Meet the most profitable boy in the world (Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone - J. K. Rowling)

Member Name: whereswally

Product:	Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone - J. K. Rowling
Date:	07/11/09 (26 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: wonderful book

Disadvantages: you will be hooked and have to read the other 6 books

This is the first installment of what was to become a mega success story for its author J.K Rowling.
The book was published on June 30th 1997 by Bloomsbury.
Released as a childrens book it was also quickly loved by adults.
There was a lot of discussion on this book in religous circles as it was said to promote witchcraft and was said to be anti religous.

Harry Potter lives with his aunt Petunia and uncle Vernon (the Dursleys) and spoilt brat cousin Dudley in a middle class house, he sleeps in the cupboard under the stairs even though there is a spare bedroom upstairs as he is treated as a second class citizen by his relatives.
Harry is shown nothing but contempt by his relatives and cannot wait until he is old enough to leave home.

Harry has been told his parents were killed in a car crash but they were really victims of a terrible evil that is lead by Lord Voldermort or he who shall not be metioned.
Harry has a strange zig zag shaped scar on his forehead which will play a big part of in the future life for Harry.
Harry is a wizard you see and when he recieves an invite to start school at Hogwarts school for Wizardry and Witchcraft, the letters arrive one by one at first but as his uncle destroys them more and more come pouring through every open space into the house.

The aunt and uncle have no intention of allowing Harry to attend the school as they hate witchcraft so flee to a desserted lighthouse hoping to hide from the letters.
Whilst there the door is broken down by a larger than life person (Hagrid) who tells the Dursleys he is taking Harry to Hogwarts, the couple are so scared that they allow him to leave with the man.
Harry soon finds new friends at his new school and becomes involved in a hunt for the philosophers stone a magical item that will give you eternal life, but Harry is not the only one that seeks the stone.
Thus begins a magical and wonderful adventure that is loved the world over.
A great bit of escapisum.
The book was also made into a movie.
You can pick up the paperback edition for £1.56 plus £2.75 p&p at Amazon U.K.

I came across this book when my daughter who was 8 at the time had rented it from her schools library.
We both read it and became instant Potter geeks and have read the whole seies.
Yes I am one of the sad people who have stayed up and got the newly released books at midnight.
If you are after a bit of escapisum then this is the book for you.
224 pages of pure magic.

Summary: I love this book great for kids and adults alike