Field Guide to Harry Potter [Paperback]

Colin Duriez (Author)

Book Description

Everything you need to know about Harry Potter! From plot summaries to refresh your memory (Do you remember which book introduces the character of Luna Lovegood?) to a delightful glossary of characters, places, spells and special objects (Do you know what the spell aparecium does?), this book, authored by Colin Duriez, is designed to be an excellent companion to the Harry Potter books. With loads of quotes from interviews, you'll learn all about J. K. Rowling's life and her literary influences. Chapters on the spirituality of Potter explore the question of how Rowling's faith is reflected in the stories, what she believes about witchcraft and how the stories fit with Christian tradition. (Note: unauthorized version)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Whether or not the Potter frenzy exhausted itself during the months leading up to book seven will certainly determine the fate of Duriez's Field Guide among fans. One thing Potter devotees can bank on, however, is that Duriez (A Field Guide to Narnia) knows his material inside out and has amassed an encyclopedic knowledge of the great classics of children's literature and the Western intellectual cannon—which he employs judiciously to situate everything from the wizarding world in the romantic tradition to the relationship between Hogwarts and the classic school story. While this work is admirable, the guide, unfortunately, reads like a textbook or a kind of Harry Potter diagnostic manual. As a rule, Duriez's prose falls flat (though it occasionally dips into the realm of playful color commentary), its topics lack introduction, and much of the book is taken up by a series summary and an exhaustive glossary of terms. Also disappointing is the chapter on J.K. Rowling's Spiritual Worldview, half of which is dedicated to listing and summarizing the spate of books that link Harry Potter to Christianity and spirituality, rather than offering new insights about the series and its Christian themes. But if Potter fans are looking for a basic reference manual and a few interesting talking points, Duriez's book will surely satisfy. (Dec.)
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Review

"Harry Potter fans mourning the end of the series now have good reason to cheer. In the Field Guide to Harry Potter, Colin Duriez combines an encyclopedic knowledge of the Potterverse with a careful analysis of its thematic ingredients and position in the literary canon. Packed with invaluable lists, overviews and timelines, this book also delivers profound insights about the moral importance of J. K. Rowling's stories and the meaningful tradition that informs them." (Amy H. Sturgis, Ph.D., author of Past Watchful Dragons: Fantasy and Faith in the World of C. S. Lewis )

"The Field Guide to Harry Potter puts the monumental works of J. K. Rowling in the literary context of great Christian writers of the past-- which is where they belong. Besides all this, it was a delight to read. Those who are bereaved of reading the Harry Potter books after the seventh now have a field guide not only to Rowling's works but to the rich historic tapestry of similar literature into which it has been woven and from which many of its varied threads were gathered." (Connie Neal, author of Wizards, Wardrobes and Wookiees and The Gospel According to Harry Potter )

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Product Details

• Paperback: 301 pages
• Publisher: IVP Books; 1ST edition (November 16, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0830834303
• ISBN-13: 978-0830834303
• Product Dimensions: 8.2 x 5.7 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #518,862 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Colin Duriez is based in Keswick in north-west England and writes books, edits and lectures. He has appeared as a commentator on extended version film DVDs of Peter Jackson's The Lord of the Rings, the 'Royal' 4 DVD set of Walden/Disney's The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, and the Sony DVD Ringers about Tolkien fandom and the impact of Tolkien on popular culture. He has also participated in documentaries on PBS and the BBC. He is also a part-time tutor at Lancaster University.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Harry Potter, August 20, 2009

By 

Lynn E. Oliva (Chicago, IL USA) - See all my reviews
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Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Field Guide to Harry Potter (Paperback)

Other than the first few chapters, I found that this book is a wonderful reference to the Harry Potter book series. I did know about J.K. Rowling's life story and how she wrote her books. This went a little more in depth about that and her background.

I found the religious portions interesting as well as informative. It brought to my mind that things are not all what they seem to be. One does not know everything about the religious aspects that are brought to light in the Harry Potter books. When one reads them, the individual probably does not realize the effects of religion in those books. They are reading the books because it is Harry Potter and are not looking deeper into the stories.

"The Field Guide to Harry Potter" is just that. A 'guide' so that those who read it will get a better understanding of the underlying themes of the individual books. This makes one want to read the books over and over again, as I have done.

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Forgotten who lived in Spinner's End?, May 19, 2009

By 

Susanne "SusDK" (Morkov, Denmark) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Field Guide to Harry Potter (Paperback)

Field Guide to Harry Potter

In this book you will find a very useful index of names, places etc from the Harry Potter books. There is also a nice but short biography of J.K. Rowling. Otherwise there is nothing revolutionary in it.
But for a big fan like me this is part of a HP collection.

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Best I've Read, June 16, 2009

By 

ApologiaPhoenix (Charlotte, NC) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Field Guide to Harry Potter (Paperback)

As a Seminary student, I love the Potter books. It's refreshing to see them cast in the proper light as great Christian works. Duriez makes a strong case for this as he explores every facet of Harry Potter including biography on the life of the author J.K. Rowling. There is no doubt that Duriez has done his homework.

In addition, one will find a timeline of the events as well as a glossary of many of the people and items. If you can have only one resource on an overall look at Harry Potter, I'd choose this one.