Repotting Harry Potter: A Professor's Book-by-Book Guide for the Serious Re-Reader [Paperback]

James W. Thomas (Author)

Book Description

A professor of literature for over thirty years, Dr. James W. Thomas takes us on a tour through the Potter books in order to enjoy them in different ways upon subsequent readings. Re-readers will be pleasantly surprised at what they may have missed in the books and at what secrets Rowling has hidden for us to uncover as we revisit these stories. The professor's informal and often lighthearted discussions focus on puns, humor, foreshadowing, literary allusions, narrative techniques, and other aspects of the Potter books that are hard-to-see on the hurried first or fifth reading. Dr. Thomas's brilliant but light touch proves that a "serious" reading of literature can be fun. -.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-. [recommedation]-.- "What do you read after HARRY POTTER? Finally, there's a satisfying answer - you read REPOTTING HARRY POTTER for a whole new depth of appreciation and enjoyment. This book allows anyone intimidated by literature classes to sneak a seat in a class with one of those professors every student loves. You'll come away with a new depth of knowledge of Rowling's epic but also with a list of related literature you will want to read; great insights for aspiring writers too." ~ Connie Neal, author of THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO HARRY POTTER

Product Details

• Paperback: 376 pages
• Publisher: Zossima Press (January 8, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0982238525
• ISBN-13: 978-0982238523
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 5.9 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (17 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #562,814 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

40 of 41 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A Good HP Analysis Book, February 14, 2009

By 

Demarest (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Repotting Harry Potter: A Professor's Book-by-Book Guide for the Serious Re-Reader (Paperback)

This book is an interesting exploration of the Potter series. I loved Prof. Thomas' introduction, and his comparison of Rowling's writing to Lewis' and Tolkien's was one of my favorite parts.

I must urge anyone who gets this book to be finished with the series, and you may be thinking "doesn't the title imply that?" Well, yes, it does. Unfortunately, the inroduction implies that first-time readers could use the book, and I believe it would be too spoiler heavy to do so.

Thomas' focus doesn't seem to be on the larger themes of the Potter series (though at the end, I'm sure they will have come through); this is in comparison to, say, John Granger's work or Travis Prinzi's. His focus is more like Connie Neal's: where she focuses on Christian imagery in the series, he ABSOLUTELY focuses on punning, foreshadowing and other literary elements. He points out Rowling's amazing ability as a wordsmith.

The book is a little tedious, because again, you're going book... by... book... and that can be exhausting (as the Potter series itself is), but it's worth the wait. Like the Potter series, each chapter builds on the previous, and the book gets better as you go along.

I urge you to read this book if you want more Potter analysis and if you've completed reading the stories. It's a delight.

31 of 33 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Plant yourself in this book., January 13, 2009

By 

Travis Prinzi "TheHogsHead.org" (Rochester, NY USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Repotting Harry Potter: A Professor's Book-by-Book Guide for the Serious Re-Reader (Paperback)

Dr. Thomas writes as a 30+ year scholar with a keen literary eye and a brilliant wit that will have you alternating between "Aha!" moments and all-out laughter as you journey with him through a re-read of the seven Harry Potter novels.

This is must-reading for the Harry Potter fan. If you thought you appreciated and loved the books before, you'll be surprised at how much more you love them after letting a seasoned literature professor take you on a great tour through the seven-book series; or, as Dr. Thomas says, the seven-part book. And don't let his 30+ years of being a scholar in academia scare you away. This book is very accessible to all readers.

This is also an important resource for every Potter fan who's had to deal with someone dismissing the novels as trite or juvenile. They're nothing of the sort, and Dr. Thomas makes a solid case that Rowling's seven-part Harry Potter story should be set on the same shelf as the Great Books of the past.

Want a solid defense for your love of Potter and your opinion that the books are great? Buy this book!

21 of 22 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Lot's of Pun for Re-Readers!, March 14, 2009

By 

Elizabeth "Elizabeth" - See all my reviews

This review is from: Repotting Harry Potter: A Professor's Book-by-Book Guide for the Serious Re-Reader (Paperback)

Written in a friendly conversational style, this book emphasizes foreshadowing and punning with many specific examples of each. The author also points out bits which he found less than plausible,(and why he found them so), as well as discussing sections he thought especially laudable. One of the things I appreciate is the artful way in which he directs you to other authors...no pressure, but you'll want to take the suggestions! I found this book to be like the Harry Potter series itself- starting off good and progressing to excellence. You'll finish this book with a greater than ever appreciation of the mastery of J K Rowling.