The Lexicon [Paperback]

Steve Vander Ark (Author), John Kearns (Contributor), Lisa Waite Bunker (Contributor), Belinda Hobbs (Contributor)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 16, 2009

This unofficial guide to J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter series is a 368 page companion work perfect for the curious reader who wants to know more about these remarkable books. Named one of 15 Great Web Sites for Kid by the Association For Library Services, a division of the American Library Association, the Lexicon is an authoritative, fun to read reference to the series.

For years fans who have heard Vander Ark keynote academic conferences on the Potter series have asked him for a book based on his website that attracts more than 25 million visitors annually. Extensive new commentary, which does not appear on the Lexicon website adds to the fun of reading this fascinating book.

The author has been featured around the world in more than 1,000 articles appearing in publications like the New York Times, The New Yorker, The London Times, The International Herald Tribune and the Associated Press as well as National Public Radio, the BBC and CNN.

A must for serious students of this classic series as well as fans of all age, the Lexicon adroitly indexes the Potter world, offers insights on the popular movies and includes hundreds of etymologies that explain the origins of names, places and spells invented by the author. Citations make it easy to find fictional facts spread across the million word plus series. The entire book is perfectly cross referenced with J.K. Rowling's interviews, public statements and appearances. The essential unauthorized literary companion to these wonderful novels, the Lexicon is the result of eight years of prodigious research. It provides fascinating analysis, new insights and a deep appreciation of Rowling's work.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

If ever a book were to test the truism that there's no such thing as bad publicity, it may be this one: an A–Z encyclopedic guide to J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter universe, based on a popular Web site created by Vander Ark in 2000, and the center of high-profile litigation. That case settled, the question now becomes online Lexicon v. print. Vander Ark has taken pains not to use Rowling's unique expressions, as the introduction calls that writer's words (for example, the book's readers learn that doxies have a poisonous bite; users of the Lexicon Web site find that doxies have sharp venomous teeth, plus a reference to Rowling's Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them). Commentary unique to the volume follows many entries (one complaint at trial was that the proposed Lexicon reorganized Rowling's material without adding much information); these range from etymologies to pedestrian analyses (of Harry's reliance on the Expelliarmus spell versus Voldemort's on the Killing Curse: In the end, J.K. Rowling writes Harry as a person not of violence and murder, but of compassion and mercy—of love). The Lexicon Web site still exists as a comprehensive, updated—and free—resource; while the print edition does differ in its content, its advantages are hard to discern. (Jan.)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

From School Library Journal

Adult/High School–This work serves as a companion to J. K. Rowling's Harry Potter books (Scholastic). It begins with a brief list of abbreviations that are used throughout the series and an explanation of date usage in the Lexicon. The remainder of the book contains alphabetical entries explaining characters, wizarding terms and phrases, and geographic locations (both real and fictional). Each entry has a brief description and a reference to the first time the term is mentioned in the novels. Character entries also include dates relating to the characters' lives and important positions they may have held, if known. Additional descriptive information beyond the connection to Harry Potter is included in italics when the term's origin outside of that universe is included or if further noncanonical explanation is required. It should be noted that the Lexicon is not a complete Harry Potter encyclopedia as many of the characters' fates remain undisclosed to preserve the experience for first-time readers. That being said, this volume will serve as a quick reference guide for enthusiasts of the series and as a good companion for teens writing fan fiction.–Kelliann Bogan, Colby-Sawyer College, New London, NH END

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 368 pages
• Publisher: RDR Books; 1 edition (January 16, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1571431748
• ISBN-13: 978-1571431745
• Product Dimensions: 5.9 x 0.9 x 9.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (29 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #830,903 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Steve knows way more about Harry Potter than anyone ever should and loves sharing what he's discovered with fans all over the world. He's the webmaster and editor of the Harry Potter Lexicon website, the premier reference source about the world of Harry Potter, and a popular presenter at Harry Potter events. His podcast (ingeniously entitled "The HP Lexicon Podcast") takes listeners on an entertaining ramble through the Harry Potter books.

As a teacher and librarian, Steve has also led seminars about technology in education and about literacy and teaching writing. He presents for groups of middle school kids his own take on "Nine Reasons NOT To Read A Book". Somehow Steve has also found time to be the resident director for a theatre company and has directed everything from dinner theatre to full musicals.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

25 of 31 people found the following review helpful

2.0 out of 5 stars Complete but frustrating structure March 4, 2009

By Claire M. Johnson

Format:Paperback

I am an avowed Harry Potter fanatic, and I have been looking forward to this book for ages. It is, well, limited in its application. Given that it's arranged alphabetically (and having flipped through it several times it seems complete enough), it assumes that you know exactly what you're looking for, spelling and all. There is NO index, so if I wanted to look for a spell that, say, wrote reviews for amazon.com, I would be stymied unless I had a vague inkling as to how that spell might be, well, spelled. I had hoped that this book would be an substitute for his exhaustive website, and, unfortunately, it is merely a reference book to his website. In addition to the lack of index (which is THE most frustrating omission), off the top of my head, I can think of several things that should have been included and yet are not (and, I assume, would not run afoul of the JKR legal team): family trees; timelines for the novels; listing of who is in what house, both in the present era and in the previous era; and listing of teachers (past and present). These are just off the top of my head. I still think this book very valuable on one level, but it is NOT even marginally a substitute for his excellent website. An index would have induced me to give it another star.

5 of 6 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Useful and delightful tool September 13, 2009

By Joseph Boenzi

Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase

"The Lexicon" is more than a glossary of Harry Potter terminology. This listing of names, terms, geographical and magical markers offers definitions, descriptions and connections that are magical, even for muggles. Furthermore, the book captures the spirit and sparkle of the Harry Potter series (and canon) in a way that is faithful to J. K. Rowling's creation and the readers' need to plumb the depths of the individual books or the entire saga. Congratulations to the compiler Steve Vander Ark and his associates. Their vision and perseverance have produced good results. "The Lexicon" is a significant resource for those who take J. K. Rowling's writing seriously.

8 of 12 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars A Wealth of Information and Fun! January 22, 2009

By Nadine

Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase

While you will not understand the magic that J.K. Rowling created in her Harry Potter series without reading the books first, you will however, be able to reference just about any specific person, place or thing ever used in the series by name with this delightful tome. It is obvious that it was created by loving hands and minds, and so it is a treasure to any true HP fan! With all due respect to this book, it will not overshadow any future encyclopedic digest that J.K. Rowling may produce herself; but for the time being, it is one very handy volume and a very useful source to the world of Harry Potter! A wealth of information and fun!