Harry, A History

Harry, A History: The True Story of a Boy Wizard, His Fans, and Life Inside the Harry Potter Phenomenon by Melissa Anelli

This book let me delve into the Harry Potter fandom like I have never been able to. I was a latecomer to the books (Harry Potter, that is) and I read the books in the autumn of 2007 - when all of them were already published. I was never able to go to a midnight release party or immerse myself in plot discussions and speculation. This book took me on a guided tour of the fandom and behind the scenes of a phenomenon whose products I now see.

This book was wonderfully personal, but at the same time covered all the important things that one would expect of a book about the Harry Potter phenomenon. Everything from fanfiction and shipping wars to wizard rock is covered. The author, a well known fan and webmistress of The Leaky Cauldron, takes you along on her personal experience with the books and the fandom, letting you get inside the head of a fan and explaining everything on the way.

It ends after Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows was published, but with the promise of continuation of the phenomenon. The fandom is, of course, still going strong, living and growing. The strong friendships formed between people who have met through Harry Potter continue on, and wizard rock bands are still rocking out. The message of love from the books continue shaping people's lives, and charity work in the name of Harry Potter (The Harry Potter Alliance), and last but not least the fostering of young people who love to read, as well as many other wonderful things, are still happening.

The end, about reading Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, took me right back to my experience of finishing the series for the first time. All the anxiety and sense of closure was there for me too, although I hadn't been waiting for nearly as long before I got to know everything.

This review has become a mixture of my personal experience with the Potter books and phenomenon, and about this book. It made me think of my own fandom experiences, and structuring my own experience. In the beginning of the book I felt a bit alienated, but I soon became immersed in the story of the fandom growing and expanding. It is wonderfully written, and takes you on a whirlwind tour of the phenomenon we know as Harry Potter with a wonderful guide. I would almost go so far as to say that this should be required reading for any Harry Potter fan.

PS: Now that I'm writing and thinking about it: A HUGE THANK YOU to Fatima, who pressured me to finally read the Potter books. Thank you so, so much!