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Harry Potter and the Two Editions
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From: Megan Schliesman <Schliesman>
Date: Wed, 02 Jun 1999 16:55:48 -0500
Since a number of people have posed questions or comments on the variants between the British and American editions of Harry Potter, I'm going to ask Arthur Levine, the editor at Scholastic who brought Harry Potter to readers here in the United States, to offer his perspective on decisions that were made.
I'm particularly curious about two things: First, why was the title changed from Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone to Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone (does it just sound more exciting?), and how does this reflect any other decisions that were made with regard to language or other content changes throughout the book. And second, given Tina Hudak's comments on the cover and the production quality of the British editions, I'm wondering what kind of thinking went into the production considerations of the American edition, which is quite handsome, from the chapter illustrations that Tina mentioned to the beautiful patterned cover beneath the textured jacket.
I'll also add my two cents about why Harry Potter might be so popular among both children and adults. As Lisa Von Drasek said, it's a great read, but as many of us know, so are a lot of other books published for the young that never make it into most adults' hands. But I think there is something that adults in their hectic and harried lives are looking for--maybe without knowing--that Harry Potter provides. I think the book, in taking us so completely out of our own worlds and into Harry's--and letting us discover that world along with him--has the ability to reconnect adults with the sense of sheer joy that comes with escaping into a book that demands nothing and delivers everything. There is a comfort in that kind of stressless experience. I bet even kids, with all the demands on them, resonate with the book to some extent on that level, even as they (and we) thoroughly enjoy the wonder and surprise and magic of it all.
Megan
Megan Schliesman, Librarian Cooperative Children's Book Center School of Education UW-Madison 608&2?03 schliesman at education.wisc.edu
Received on Wed 02 Jun 1999 04:55:48 PM CDT
Date: Wed, 02 Jun 1999 16:55:48 -0500
Since a number of people have posed questions or comments on the variants between the British and American editions of Harry Potter, I'm going to ask Arthur Levine, the editor at Scholastic who brought Harry Potter to readers here in the United States, to offer his perspective on decisions that were made.
I'm particularly curious about two things: First, why was the title changed from Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone to Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone (does it just sound more exciting?), and how does this reflect any other decisions that were made with regard to language or other content changes throughout the book. And second, given Tina Hudak's comments on the cover and the production quality of the British editions, I'm wondering what kind of thinking went into the production considerations of the American edition, which is quite handsome, from the chapter illustrations that Tina mentioned to the beautiful patterned cover beneath the textured jacket.
I'll also add my two cents about why Harry Potter might be so popular among both children and adults. As Lisa Von Drasek said, it's a great read, but as many of us know, so are a lot of other books published for the young that never make it into most adults' hands. But I think there is something that adults in their hectic and harried lives are looking for--maybe without knowing--that Harry Potter provides. I think the book, in taking us so completely out of our own worlds and into Harry's--and letting us discover that world along with him--has the ability to reconnect adults with the sense of sheer joy that comes with escaping into a book that demands nothing and delivers everything. There is a comfort in that kind of stressless experience. I bet even kids, with all the demands on them, resonate with the book to some extent on that level, even as they (and we) thoroughly enjoy the wonder and surprise and magic of it all.
Megan
Megan Schliesman, Librarian Cooperative Children's Book Center School of Education UW-Madison 608&2?03 schliesman at education.wisc.edu
Received on Wed 02 Jun 1999 04:55:48 PM CDT
