The Deathly Hallows Lectures: The Hogwarts Professor Explains the Final Harry Potter Adventure (Paperback)

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Editorial Reviews

Product Description

The fastest-selling book in publication history, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows was a critical success and is loved by fans around the world. In The Deathly Hallows Lectures, John Granger reveals the Potter finale's brilliant details, themes and meanings. Even the most ardent of Harry Potter fans will be surprised by and delighted with the Hogwarts Professor's explanations of the four dimensions of meaning in Deathly Hallows to include:

* why Ms. Rowling chose to make Lily's eyes green,
* why Harry buried Moody's eye where and when he did, and
* why Ollivander prefers the three wand cores he does.

Ms. Rowling has said that alchemy sets the "parameters of magic" in the series; after reading the chapter-length explanation of Deathly Hallows as the final stage of the alchemical Great Work in The Deathly Hallows Lectures, the serious reader will understand how important literary alchemy is in understanding Rowling's artistry and accomplishment.

The other seven chapters explore, among other things, the five writing tricks Ms. Rowling uses to work her story magic, the deciphering of the "Triangular Eye" symbol for the three Hallows, Harry's "struggle to believe" in Albus Dumbledore, why Ms. Rowling revealed that she "always thought" of the Headmaster as gay, and the more than 25 echoes of her first book, Philosopher's Stone, in Deathly Hallows.

Did you wonder why Fred died in the end? Why Harry went underground seven times in Deathly Hallows? Granger explains how Ms. Rowling's story formula required these twists - - - as well as two trips to King's Cross and two meetings with Albus Dumbledore at story's end. If you're a serious reader and serious fan of Harry Potter, Deathly Hallows Lectures is a must!

Product Details

• Paperback: 312 pages
• Publisher: Zossima Press (July 15, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0972322175
• ISBN-13: 978-0972322171
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (28 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #13,728 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

66 of 68 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Are you a seeker? , September 2, 2008

By	crankypants - See all my reviews

It seems like the majority of Deathly Hallows critique and analysis has focused on what Rowling got wrong -- the opportunities she missed, the issues left unresolved, etc. Mr. Granger's book of essays/lectures points out what Rowling got right and makes a very persuasive argument that Deathly Hallows is the artistic capstone of the series, and not just a cop-out. Mr. Granger's arguments are written in a clear and entertaining way that makes them accessible to casual readers. But there is also a lot of meat to his ideas -- enough to intrigue even jaded lit majors such as myself. Mr. Granger makes a wonderful analogy between the game of Quidditch and literary analysis and invites us to become seekers. His book is a demonstration of the riches that await someone willing to delve deeper beyond the storyline into the symbols and structures that underly the story and that give the story its emotional and moral impact. Mr. Granger's book is also helpful for anyone wishing to cut through the kerfuffle regarding Christianity and occultism in Harry Potter and the debate as to whether Harry Potter has literary merit. His discussions of these issues are thoughtful and balanced. I definitely have a greater appreciation of Deathly Hallows having read Mr. Granger's book and I am newly inspired to keep seeking to find new treasures in Ms. Rowling's work. Thanks to Mr. Granger, Dante on my short list of works to re-read.

38 of 39 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Insightful, September 17, 2008

By	eeyore6771 - See all my reviews

Having read all of John Granger's books, I was not surprised to find that this latest one, "The Deathly Hallows Lectures" is full of even more insights into the depth of the Harry Potter books. This book is not only fun to read, taking the reader back through all the books, and tying up the series with Deathly Hallows, but also points to the rich tradition of literature that inspired J. K. Rowling. Granger's book also shows how Rowling answered her Christian critics throughout the series, by pointing the obvious Christian imagery throughout the books, and especially in the last one, "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows".

Because of this book, as well as John's previous ones, I've been delving back into Austen, Dickens, Lewis, Shakespeare and many others. And now, I've added Dante to my list.

"The Deathly Hallows Lectures" by John Granger sheds light on the symbolic writing of Rowling in a way that enhances every re-reading of the Harry Potter books, making them even more enjoyable than they were on my first reading.

25 of 30 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An "eye-opening" read, September 27, 2008

By	P. Irvin - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

You don't have to be an authority on Dante, C.S.Lewis, or William Shakespeare to get your head around John Granger's latest book, *The Deathly Hallows Lectures*. The purpose of DHL is to introduce and enlighten the reader as to the many layers of symbolism in Harry Potter's journey/defeat over Lord Voldemort.

The HogWarts Professor writes in an easy-to-read style that combines his quirky humor with the intricacies of literary analysis. John doesn't talk down to his reader. On the contrary, his tone is quite personable. I felt as if I was sitting in an upper-level lit class led by an instructor more interested in making sure I was "getting" the information instead of telling me how much he knew. A word of caution: you may want to keep a dictionary close at hand during the meatier/deeper discussion points!

Bottom line, *The Deathly Hallows Lectures* is a wonderful tool for unlocking the many layers of J K Rowling's work. Serious readers will no doubt recognize the many literary traditions John references throughout. Novices (like myself) will be introduced to new ways of reading and examining the deeper meanings beneath the storylines. I heartily recommend *The Deathly Hallows Lectures* to the serious and interested-in-becoming-serious reader.