Journal Entry 1 by imawinn2 from Neenah, Wisconsin USA on Thursday, October 30, 2008

I am a Harry Potter "nut". I don't go so far as to do the dress-up thing, but I love discussing and analyzing the books/characters. I have found myself delving into the alchemical aspects of the story, both symbolically and literary. After reading John Granger's book, you will see that J. K. Rowling's story is more than just a children's story about a magical boy and the magical world he is introduced to.

Unlocking Harry Potter is not another book that concentrates on "predictions" (although there is some of that due to the fact it was written prior to "Deathly Hallows"). It is a book written for adults who want to seriously study, understand and appreciate the most popular children's series of our modern times.

Unlocking Harry Potter cover's five "Keys" to understanding this series :

1. Narrative Misdirection
2. Literacy Alchemy
3. The Hero's Journey
4. Postmodern Themes
5. Traditional Symbolism

I found Granger's work engaging and extremely interesting. It was very hard for me to put the book aside and nearly burned dinner more than once. Thank goodness for my wand and the mastering of the aguamenti and scourgify charms. *smirk*

 

Journal Entry 2 by imawinn2 from Neenah, Wisconsin USA on Friday, October 31, 2008

I am offering this as an International Bookring.

Bookring Rules:

1) When you receive the book, please journal it so that the group knows where it has landed.

2) Please take care of the book. Others want to read it and would be disappointed to receive a destroyed book. Take care of it as if it were your own.

3) Plan on keeping the book for no more than 30 days. If you think you might need more time, please make note as a journal entry. If you would like to participate in the ring but know that you can’t read it in the allotted time, I will gladly add you toward the end of the list. Be considerate to the others in the bookring... please, do not stall the book.

4) When you’re ready to pass the book along, PM the next person on the list to get their address. Journal again when you've sent it on. Let everyone know what you thought of the book and where you’ve sent it. Set the book’s status code to “traveling”.


Participants:
(The order is subject to change as others join)

darkpunkangel - Quebec, Canada
lucy-lemon - Wales (will ship Intl.)
OnlyLiana – England (will ship Intl.)
ArabellaFigg – England (will ship Intl.)
amcamp1644 - S. Korea (will ship Intl.) <
GingerWhinger - Austria (EUR only)
daisyflower123 - Germany (EUR only) no reply
Martjxox - Italy (EUR only) no reply
lilacwhisper – Italy (will ship Intl.) no reply
Famulus - England (will ship Intl.)
NMReader - New Mexico, U.S.A. (U.S. only)
PokPok - California, U.S.A (U.S. only) skipped
glade1 - North Carolina, U.S.A. (U.S. only)
eressea - Wisconsin, U.S.A. (U.S only) asked to be skipped
Back to me - imawinn2 - Wisconsin, U.S.A. 

Journal Entry 3 by imawinn2 at Neenah, Wisconsin USA on Saturday, November 15, 2008

Released 3 yrs ago (11/13/2008 UTC) at Neenah, Wisconsin USA

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I have sent this book off to Quebec, Canada. I hope darkpunkangel finds it an interesting read. I look forward to everyone's thoughts and comments. 

Journal Entry 4 by darkpunkangel from Barrie, Ontario Canada on Monday, November 24, 2008

Arrived safe and sound today, thank you for sending this to me. It looks like I'll be able to start this today. 

Journal Entry 5 by darkpunkangel from Barrie, Ontario Canada on Saturday, December 06, 2008

I found this to be a interesting and enjoyable read, some were great guesses on what will happen in Book 7 and some actually came true. All in all I would recommend this to anyone who loves Harry Potter.

I already PMed the next in line and will pass this on when I get an address. 

Journal Entry 6 by lucy-lemon from Llandudno, Wales United Kingdom on Tuesday, December 23, 2008

OMG, I am SO excited to read this book! I love HP and I have a bit of time off over Christmas, so I can read this and then re-read the HP books!

Sorry to have kept this book for so long! I've now sent it onto OnlyLiana. 

Journal Entry 7 by OnlyLiana from Sheffield, South Yorkshire United Kingdom on Wednesday, March 04, 2009

I am soooooooo excited to read this book. It arrived yesterday and is next in line to be read......can't wait! 

Journal Entry 8 by OnlyLiana at Controlled release, -- By post or by hand/ in person -- United Kingdom on Saturday, June 13, 2009

Released 2 yrs ago (6/13/2009 UTC) at Controlled release, -- By post or by hand/ in person -- United Kingdom

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Posted out today! So sorry for the delay!

 

Journal Entry 9 by ArabellaFigg from Hull, East Yorkshire United Kingdom on Tuesday, June 16, 2009

Book arrived yesterday, thank you OnlyLiana. I have a few bookrings at the moment but will start this as soon as possible. 

Journal Entry 10 by ArabellaFigg from Hull, East Yorkshire United Kingdom on Sunday, July 26, 2009

I enjoyed this book, the author was able to explain the five keys well with humour. It was funny going back to the time just after Half-Blood when we thought Harry was a horcrux and that Dumbledore couldn't have just died. Apart from that some of his predictions did had good reasoning behind them even if they were incorrect. I did find it a bit repetitive in parts, and I did laugh when he mentioned that the conclusion to the books is likely to be quite simple, that nobody could guess and then went on to give a very complicated description of what 'really' happened in Half-Blood which lost me completely. Even with that confusing part, after finishing the book I couldn't resist and have started reading the Harry Potter series again. I also went to see the new Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince film a couple of weeks ago and thought it was one of the best.
I will get this posted to amcamp1644 as soon as I can. 

Journal Entry 11 by ArabellaFigg from Hull, East Yorkshire United Kingdom on Thursday, July 30, 2009

Posted to amcamp1644 this morning. 

Journal Entry 12 by amcamp1644 from Bethesda, Maryland USA on Friday, August 07, 2009

Got it yesterday and already half-way through. :P

Just finished and ready to send it along. 

Journal Entry 13 by amcamp1644 at Dalmatia, Pennsylvania USA on Thursday, August 13, 2009

Released 2 yrs ago (8/13/2009 UTC) at Dalmatia, Pennsylvania USA

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On its way to the next person. Enjoy. 

Journal Entry 14 by GingerWhinger on Wednesday, August 19, 2009

Arrived in Vienna today.
Was soooo very disappointed to not be able to arrange a babysitter to get to half blood prince before baby no.2 arrived.....hohum shall watch it on the smallscreen insted
Am really looking forward to a dose of Harry Potter, think I'll probably do a re read of them all again after too!
Am struggling with my current read so I may just stop...will see how the next few pages go!

THANK YOU for sharing!!!
 

Journal Entry 15 by GingerWhinger on Thursday, September 10, 2009

Unhappily I dont have the brain power to be a Serious reader of anything apart cereal packets at the minute. Will blame acute newborn-itis!!
Have enjoyed what I've managed to read, Granger has given me something to think about.
Am PM ing the next in line now.
Thanks SO MUCH for sharing

Sorry for the delay in editing the journal
This book is well on its way to Famulus.
Hoping it avoids all nasty UK postal 'issues'

Thanks again 

Journal Entry 16 by Famulus from Hertford, Hertfordshire United Kingdom on Tuesday, November 03, 2009

Received at my work in London yesterday - I think it must have got caught up in the postal strike, but it's here now, that's what counts. Already well into it - bang goes my academic coursework, but then isn't Harry Potter more important than any mere degree? (oops - not a dig at G-W - been there too, but thankfully my daughter's grown up now. They say the first 25 years are the worst, but I haven't noticed any improvement yet!)

Many thanks to imawinn2 for sharing it, and to GingerWhinger for passing it on. 

Journal Entry 17 by Famulus from Hertford, Hertfordshire United Kingdom on Saturday, January 09, 2010

Sooo, so sorry! I can't believe I've been sitting on this for so long. I really enjoyed reading it, and just had to go back and re-read some HP - then life, work, studies and plumbing got in the way, and I'm ashamed to say I forgot I hadn't sent it on. We're a bit snow-bound just now, but I'll PM NMReader, and hope to get it to the post office as soone as I have their address.

As to the book itself - fascinating! Apart from the interesting light it sheds on HP, it's the most accessible intro I've come across to both Alchemy and Postmodernism. I'm not sure of his academic credentials, but it certainly hangs together well, and fills a gap in my knowledge. Many thanks imawinn2 for sharing this. 

Journal Entry 18 by Famulus at Air Mail, A Bookring -- Controlled Releases on Monday, January 25, 2010

Released 2 yrs ago (1/19/2010 UTC) at Air Mail, A Bookring -- Controlled Releases

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Sent to NM Reader - hope you get as much out of this as I did! 

Journal Entry 19 by NMReader from Herndon, Virginia USA on Friday, February 12, 2010

Arrived awhile ago but final have time and internet access. Thanks for sending 

Journal Entry 20 by NMReader from Herndon, Virginia USA on Monday, February 22, 2010

I thought an update might be appreciated.

I am a little over 1/3 of the way into the book. I have a few pages left on the second key (alchemy in literature).

I have learned a lot about the saga from the first key - narrative misdirection and alchemy. I am seeing and understanding things I didn't catch in my original reads of the books (may have to revisit).

I hope to finish this book this week and send on its way.

March 1: I had much less time to read then I had hoped this week. I have 100 pages left and hope to finish early this week.

March 5: I have been caught in the unending description of JKR as a POMO realist forever. It has taken me since the first to read about 50 pages and the first 35 I did in one evening. Perhaps work has been taking too much out of me but in my opinion the chapter on the 5th key could have been 20 pages short and still conveyed the message. Book will be finished this weekend. 

Journal Entry 21 by NMReader from Herndon, Virginia USA on Saturday, March 06, 2010

Overall I enjoyed this book but there were about 20 pages that were almost enough to make me not finish reading this.

I enjoyed all of the book except about 20 pages in the Key 5 section. I enjoyed the initial discussion about PoMo writing but then it just went on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on.... He had made his point in the first 20 pages.

good book learned alot about Harry Potter and will read the books with an idea to spotting the concepts he discussed. 

Journal Entry 22 by NMReader at Sterling, Virginia USA on Monday, March 08, 2010

Released 2 yrs ago (3/6/2010 UTC) at Sterling, Virginia USA

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I mailed on Sat.

Delivery Confirmation Number: 0307 3330 0001 4735 4935 

Journal Entry 23 by glade1 from McLeansville, North Carolina USA on Wednesday, March 10, 2010

Received in the mail on Monday and have already read the intro and a smidge of chapter one. Aside from the numerous typos and editing errors that have already distracted me, I'm finding it interesting.

Like imawinn2, I'm pretty much a Harry Potter nerd. My kids have even gotten sick of me talking about HP and comparing every other fantasy book I read to the Rowling series. I just love the world that Rowling created! I look forward to spending some time with an author who seems to be even more obsessed than I am!

Thanks for including me in the ring. I'll read it as soon as possible. 

Journal Entry 24 by glade1 from McLeansville, North Carolina USA on Wednesday, April 07, 2010

Finally finished slogging my way through this one. I felt the author had some interesting ideas and good knowledge to share; he just isn't a very good writer, and he desperately needs a competent editor. I found the writing to be redundant, full of obscure and confusing jargon, and a bit disorganized. Plus there were TONS of typos, grammatical errors, punctuation and formatting problems, etc. I think a better author could have made the points more clearly and concisely than Granger. I was an English major and I still found his literary discussions to be a bit pretentious and opaque.

Nevertheless, I learned some things that will help me enjoy my next reading of the Potter series even more. His theories about what would happen in the final book and what "really" happened in HBP were interesting, if most of them were borrowed from other sources, and there were a few times he got pretty close to the actual ending. It's wonderful to know, however, that Rowling was able to create a finale that no one predicted.

I have not seen or heard of much that has been published about HP since Deathly Hallows was published. I'd be interested to read something that studies the entire series rather than trying to make predictions.

Thank you very much for including me in this ring. I have imawinn2's mailing address and hope to send this out soon. The post offices have started opening later, closing earlier, and staying closed on Saturdays, so I have difficulty finding a time to get things mailed but will make every effort not to dawdle too much! 

Journal Entry 25 by glade1 at Greensboro, North Carolina USA on Wednesday, June 02, 2010

Released 1 yr ago (6/2/2010 UTC) at Greensboro, North Carolina USA

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Mailed via Media Mail to imawinn2 yesterday. I apologize for the extreme delay but it's nearly impossible for me to get to the post office when it is open! Thanks again for sharing this book, and for your patience! 

Journal Entry 26 by imawinn2 at Neenah, Wisconsin USA on Saturday, June 05, 2010

The book has made it back to it's home after a good journey. I want to thank everyone who participated for making this a successful bookring. I enjoyed reading your responses. I hope you all went a away looking at the Harry Potter series in a little different light. :-)