false 3 180 Say you've spent the first 10 years of your life sleeping under the stairs of a family who loathes you. Then, in an absurd, magical twist of fate you find yourself surrounded by wizards, a caged snowy owl, a phoenix-feather wand, and jellybeans that come in every flavor, including strawberry, curry, grass, and sardine. Not only that, but you discover that you are a wizard yourself! This is exactly what happens to young Harry Potter in J.K. Rowling's enchanting, funny debut novel, <I>Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone</I>. In the nonmagic human world--the world of "Muggles"--Harry is a nobody, treated like dirt by the aunt and uncle who begrudgingly inherited him when his parents were killed by the evil Voldemort. But in the world of wizards, small, skinny Harry is famous as a survivor of the wizard who tried to kill him. He is left only with a lightning-bolt scar on his forehead, curiously refined sensibilities, and a host of mysterious powers to remind him that he's quite, yes, altogether different from his aunt, uncle, and spoiled, piglike cousin Dudley. <p> A mysterious letter, delivered by the friendly giant Hagrid, wrenches Harry from his dreary, Muggle-ridden existence: "We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry." Of course, Uncle Vernon yells most unpleasantly, "I AM NOT PAYING FOR SOME CRACKPOT OLD FOOL TO TEACH HIM MAGIC TRICKS!" Soon enough, however, Harry finds himself at Hogwarts with his owl Hedwig... and that's where the real adventure--humorous, haunting, and suspenseful--begins. <I>Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone</I>, first published in England as <I>Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone</I>, continues to win major awards in England. So far it has won the National Book Award, the Smarties Prize, the Children's Book Award, and is short-listed for the Carnegie Medal, the U.K. version of the Newbery Medal. This magical, gripping, brilliant book--a future classic to be sure--will leave kids clamoring for <i>Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets</i> and <i>Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban</i>. (Ages 8 to 13) <I>--Karin Snelson</I> 4640799 book 1997 Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone (Harry Potter, #1) total:296982|5:141403|4:92151|3:47957|2:10647|1:4824| 296982 1245608 335547 12442 5 1 false false Thu Nov 06 17:14:29 -0800 2008 Thu Nov 06 17:15:10 -0800 2008 more...]]> 5 0 false false Fri Jan 01 00:00:00 -0800 1999 Sat Nov 07 14:09:29 -0800 2009 Sat Nov 07 14:47:03 -0800 2009 more...]]> 5 0 false false Wed Jun 04 00:00:00 -0700 2003 Tue Oct 13 15:32:38 -0700 2009 Sun Oct 18 15:36:05 -0700 2009 more...]]> 3 0 false false Sat Feb 14 00:00:00 -0800 2009 Thu Feb 12 13:01:05 -0800 2009 Wed Feb 18 19:48:42 -0800 2009
The book was really good, except the falling action and conclusion were incredibly short. I know that it's the first book in the series, but seriously? The climax, falling ac...more...]]> 5 1 false false Sat Dec 20 15:49:22 -0800 2008 Sat Dec 20 15:52:22 -0800 2008 5 1 false false Wed Nov 19 00:00:00 -0800 2008 Fri Nov 07 07:52:28 -0800 2008 Wed Nov 19 12:43:51 -0800 2008 3 1 false false Wed Jun 18 13:46:31 -0700 2008 Sat Jan 17 16:45:25 -0800 2009 3 more...]]> 5 0 false false Tue Sep 15 13:08:06 -0700 2009 Mon Sep 21 21:56:19 -0700 2009 more...]]> 5 0 false false Mon Sep 07 12:25:37 -0700 2009 Mon Sep 07 12:33:30 -0700 2009 more...]]> 4 0 false true Thu Jul 16 19:42:47 -0700 2009 Thu Jul 23 10:11:33 -0700 2009 more...]]> 4 0 true false Mon Oct 26 00:00:00 -0700 2009 Wed Nov 04 07:48:26 -0800 2009 Sat Nov 07 15:06:32 -0800 2009 1
Boy, did I have fun.

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I've...more...]]> 5 0 false false Thu Jul 16 11:32:54 -0700 2009 Thu Jul 23 21:58:01 -0700 2009 Harry Potter and the sorcerer’s stone. New York: Arthur A. Levine Books.
(originally called Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone in Great Britain.)

Summary:
Harry Potter, a 10 year-old orphan living with the dreadful and sometimes painful Dursleys ...more...]]> 3 0 false false Sun Jul 05 00:00:00 -0700 2009 Mon Jun 29 17:53:26 -0700 2009 Tue Jul 07 01:42:03 -0700 2009 more...]]> 4 0 false false Tue Nov 18 19:43:30 -0800 2008 Wed Nov 26 19:51:22 -0800 2008 more...]]> 3 1 false false Sun Dec 12 00:00:00 -0800 2004 Wed Feb 06 17:02:41 -0800 2008 Wed Feb 06 19:45:47 -0800 2008 more...]]> 5 0 false false Mon Sep 07 00:00:00 -0700 2009 Sun Aug 30 06:58:54 -0700 2009 Mon Sep 07 12:02:02 -0700 2009



"Birds of America: Stories" by Lorrie Moore - My first book of short stories in some years

"Harry Potter and th...more...]]> 5 0 false false Tue Aug 25 20:30:03 -0700 2009 Tue Aug 25 20:33:35 -0700 2009 Twice (So far) more...]]> 3 0 false false Sat Aug 01 00:00:00 -0700 2009 Sat Aug 15 03:54:34 -0700 2009 Sun Aug 23 03:57:32 -0700 2009 more...]]> http://www.goodreads.com/book_link/follow/8?book_id=72193