I'm a Harry Potter fan and, although, I won't be lining up all night outside a bookshop, I've been looking forward to reading book 7 when it comes out and finding out what happens.

So today I was innocently reading "City" the free magazine they give out on the metro and on page 2 it said "hackers have posted the entire Harry Potter book 7 online" and then they GIVE AWAY THE ENDING!!!! It just said in one sentence "this happens and this doesn't happen" (obviously I'm leaving out the spoilers so no one else has their HP experience ruined.)

How could they do that???? Is there no taboo against revealing spoilers here? I was so upset when I read it as I was really anticipating reading the book. I'll still enjoy it but part of the fun has been ruined.

That's just bad (and probably inexperienced - those free newspapers are probably patched together by unpaid interns) journalism. I even found the teaser for Michikiko Kakatuni's review (pretty highbrow for Harry Potter - ha ha) on the New York Times website a bit too revealing, and it gave nothing away. Sorry you got your Harry Potter experience spoiled. I ordered mine through Amazon.co.uk - should be here any day.
Michelle

P.S. This is what happens when you don't pay "real journalists" to do the job and bring in recent grads as interns. It's happening all throughout my industry here.

That does suck Ramona. I'm not a huge fan, but I'd still like to be surprised.

That said, if anyone would like to share their copy when finished, I'd be a willing recipient

Ok, two things: in first place, there is no evidence that the ending that was published is indeed the one you will read on the books. Secondly, there is NO TABOO on publishing spoilers, intere is a taboo on READINS SPOILERS by some people. personally, I am in the opposite field, I am one of those odd people who read the end before buying a book or who like to be updated on what will happen next (I know essentially everything that will happen on Marvel comics but has not yet been translated in Italian and published by Panini and I LOVE being able to learn what will happen next!). What's condamned is to publish spoilers in a way that's too obvious so that those that prefer to be kept in the dark have no way to avoid reading. On discussion groups, spoilers are published either with several blank lines and the - SPOILER, DO NOT READ - and - SPOILER END HERE - notices on top and bottom, or rot-13 coded to avoid accidental reading by anyone that prefers not to know.

The problem is that I had no warning about the spoiler so no choice not to read it. To me that is a serious breach of etiquette.

I was just innocently sitting on the metro on the way to work reading the free newspaper. There was a small mini-article about HP and it just said "hackers have posted the entire HP text on the internet. X happens and Y doesn't happen." basta. I was:

If I could go back in time and not have read that article I would - but now I've read the spoiler and that's that.

Media in italy often do that. They are plainly ignorant. Probably the HP news are bogus, just like the other time, but a few months back I saw pratically everything waws going to happen in the future to Spiderman being explained on TV. I couldn't have cared less. I already knew more than they said, but others got quite upset...

Anyone know where HP will be available in Milano (in Inglese?)

Any large bookshop. YOu can find a selection of books in English at the English Bookshop in the Fiera area, at the American bookstore near the Castle, at Messaggerie Musicali on Vittorio Emanuele, at the Feltrinelli international on piazza Duomo. Also many, probably most, Itlaian bookstores will carry it.

Anyone know if any of the English bookstores (in Rome) are making an event of this, like having a party on the evening of 20 July and distributing the books when the clock strikes 0100 of 21 July? In Paris, all the English bookstores did this and I am told it is great fun to go to one of these, even for the adults.

Anyway, I am reading the Half Blood Prince again just to brush up on the story.

Oh, and I am kind of like Alice. I like reading the end first. I figure, if I don't feel like reading the rest of the book after reading the end, then the story can't be that good anyway. Harry Potter is the type of thing I can read many times over.

quote:

Originally posted by Tourist, The:
Anyone know where HP will be available in Milano (in Inglese?)

In Milan, they are doing the party at the Feltrinelli International on Piazza Cavour. Actually there are many Feltrinelli's throughout Italy celebrating:
http://www.lafeltrinelli.it/istituzionale/articolo/articolo.aspx?i=19608

Michelle

P.S. Testa Dura, I'd send you my copy but my husband said that this time he really is going to read it in English when I'm finished. However, he's already asked me what 'Hallows' means so I see it's going to be slow going...

quote:

P.S. Testa Dura, I'd send you my copy but my husband said that this time he really is going to read it in English when I'm finished. However, he's already asked me what 'Hallows' means so I see it's going to be slow going...

Best of luck to Cristiano!

I just ordered/reserved mine from Messagerie Musicali in Milan

I am so glad I read this thread! I ordered my book back in Feb, but from Amazon.com! I thought I would be waiting a month to get it. After reading about Amazon.co.uk, I cancelled my first order and ordered it there--should have it next week! If I had waited it would have been too late to cancel as it would have been shipped tomorrow! Thanks, Thanks, Thanks!
PS Does anyone know why the Britisha have 2 versions (for children or for adults) when in the US there is only one version?

quote:

Originally posted by Sz:
Does anyone know why the Britisha have 2 versions (for children or for adults) when in the US there is only one version?

Well... marketing.

Are there 2 versions published in the UK? I don't think so. The adult version just has a different jacket cover, that is meant to appeal to adults more than the childrens' one.

Ok, so... does he die or what?

Annika! You probably snoop around looking for hidden presents too

How did you know?

Hi everyone - I confirm that there are WAY too many HP books in Milano (at Feltrinelli and Messagerie Musicali) - stacks and stacks so you can get your copy without problems - though I did note that the "adults" cover is outselling the "kids" cover. The books are identical otherwise.

Annika - I could send you an email with the spoiler which I read - but do you REALLY want that?

TD- my boyfriend's sister is bringing us a copy as a gift on the 30th. I'm reading book 6 right now just to brush up on what's been happenning. Sooo excited!

BTW- can we make this thread a spoiler free zone?

Thanks Ramona but to be honest I don't really care much about what happens or not.. I haven't read any of the books and have only watched the movies half asleep
I *hate* when people give away the ending to books or films or TV series that I care about though... a TV guide did that here, when TV was about to show a double episode of What About Brian - in the first episode one of the characters died in an accident (I won't say who in case someone hasn't seen it yet ) and in the TV guide the synopsis for episode 2 was "everybody tries to help xx handle yy's death" or something like that. There would have been nothing wrong with that IF YY HAD BEEN DEAD ALREADY before the first episode that night.

Okay, I have never read any of the books although I really enjoy the movies. Since I have seen all of the movies so far, would it ruin it for me if I decided to start reading from book 1?

IMHO, not at all!

I've only read two of the books (LOVED them), but have fallen asleep during every attempt at watching the movies--at least for me, the books are the only way to go

Why am I not interested in HP?

But does he really die?