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Health & Fitness

Looking Back At Harry Potter

With the release of 'Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows -Part 2,' fans of the Harry Potter books and movies will see the end of an era

Soon after I opened The Open Book in 1999, I began to get requests for a book that had just been released in the United States.  It was a book that both adults and children wanted to read.  It had something to do with a skinny, dark-haired boy with a scar on his forehead.  I took a copy home and, of course, was instantly smitten with Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone

With the release of “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows -Part 2”, fans of the Harry Potter books and movies will see the end of an era.  I read the books aloud to my children and saw all the movies on their release dates (sometimes at midnight!).  Like many others, I saw the characters grow up and mature on both the page and the screen.  As a bookseller, I got to dress up as Professor McGonagall and distribute books at midnight.  When I saw children actually hug the books and drop into the nearest chair to start reading, I knew that something special was happening.

My children and their friends grew up with Harry Potter.  As the series progressed and Harry faced a world threatened by “He Who Must Not Be Named”, they faced a world that was more frightening as well.  The lessons that Harry Potter taught that young generation were that of persistence and bravery despite overwhelming odds.  Harry sometimes got jealous and angry and discouraged; he also faced loss.  Harry taught us that life is often messy and may be difficult but that friendships are important and love endures beyond the grave.

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So when you are standing in line for tickets for the last movie, take a few moments to reminisce. Remember your first glimpse of Hogwarts (whether in your imagination or on the movie screen).  Remember Harry’s cupboard under the stairs.  Remember Ron and Hermione.  And remember the adventures of a boy named Harry penned by a single mother on an old manual typewriter.

You may buy these books and other great books from The Open Book located at 1 Glovers Lane, Westhampton Beach, New York or visit us online at www.theopenbookwhb.com

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