[jediwands]

Hello! Welcome to the 1st Book Club Thread!

In this thread, it's all about the books. If you have a current book you're
reading or a favorite book you'd love to discuss, it's all welcome. Any ideas
are encouraged and never discouraged. We value everyone's opinion.

However...we must remind everyone that not everyone reads on the same level.
So if are reading a newer book, please use spoiler tags in those posts...
giving everyone ample enough time to catch up and not be spoiled.



**PM THREAD STARTER TO ADD YOUR FAVORITE BOOK**


Alan
The Crow
Shannara by Terry Brooks
Watchers by Dean Koontz
Mercy Thompson series by Patricia Briggs

Betty
everwoodfan52
The Husband's Secret by Liane Moriarty
The Orphan Train by Christina Baker Klin
Where'd You Go, Bernadette? by Maria Semple

Michelle
The Apt
"Harry Potter Series" by J. K. Rowling
"Pretty Little Liars" Series by Sara Shephard
"It" by Stephen King
"Alice's Adventures in Wonderland" by Lewis Carroll

Patricia
fulfilledღ
"Gone Girl" by Gillian Flynn
"Pretty Little Liars" Series by Sara Shephard
"The Notebook" by Nicholas Sparks
"Safe Haven" by Nicholas Sparks
"Best of Me" by Nicholas Sparks
"A Walk To Remember" by Nicholas Sparks

Shu
ds44
"1984" by George Orwell
"Animal Farm" by George Orwell
"Walden 2" by B.F. Skinner
"The Hunger Games" Series by Suzanne Collins
"Ten Little Indians" by Agatha Christie
"Ten Little Indians" Published as "And Then There Were None"
"Outlander" by Diana Gabaldon




Everyone who wants to participate in the
Harry Potter Series Read...

1. We will do one chapter a week.
2. Just read the chapter and post any thoughts you have.
3. I'll change the title each week when a new chapter is up.
4. Hopefully we'll produce some good discussion and thoughts together.

[Jerry D]

Thanks for the new thread Michelle!

Well, I read Chapter 1 of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, and it was a great introduction to this series. I got to see how dull and "ordinary" the Dursley's were, and how Mrs. Dursley wanted nothing to do with her sister Lily. This chapter also illustrated how the people who practiced magic largely hid themselves from ordinary people, called "muggles," but on this one occasion they were openly celebrating a major event. I was excited to meet Albus Dumbledore, Professor McGonagall, and Hagrid, and I was touched by how Hagrid was so affected by the deaths of Lily and James Potter and how he didn't want Harry to have to live with the Dursley's, but it seemed that Dumbledore didn't want Harry exposed to the world of magic too soon, because he was now famous, because Lord Voldemort was unable to kill him and he had disappeared.

I'm looking forward to reading the next chapter.

[jediwands]

You're welcome! I was just bringing over your wonderful thoughts, LOL.

Of course you got 10/10 on that quiz.

I will respond to your thoughts shortly after I pick up a pizza.

[jediwands]

Originally Posted by Jerry D (View Post) Thanks for the new thread Michelle! Well, I read Chapter 1 of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, and it was a great introduction to this series. I got to see how dull and "ordinary" the Dursley's were

Aren't they horrible? Making Harry live in a little space like that, forgetting his birthday over the years. They really do treat him like garbage. < Well, this will be explained soon, lol.

, and how Mrs. Dursley wanted nothing to do with her sister Lily.

This will be explored later on too, more of the reasons why the sisters, in particular, had issues as siblings.

This chapter also illustrated how the people who practiced magic largely hid themselves from ordinary people, called "muggles," but on this one occasion they were openly celebrating a major event. I was excited to meet Albus Dumbledore, Professor McGonagall, and Hagrid, and I was touched by how Hagrid was so affected by the deaths of Lily and James Potter and how he didn't want Harry to have to live with the Dursley's, but it seemed that Dumbledore didn't want Harry exposed to the world of magic too soon, because he was now famous, because Lord Voldemort was unable to kill him and he had disappeared.

Hagrid's big, thumping heart is contagious and will be explored much more in the books. Well, every character and storyline in general will be properly fleshed out. You will also find out the very reason why Dumbledore needed Harry to live with the Dursley's. There's a specific reason and no, it wasn't to torture him. LOL.

I'm looking forward to reading the next chapter.

I'm glad!

[jediwands]

Wasn't it fun seeing McGonagall as an Animagus aka Tabby Cat? I loved that part. Dumbledore saying he's never seen a cat sit so stiffly.

[jediwands]

Since I've read this series pretty much constantly since it came into creation I'm going to try and keep my thoughts as brief as possible (but my definition of brief is usually not very brief lol) and just focus on commenting on everyone else's thoughts. But as I reread (for the 30303030303030 time lol) I will say some brief things.

So here I go... Entering The World Once Again...

SS: Chapter One: The Boy Who Lived

- I love how Rowling describes the Dursley's. You get an immediate picture of how they tick.
- I remember loving the owl descriptions. Owls were prominent from the moment the series got started.
- A Cat reading a map. This reminds me of my dog, Buddy, staring at Airplanes. Maybe there is a human form of Buddy like McGonagall? LOL
- Jerry, Vernon at work yelling at people reminds me of your boss. LOL.
- Rowling tackles many themes in her books and she wastes no time hammering home stuff like Prejudice and Bigotry.
- Love the first interaction between Dumbledore and McGonagall. Their personalities couldn't be more opposite... Dumbledore serious yet always very quirky, and McGonagall very serious and not nearly as quirky.
- Rowling gives a perfect display of how powerful and yes, magical Dumbledore truly is the second you meet him.
- Dumbledore and his lemon drops and other Muggle candy he loves, lol.
- Immediately you are aware of how Dumbledore does not fear Voldemort, he can say his name. Of course we learn Harry could say his name easily too.
- Dumbledore: I would trust Hagrid with my life.
- Love the description of Hagrid... Sirius introduced already. Rowling had everything planned inside her beautiful head.
- Hagrid, full of heart and emotion. I love how Hagrid never holds back his emotions.
- I love how Muggles were never really explained clearly, yet you already love the name and have understanding anyway.
- The description of Harry and the title making sense.. perfect end to the first chapter of a classic series.

[stlavin95]

Thanks for the new thread

[ds44]

Tftnt

[jediwands]

You're welcome!

[jediwands]

Some additional thoughts on Chapter 1

- I already mentioned Rowling getting important themes out in the opening this early on in the series... specifically, prejudice (attitude of Vernon Dursley), death, sacrifice, and acceptance (Dumbledore's statement about Hagrid: "I would trust Hagrid with my life").

- The word "privet" is a kind of shrub, used to create hedges in suburban neighborhoods. Not a coincidence the Dursley’s live on the street name that is boring and ordinary.

- In Britain there is a superstition that it is bad luck to see an owl by day... thus, the sudden explosion of owls flying by daylight wasn’t a coincidence.

- Dedalus Diggle is mentioned... Harry meets him in the Leaky Cauldron ten years later and remembers having seen him in a shop once. He’s a valued member of the Order of the Phoenix and we find this out later on.

I just love how Rowling had all of this set up from the very beginning. These books make you think, there are layers upon layers.

[stlavin95]

Might try and read the first chapter in the next couple of days.

[jediwands]

Sounds good!

[stlavin95]

I thought so too

[jediwands]

I wanted to start reading chapter 2, lol.

[stlavin95]

That's next week lol