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In 2007, I was 24 years old, and working at the worst job ever. My morale was low, my self worth was low, I gained 55 ounds in less than three months, and really believed there was nothing to hope for. One of my coworkers, a fiesty Texan that was a few months younger than me, and I would discuss books in order to make it through our days and help to banish thoughts of corporate suicide. After many discussions of Dickens, Austin, James, and Poe, my coworker came into work one day completely excited and animated claiming that she just finished book 6 of the Harry Potter series and that she could not wait for the release of the final book. I was completely shocked that my well-read friend was reading *gasp* children's books and was actually *gasp* excited about them. She gushed and gushed and gushed about how I needed to immediately start reading them so that I would be ready for the July release of the final installment.
I resisted at first, yet I would find myself mysteriously staring blankly at the HP section in the local book haunt we would frequent during our lunch breaks. After a few weeks of her pushing the books on me, I finally succumbed and purchased the first book. I finished it in a few days, and then quickly bought the rest of the books. I couldnt put them down! I found that my short reading sessions in the bath would turn into 2 hour long read-a-thons in the bath until the water grew cold and I grew pruny (I know probably too much information). I would stay up into all hours of the night reading under the comforter with a booklight so as not to disturb my fiance. Work turned into HP discussions and analyzations and predictions of the last book, all of a sudden my job wasnt as bad as it was...or as long...it was just a minor interruption to my reading. FInally I finished the first 6 books...and was just beside myself with anticipation for the last books. I cried, I laughed...I cried some more, and was completely overwhelmed and consumed by the so called children's story of Harry Potter. When the last book was released, I wanted to attend one of the midnight release parties, so I requested a two day vacation in order to go ahead and make a celebration about it since it would be the last book. I was so excited, I made pumpkin pasties and drank mulled meade....and unfortunately was called into work and my vacation anulled so one of my other coworkers (who was a useless twit, but used her assets to only work a 3 day work week) could have a few days off to do some summer shopping. I must say that is one of my biggest regrets, but I will also admit that I spent the next few weeks doing nothing but reading HP and discussing it at work with my friend/coworker.
Since then, I have read and re-read the HP series several times, and I cant think my friend/coworker who helped me get paste the genre to finally read the books. She gave me something to look forward to, and also someplace to escape to.
THANK YOU!!!
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Mar 23 2009, 12:09 AM
What exactly led you to pick up the first HP book? 
