J.K. Rowling just released a new Harry Potter-related book, "The Tales of Beedle the Bard" and my inner dork squealed with glee until I realized I would never be able to read it.
To say goodbye to the world of Harry Potter, Rowling hand wrote seven copies of the five tales mentioned in the Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, six of which will be given to influential people who helped her throughout the years, and one, which will be auctioned in London next month. Each book is bound in leather and covered in jewels. They sound like pretty nice gifts, but to only allow seven people to read it out of the millions of fans is absurd.
Even if I felt like putting the energy and money into getting to London and participating in the auction, the starting bid is $62,000, which is way beyond my reach and that of most HP fans.
Of course I don't really want a hand-written, jewel-encrusted gaudy book, and I hope that's not why the price is so high. A true fan wouldn't care what it looks like.
I'd be plenty happy even if it was written on napkins as long as I could read it. All the extra flair is unnecessary to any fan who just wants to get at the words. Rowling's handwriting also makes it rare, but again, unnecessary for those who would be eager for the content.
I'm sure it'd fetch a plenty high price just because only one "non-influential" person/millionaire will be lucky enough to read it.
Rare book collecting has declined, but even book collectors probably wouldn't be able to get their hands on it. If they do, they'd better be a true Harry Potter fan as it is such a coveted item and should keep it well hidden to prevent it from being stolen.
The money is going to a good cause, a charity called The Children's Voice, which helps children in orphanages and institutions across Europe, but a regular printed book either hardcover or paperback would definitely raise plenty of money for a charity with millions of fans around the world who would happily buy the book. In addition to raising money for children, fans could get one last taste of something new and Harry-Potter-related, since I think for many of us, life will be missing a little something with the end of the series.
After pleasing children, and adults for that matter, with delightful books for over a decade, I'm not sure how she's going to be able to stand all the teary-eyed faces of those who will never get to read it. It's very kind of her to want to give so much away for a charity, but she should also be giving to all the readers who made her famous and wealthy in the first place.
Four or five years ago, I would have scoffed at the idea of someone paying over $62,000 for a book unless it was something significant like the Gutenberg Bible or an original copy of the Declaration of Independence. I would have especially thought it was insane because I made fun of Harry Potter, not having read it nor planned to read it at the time, but now after it captivated me, too, I really wish I'd be able to read about Beedle. If a born-again Harry Potter fan like me is mourning over not being able to read it, I don't want to think about how fans since the beginning are grieving right now.
A normal publication of the Tales wouldn't devalue the auctioned one or the six as gifts because they are special as hand-written and illustrated by the author herself, and the auction winner paid a special price for one of those and to be able to read it first. Without any negative side effects of a worldwide release, it hardly makes sense not to, even if we have to wait months or maybe even a year or two for it.
I hope Rowling comes to her senses sometime in the near future and releases a public copy, a simple printed book, proceeds to charity or not, for all of us to read. If she wants to thank someone, thank everyone, because having seven fans doesn't make you famous, the millions of eager and supportive readers do.
Cry with Monique or make fun of her at monique.devoe@asu.edu
