Hermione Dies! (according to a funny t-shirt)

[thealmighty]

Saw this on a t-shirt... thought it was really funny given all the speculation of what will happen.

[JeeberD]

Dude...not funny, TA.

[Ksyrup]

Who-the-whatsit?

[Joe]

no more heroine??

[larrymcg421]

Well played.

This reminds me, though, I better read the fucking book right away. Too many assholes in the world who won't be joking.

[Ksyrup]

Is this related to Harry Potter? I heard two Wal-Mart employees talking about who died as I was shopping yesterday. Better put your earmuffs on.

[Chubby]

OMG YOU RUINED MY HAIRY POTTER BOOK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[molson]

I don't much about Harry Potter, but I can't think of a book, ever, where people were concerned about spoilers. It's really incredible. The broad that wrote these things must be a billionaire.

[Ksyrup]

I thought this particular spoiler was already out there, anyway. I don't have a clue about anything Harry Potter, and the two Wal-Mart employees were discussing what even I thought was already well known.

[Eaglesfan27]

I've avoided all spoilers like the plague. I would hope that people would have the courtesy not to put them in thread titles here.

[saldana]

Originally Posted by larrymcg421

Well played.

This reminds me, though, I better read the fucking book right away. Too many assholes in the world who won't be joking.

i wont have an opportunity to start until sometime on sunday...i plan on avoiding every media outlet, website, and message board until i can get a chance to read it...there are too many people that cant help themselves about ruining things for other people.

[Joe]

Originally Posted by molson

I don't much about Harry Potter, but I can't think of a book, ever, where people were concerned about spoilers. It's really incredible. The broad that wrote these things must be a billionaire.

She's a billionaire in the US, but not UK.

[EagleFan]

What's a Hermione? Sounds like something froim a bizarre fetish porn film...

[larrymcg421]

Originally Posted by Eaglesfan27

I've avoided all spoilers like the plague. I would hope that people would have the courtesy not to put them in thread titles here.

Hopefully, they fear the wrath of Izulde.

[sterlingice]

I'm just waiting for the USA Today headline the day the book comes out. It'll be something the size of a war declaration font and with the wording "Harry Potter Dies" or "Harry Potter Triumphant" or some such spoiler, ruining the book for many.

SI

[Lorena]

Fuck man, I shoulda stayed away from the forums today

[Ksyrup]

Originally Posted by sterlingice

I'm just waiting for the USA Today headline the day the book comes out. It'll be something the size of a war declaration font and with the wording "Harry Potter Dies" or "Harry Potter Triumphant" or some such spoiler, ruining the book for many.

SI

And at that point it becomes news, right?

[JeeberD]

Originally Posted by molson

I don't much about Harry Potter, but I can't think of a book, ever, where people were concerned about spoilers. It's really incredible. The broad that wrote these things must be a billionaire.

It wasn't on this scale, but I know quite a few people who were concerned about spoilers about the final Dark Tower book from Stephen King...

[Surtt]

Originally Posted by molson

I don't much about Harry Potter, but I can't think of a book, ever, where people were concerned about spoilers. It's really incredible. The broad that wrote these things must be a billionaire.

Bel eve it or not,
She is the richest woman in the UK.

[Rizon]

I'm still trying to read the 6th book, dammit. About 1/3 done.

[Maple Leafs]

Originally Posted by EagleFan

What's a Hermione? Sounds like something froim a bizarre fetish porn film...

Well, in a few more years, cross your fingers...

[ctmason]

I haven't read any of the books or seen the movies. Did I miss anything?

[Lathum]

If it is her that dies I am gonna be really annoyed.

[DeToxRox]

Originally Posted by Lathum

If it is her that dies I am gonna be really annoyed.

If she dies this thread is gonna' be really awesome.

[larrymcg421]

JK Rowling is reading this thread and quickly reprinting all copies of the book with a different outcome for Hermione.

[Eaglesfan27]

Originally Posted by Lathum

If it is her that dies I am gonna be really annoyed.

Me too.

[Lathum]

The more I think about it the more I think this thread in general is pretty poor taste.

[molson]

The guy saw something on a T-shirt and everyone's freaking out. If it makes you feel better, I'm sure you can find a ton of cheap T-shirts for sale online with all kinds of other "spoilers" - perhaps even some in humorous bad taste.

[Tyrith]

Originally Posted by Lathum

The more I think about it the more I think this thread in general is pretty poor taste.

Agreed.

[B & B]

Originally Posted by ctmason

I haven't read any of the books or seen the movies. Did I miss anything?

Welcome to the party, pal!


(Otherwise, Id have not clicked on a Potter thread)

[EagleFan]

Originally Posted by Lathum

The more I think about it the more I think this thread in general is pretty poor taste.

Welcome to Hollywood

[thealmighty]

It was just a damn t-shirt, people.

I hadn't heard any rumors about who dies, 'cause I don't really care- it's just a book. I don't go to Harry sites, don't read magazines, don't watch Hollywood Tonight (or whatever those shows are called). I have no idea who dies.

Just thought it was funny with all the hoopla about it.

I apologize to anyone who took offense, though I see no reason you might (I'm sure someone will explain it to me).

[molson]

Originally Posted by thealmighty

I apologize to anyone who took offense, though I see no reason you might (I'm sure someone will explain it to me).

All I can guess is that they actually think you're "The Almighty"

I went out of my way to find as many Sopranos spoilers as I could. About 2-3 things I read turned out right, and about 500 things I read didn't. And that was a TV show, with hundreds of people involved in the production.

[Crapshoot]

Originally Posted by Lathum

The more I think about it the more I think this thread in general is pretty poor taste.

"".

[Groundhog]

I can't wait to see this thread if Hermione actually does die.

[Groundhog]

Originally Posted by Surtt

Bel eve it or not,
She is the richest woman in the UK.

Wow. Not bad for a lady who writes stories about a magic school for wizard children...

[Neon_Chaos]

I loved a segment in Conan O'brien the other week...

"Barnes and Noble employees were banned recently from revealing the ending too HP7. In response, staff started greeting people as they entered the store with 'Good morning, Potter's dead!'"

[Izulde]

Originally Posted by Groundhog

Wow. Not bad for a lady who writes stories about a magic school for wizard children...

She singlehandedly saved a publishing company that was on the verge of bankruptcy and created a generation of readers that might not have otherwise existed.

It may not be all that much of a stretch to say that J.K. Rowling has saved reading and literature from becoming a niche form of entertainment.

[Groundhog]

Originally Posted by Izulde

She singlehandedly saved a publishing company that was on the verge of bankruptcy and created a generation of readers that might not have otherwise existed.

It may not be all that much of a stretch to say that J.K. Rowling has saved reading and literature from becoming a niche form of entertainment.

The first paragraph I'd maybe grant, but you give her far too much credit. I doubt very much that reading and literature were ever in any kind of serious risk of becoming a niche entertainment. If Rowling didn't fill the void in that market, someone else would have.

[Izulde]

Originally Posted by Groundhog

The first paragraph I'd maybe grant, but you give her far too much credit. I doubt very much that reading and literature were ever in any kind of serious risk of becoming a niche entertainment. If Rowling didn't fill the void in that market, someone else would have.

Someone else would've had this kind of mass appeal that spans all age groups? Remember, it's not just children that are reading these novels, it's adults as well.

In fact, I'm having serious problems trying to come up with a contemporary author that crosses so many age, gender, and socioeconomic lines in terms of readership.

It's nice to think that someone else would have come along and had this kind of impact, but I really don't see it.

[Neon_Chaos]

I would risk saying that most people are reading Harry Potter books than the Bible right now.

[Groundhog]

Originally Posted by Izulde

Someone else would've had this kind of mass appeal that spans all age groups? Remember, it's not just children that are reading these novels, it's adults as well.

In fact, I'm having serious problems trying to come up with a contemporary author that crosses so many age, gender, and socioeconomic lines in terms of readership.

It's nice to think that someone else would have come along and had this kind of impact, but I really don't see it.

Maybe you're right, but I'm not sure that reading and literature was ever in any kind of great crisis.

Similar things were being said about the Davinci Code too when that craze hit - though naturally more towards the older crowd than the young - due to the sheer amount of people picking it up and reading it due to the controversy around it.

[Groundhog]

Originally Posted by Neon_Chaos

I would risk saying that most people are reading Harry Potter books than the Bible right now.

I don't even think that's much of a risk at all considering how popular the Harry Potter series is world wide.

[Izulde]

Originally Posted by Groundhog

Maybe you're right, but I'm not sure that reading and literature was ever in any kind of great crisis.

Similar things were being said about the Davinci Code too when that craze hit - though naturally more towards the older crowd than the young - due to the sheer amount of people picking it up and reading it due to the controversy around it.

My own response to that would be that Da Vinci Code was essentially a one-off that spiked sales specifically because of the controversy and I suspect that the increase in readership would be very minimal and its increase in book sales limited to a tiny trickle effect amongst similiar authors.

Rowling, on the other hand, has created what will be a seven volume magnum opus that quite clearly has incredible staying power and, because of the impact she's had on the younger generation, will, in my opinion, lead to a much broader range of book sales as her readers get older and become more interested in other genres of books.

As far as Rowling's older readers, I'm not entirely certain what expansion effect she has on them.

And I do think literature and reading were very much in a state of crisis or, at the very least, headed in that direction. With an ever-increasing variety of entertainment options and the profileration of the Internet's quick information, people have a tendency towards shorter attention spans and are less likely to have the patience to sit down and read a book.

[Yossarian]

Originally Posted by Groundhog
If Rowling didn't fill the void in that market, someone else would have.

Duuude.

That would be the case if roughly the same amount of people read roughly the same amount of books when she came on the scene (ie, she was taking place in an existing market).

But that's not what happened.

She made reading 'cool' for kids. Well, reading HP books anyway. My brother who is now 20 has read two books for enjoyment. "The Snowy Owl" when he was like, 5 and the first Harry Potter book. Of course, that's a personal reference, not a trend but you hear / see stuff like that all the time.

Author Justine Larbalestier (who writes great YA fiction) frequently thanks JK in her blog for re-creating the YA fiction market.

Some choice factiods from font of knowledge Wikipedia


First: literacy improvement

Since the publishing of Philosopher's Stone a number of societal trends have been attributed to the series.

The most notable trend attributed to Harry Potter has been an increase in literacy among the young. Anecdotal evidence suggesting such an increase was seemingly confirmed in 2006 when the Kids and Family Reading Report (in conjunction with Scholastic) released a survey finding that 51% of Harry Potter readers ages 5-17 said that while they did not read books for fun before they started reading Harry Potter, they now did. The study further reported that according to 65% of children and 76% of parents, they or their children's performance in school improved since they started reading the series.[48] Charlie Griffiths, director of the National Literacy Association, said "Anyone who can persuade children to read should be treasured and what [Rowling has] given us in Harry Potter is little short of miraculous."[49] British Prime Minister Gordon Brown, a long time fan, said, "I think JK Rowling has done more for literacy around the world than any single human being."[50][51]

Second: this 'trend' shows how popular the books are

n 2005, doctors at the John Radcliffe Hospital in Oxford reported that their research of the weekends of Saturday 21 June 2003 and Saturday 16 July 2005 (the dates of the two most recent book releases of the series) found that only 36 children needed emergency medical assistance for injuries sustained in accidents, as opposed to other weekends' average of 67.[52]

Third: NYT Bestseller list changes its rules due to potter mania

Harry Potter has also brought changes in the publishing world, one of the most noted being the reformation of the New York Times Best Seller list. The change came immediately preceding the release of Goblet of Fire in 2000 when publishers complained of the number of slots on the list being held by Harry Potter and other children's books. The Times subsequently created a separate children's list for Harry Potter and other children's literature.[55]

This series isn't just stealing 'reads' from other books in a mercantile type view of the market size, it greatly increased a demographic's interest in reading.

[Brillig]

Originally Posted by Yossarian

This series isn't just stealing 'reads' from other books in a mercantile type view of the market size, it greatly increased a demographic's interest in reading.

I don't think that you can conclude that unless book sales excluding Harry Potter have increased markedly. The fact that the NYT Bestseller list was Potter-ated seems to indicate that while people are wild for Harry Potter, they weren't necessarily reading anything else.

While there is undoubtedly some cross-over, it's hard to say whether Rowling has created a lasting change in people's interest in reading, or just a lasting change in people's interest in Harry Potter.

One question, which unfortunately is only theoretical due to the delays involved, would be - if these kids had the choice of seeing the movie first, or reading the book first, which would they choose? And if they had to choose only one?

[Yossarian]

Kids and Family Reading Report (in conjunction with Scholastic) released a survey finding that 51% of Harry Potter readers ages 5-17 said that while they did not read books for fun before they started reading Harry Potter, they now did.

That, coupled with authors such as Larbalestier saying:

One book being hugely successful can increase the chances of other books. J. K. Rowling’s Harry Potter books created a boom in children’s and YA publishing. Garth Nix says that before Rowling he was happily paddling along and then he got caught up in a tidal wave. He’s not the only one. I don’t know a single YA or children’s author who isn’t profoundly grateful to Rowling. She made our careers.

are enough for me to conclude that book sales excluding HP have increased markedly.

Those above quotes are just the ones i've found today - but I've seen corroborating sound bytes and statements many times over the years.

[BrianD]

Judging by all of the other movies coming out based on YA books, and some of the major displays of other YA series at the major book stores, I would bet that some amount of crossover is taking place.

[spleen1015]

For once in my life I'm not going looking for spoilers. I hope this isn't true.

[larrymcg421]

Originally Posted by Groundhog

I can't wait to see this thread if Hermione actually does die.

Me either. Actually, I think the thread length could end up being a spoiler. If this thread suddenly spikes to several hundred posts, we'll know that Hermione actually does die.