In Entertainment today, we listen to a review of the seventh, and last, Harry

Potter book - Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – which millions of

children (and adults) rushed out to buy at midnight on the day it was published

simultaneously in 93 countries! It had a print run of 12 million in the US alone!

After 10 years of twists and turns in the life of the young wizard, Harry Potter,

there’s a final confrontation between Harry and a highly evil character. It’s a

dark rollercoaster ride, with Harry on the run most of the time. And if the sales

figures are true – this is officially the fastest selling book in history!

We’ll hear from the author and book critic Amanda Craig. As soon as she got

hold of her copy, she sat on the sofa reading it for ‘6 hours solid’ - she didn’t

put it down until she’d finished!

So what’s so magical about the Harry Potter books? Well, Amanda Craig has

an interesting answer to that question. She quotes JK Rowling who has said she

doesn’t really like ‘fantasy’ – that’s a type of fiction featuring imaginary

worlds and magical events! (We have the related adjectives ‘fantastic’ and

‘fantastical’ – meaning - not real, strange and imaginary.)

Amanda Craig says the world of Harry Potter is so ‘irresistible’ – it’s so

overpowering – because of two things. She says it’s a result of – ‘it’s down to’

– two things. Try to catch what they are. 

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Amanda Craig

‘One of the most interesting things about her is that she’s said that she doesn’t really like

fantasy. And in fact, if you look at the way that she’s written it, I think the explanation for

why she’d so popular is down to two things – one is that in every book she’s sort of writing a

detective story or a thriller, and there’s where adults have got on to the whole series, but the

other more interesting thing is she’s actually made the magical world seem real, seem

something you could just walk into off Tottenham Court Road, and by doing that she’s also

correspondingly made reality more magical, and I think that’s what’s so irresistible about her

vision, her … you know, Harry’s whole world that it’s a world in which wizards do have to

learn magic, they have to do homework, and that’s really delightful.’

Amber: So Amanda Craig explains that she thinks the magical power of the Harry

Potter books is down to the exciting stories or plots – every book is like a

detective story or thriller. And this is why adults like the books; this is why

adults have ‘got on to’ them, why they have become interested in them. And

the books make the magical seem real – as real as Tottenham Court Road - a

busy road of shops and cafes in central London! And they make the real world

seem magical – that is clever isn’t it?

Listen again.

Amanda Craig

‘One of the most interesting things about her is that she’s said that she doesn’t really like

fantasy. And in fact, if you look at the way that she’s written it, I think the explanation for

why she’d so popular is down to two things – one is that in every book she’s sort of writing a

detective story or a thriller, and there’s where adults have got on to the whole series, but the

other more interesting thing is she’s actually made the magical world seem real, seem

something you could just walk into off Tottenham Court Road, and by doing that she’s also

correspondingly made reality more magical, and I think that’s what’s so irresistible about her

vision, her … you know, Harry’s whole world that it’s a world in which wizards do have to

learn magic, they have to do homework, and that’s really delightful.’

Amber: JK Rowling is also often praised for being a very cinematic writer which is

why her books make wonderful films. But she’s probably most respected for

encouraging so many millions of young people to read fiction. She’s made

them interested in it; she’s ‘turned them on to’ reading. And so now, reading is

‘cooler’ – it’s much more fashionable than it was. She’s stopped reading from 

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being ‘killed off’ by computer games and she’s ‘paved the way’, she’s

prepared the way, for another great children’s writer! Try to catch his name.

Amanda Craig

‘I think a lot more children have been turned on to reading and reading has become a lot

cooler than it was. It was real danger of just being killed off by game boxes and computers

and I think – yes! – and she’s paved the way for another really great children’s writer which is

Phillip Pullman, who has it all, I think!’

Amber: So if you’ve enjoyed the Harry Potter books, try reading Philip Pullman’s

stories. Loads of adults think they’re brilliant too! Start with ‘His Dark

Materials’…

Now let’s recap the language we focussed on.

 

fantasy – a type of fiction featuring imaginary worlds and magical events

to be down to something – to be the result of something

irresistible – overpowering

cooler – more fashionable

to be killed off – to be ended

paved the way – prepared the way