I do not think that there can ever be enough books about anything and I say that knowing that some of them are going to be about Pilates.The more knowledge the better seems like a solid rule of thumb, even though I have watched enough science fiction films to accept that humanity’s unchecked pursuit of learning will end with robots taking over the world.-Sarah Vowell

Thursday, September 5, 2019

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone by J. K. Rowling


This is the book that started the famous series.  In the beginning, we are introduced to Harry Potter as a young man who has been left as a baby on the doorstep of his aunt and uncle by people who have magical skills after the death of his parents.  Flash forward ten years and Harry is about to turn eleven-years-old.   His cousin Dudley Dursley picks on him when he can catch him and Harry is quick and skinny.  He wears glasses that have been repaired with tape and has a lightning bolt scar over his right eye.  He has brown hair that never behaves and green eyes.  And odd things are always happening around him.  For instance, when his Aunt Petunia cut all of his hair off except his bangs covering his scar right before school started it all grew back overnight.  When he went to the zoo for his cousin's birthday he made the glass partition disappear in front of the snake's cage when Dudley and his friend were standing in front of it letting the snake loose.  He was able to talk to the snake.

Then right before his birthday on July 31 he received a letter in the mailbox addressed to Harry Potter, Under the Stairs, 4 Privet Dr., Little Whining, Surrey. At the time he was living under the stairs.  So who would know that?  But before he could open it, Dudley announced that he had a letter and Mr. Vernon Dursely grabbed it and showed it to Petunia and then destroyed it.  Vernon moved Harry up to Dudley's extra bedroom just in case they could see how he was being treated.  And the next day they sent another letter and when he destroyed that one they sent more and more.  When he closed the mail slot they found other ways to get the letter inside the house. Finally, they came in through the fireplace.  Harry tried to grab one of the many that were flying in that way but Vernon grabbed him and forced him from the house.   He took them to an island far away in the middle of a storm that there was no way anyone could find them there.

But that night Hagrid, Keeper of the Keyes at Hogwarts, the school of Witchcraft and Wizardry,  arrived and pushed down the door and delivered Harry's letter himself.  Which didn't go over well with Vernon who wanted to keep Harry from going there.  Hagrid gets fed up with them and gives Dudley a pig's tail and the two of them leave with Hagrid explaining to Harry about how Voldemort, a bad wizard who had gained a lot of power and followers killed his parents and tried to kill him but failed to do so. And when he tried to kill Harry it did something to him and Voldemort hasn't been heard from again.  So Hagrid takes Harry to Diagon Alley to get his school materials and Hagrid buys him an owl, Hedwig.  While they were getting Harry's money at Gringgot's the Wizarding bank, Hagrid got something out for Albus Dumbledore, the Headmaster.  While shopping for a robe he meets a blonde-haired boy who tells him that there are certain wizarding families that are better than others and that those who have no witch or wizard blood shouldn't be allowed to go to Hogwarts.   And he bad talks Hagrid.  He honestly reminds Harry of Dudley.  They'll meet again on the ride to Hogwarts where he'll meet and befriend Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger and they'll become instant enemies. The boy's name is Draco Malfoy.

The sorting hat wants to sort him into Slytherin but he doesn't want to go there so it sorts him into Gryffindor with Hermione and Ron.  They get no slack cut for them from their head of house Professor Magonigle whom they have for Transfigurations.  And Snape, whom he has for Potions seems to hate him on site.   Otherwise, the classes are hard but fun.  And greatest of all, through an accident, Harry ends up being the youngest member on the Quidditch Team in a hundred years. He plays the Seeker, the one who captures the Golden Snitch.  You capture the Golden Snitch and you earn 150 points for your team. It also ends the game.  Professor Magonigle gets him the Nimbus 2000, the latest in broomsticks to play on.  At his first game, he captures the golden snitch in his mouth and wins the game for his team.  But while the game was going on Snape was muttering words and wasn't breaking eye contact with Harry giving Hermione the impression that he was messing with Harry'\s broomstick--trying to knock him off his broom.  And he very nearly succeeds.  But Hermione goes over there and sets fire to his robes and stops him.

While out and about one night Neville Longbottom, Harry, Hermione, and Ron found a door and opened it and discovered a three-headed dog who was guarding a trap door.  Could it be what Hagrid got from Gringotts?  What exactly is the dog guarding?  Why does Snape want it? Is Voldemort involved?

This book is very slow at the beginning and can be hard to get into. The first time I read it I had to put it down and come back to it because I either wasn't in the mood or it wasn't easy to get into or both.  This time was easier to read because I knew what to expect, but time at the Dursley's is always kinda boring and in this book you spend the most time there.  Otherwise, this book is one of the most quotable books of the series it's so well written.  And it has a good story that isn't all that scary compared to the rest of them.  They get progressively scarier as you go along.  I really enjoyed this book and give it four and a half stars out of five stars. 

Quotes
 The hat seemed to be asking rather a lot; Harry didn’t feel brave or quick witted or any of it at the moment. IF only the hat had mentioned a house for people who felt a bit queasy, that would have been the one for him.
-J. K. Rowling (Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone p 118-19)

Hermione: Now if you don’t mind, I’m going to bed before either of you can come up with another clever idea to get us killed—or worse expelled.
Ron: She’s got to sort out her priorities.
-Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone (The Movie)

I hope you're pleased with yourselves. We could all have been killed--or worse, expelled. Now if you don't mind, I'm going to bed.
-J. K. Rowling (Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stong p 162)

There are some things you can’t share without ending up liking each other and knocking out a twelve-foot mountain troll is one of them. 
-J K Rowling (Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone p 179)

It does not do to dwell on dreams and forget to live, remember that.
-J K Rowling (Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone p 214)

“Harry—you’re a great wizard, you know.” “I’m not as good as you,” Harry said. “Me!” said Hermione. “Books! And cleverness!  There are more important things—friendship and bravery and –oh Harry—be careful!”
-J K Rowling (Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone p 287)

After all, to the well-organized mind, death is but the next great adventure.
-J K. Rowling (Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone p 297)
     
Listed On Amazon:https://www.amazon.com/Harry-Potter-Sorcerers-Stone-Rowling-ebook/dp/B0192CTMYG/ref=sr_1_2?crid=29O5HKNZ3Z8SD&keywords=harry+potter+and+the+sorcerer%27s+stone&qid=1567679391&s=gateway&sprefix=harry+potter+and+the+sorcerer%27s+stone%2Caps%2C178&sr=8-2
     

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