I got to thinking - which title do they use in Canada? Is it changed to "sourcerer" just for us Americans, for whom the word "philosopher" apparently falls flat?

Perhaps people in America think of a philosopher in Mel Brooks terms:

Temp-work lady: "Occupation?"

Mel Brooks: "Stand-up philosopher!"

Temp-work lady: "Ahhhh, a bulls**t artist!"

That's it exactly....
Americans view the term "Philosopher" as one who studies philosophy... not as anything relating to magic or sorcery....

I know that, to me, "Philosopher's Stone" would make absolutely no sense.

Different use of words does not stupidity make.

It's a cultural difference... just like "cooties" vs. "the lurgy"
:)

Right.. but that's what I'm saying.... "philosopher".. to americans, only does apply to existentialism and such.

For us, it's got nothing to do with alchemy.. even remotely.

Yes.. but I'm speaking of general perception.
Not of definition.

It is not a distinction peculiar to Americans though. I really doubt that Americans in general are less up on the history of alchemy than Brits or Canadians. My guess is that market research (The evil god I used to serve) said that "Philosopher's Stone" wouldn't sell as well in America.

hehe ;)

only the US, I believe. everywhere else uses the historically accurate title - the Philosopher's Stone isn't something Rowling made up. neither is Nicholas Flammel, who was a real alchemist in the 14th century (which means that in 1991, when the book takes place, he would have actually been about 666 years old)

so given that, I think the title change makes even less sense, and shows the ignorance (or presumed ignorance) of Americans even more - not only will we think the word "philosopher" is too academic sounding, but we also won't know or care what the "philsopher's stone" actually is.

I was personally confused as hell when I first learned of the correct title (I got the Americanized book too). When I heard the real title, I was like "Well, that makes a helluva lot more sense!"

yeah, and in French? "Harry Potter � l'�cole des sorciers"..... "Harry Potter at the wizard school"... I get a kick out of all the names in French.... Snape? Rogue. Madam Hooch? Madame Bibine. Hogwarts? Poudlard (this one acctually sorta makes sense.... wait... no it doesn't... pou is not warts, and lard is not hog.....) Slytherin? Serpentard. Griffindor? Griffondor... ok for that one... Hufflepuff = Poufsoufle.... I forgot Raveclaw. I agree with the Sorting Hat being the "Choixpeau" cause it's pronounce shwapoh, vs. "chapeau" (shapoh), which is the real word for hat..

Harry Potter in French 101 is now finished.

I've got "Harry Potter v'Cheder Ha-Sadot" - "Harry Potter and the Room of the Secrets" - in Hebrew. Most of the names and places are just phonetic spellings (which is actually really damn confusing).

I do remember that "Nearly-Headless-Nick" is "Nick-Kimat-Bli-Rosh" - "Nick, almost without a head." I love that it really retains the rhythm of the name - the translation is actually really good at keeping the rhythm intact.

I also cut out an article about the Japanese translations. They're not done by a big publishing house, but this one woman who loved the books in English, and wrote to JK Rowling before everything got huge.

For free money, say PORNTIPS GUZZARDO and wave your wand, or uhh, mouse!

Harry Potter porn??
You sickie!

I dunno, have you seen Hermione lately? In another 5 years she'll be 100% babe material. :)

Oh that's creepy. That's right up there with the webpage that has the countdown for when the Olsen Twins turn 18.

there's a webpage for that?? heh..i'll hafta tell jerry at work aboot it; he was just commenting yesterday that he -thought- they already were, so he didn't feel like a pedophile saying he thought they were hot...

heh...MAN, can -i- give him shit tomorrow.....

the olsens turn 18 in 2 years. this summer, they released a video about getting their drivers licenses and then going on a road trip adventure and meeting cute boys. it was riveting.

And what about Cho Chang? You know she's gonna be hot.... Plus Oliver Wood....*drool....
O:)

cho chang?

The girl Harry likes...doesn't show up until book 4...maybe 3.

seriously. that oliver wood actor is 20 and i have NO SHAME in admitting that he is adorable.

rowr.

mmm...oliver wood. that is all.

*hides*

although you're right... she's going to be a REAL cutie..

Yeah, as wrong as it is to say it... she IS going to be really hot.. just.. not for a WHILE.
hehe

So...will that be...like....a date? ;)

lol she is is she?

michael jackson was suposed to be cute....so was that culkin kid