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Harry Potter to Disapparate from the New York Times Bestseller List

Books
Posted by: Melissa
May 01, 2008, 04:49 PM

Next week, for the first time in almost nine and a half years, Harry Potter will not appear on the New York Times bestseller list.. The New York Times’s article reminds readers that it first appeared on December 27, 1998, and that after a year and a half with the books clogging the top spots, the paper split its list into children’s and adults versions. The article notes that the books are probably going to re-emerge on the list when the movie of Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince is released in November.

Just for fun, and in remembrance of a great 10 years, here’s a little extra Harry history for you, which is not in the article: The first book appeared at number 16, and didn’t reach number one until the release of Chamber of Secrets in the U.S. in June of 1999. Sorcerer’s Stone first hit number one on the list in August of 1999. The split of the Times’ list happened right before the release of Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, and after a nearly solid year and a half of the three released Potter books cycling through the top handful of spots on the list.

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Comments (82) | Average 3.2 (249 votes) Browse all Recent Books News
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10thWeasley

Its sorta weird that the books have been on the list for 10 years and tomorrow is the 10th anniversary of the Battle of Hogwarts.Sorta interesting co-winky dink

Posted by 10thWeasley on May 01, 2008 @ 06:17 PM
carol

i’m with you chikit only my extra sets are going to be for my grandchildren i wish this set was out when my boys were young one of their favorite things was having really good stories read to them stories that could really spark thier imagination!!!

Posted by carol on May 01, 2008 @ 06:29 PM
zoeymush

that is sooo sad :( it feels like harry is slowly slipping away.

Posted by zoeymush on May 01, 2008 @ 06:30 PM
piper_09

awwwwwwwwwwww…................ that bites :( but hey think about it nine and a half years at the top thats really good.

Posted by piper_09 on May 01, 2008 @ 06:31 PM
Carebie

Well when my neices and nephews are old enough they will have their own copies, there is five of them and they are all under the age of 4 right now, so I willl have to wait awhile before making sure they get introduced to the series. I can’t afford to by them the “trunk” right now or I would, and put it up for them. If only I had money, stupid economy! I personally want to have fancy leatherbound editions in British English, if they make them (I am sure they do, they make them in American English), and then a set (paper back/ hardback don’t care) in German, that will help me with me German, I can read German slightly and speak very little-its more like Eddie Izzard’s skit about his knowledge of french “the cat is next the the chair, the monkey is in the tree” type knowledge of German nothing that you could actually use in normal conversations. So I think strengthening my German would be a good thing, and if I can do it in a fun way, like reading Harry Potter, than hey why not.

Posted by Carebie on May 01, 2008 @ 06:50 PM
LunaLovegood

oh no thats sad. it will always be the best book and my favorite book even if its not on the bestseller list. ny times should put it back on

Posted by LunaLovegood on May 01, 2008 @ 06:52 PM
Kim

Harry Potter may be gone from the NYTimes Bestseller list, but it has joined the ranks of classic children’s novels. Harry will stand along side Willy Wonka, Olvier Twist, Jo March, etc. as those other great literary heroes do. Children will soon find HP on assigned reading lists and discuss them in length in English class. Thank you JK for making it fun for children to “read” again.

Posted by Kim on May 01, 2008 @ 06:52 PM
thegriffpuff

Okay, so this is my request for movie theaters, when you give the Deathly Hallows movie tickets to the costumer, make sure to give a box of tissue with it cos if this is getting people depressed, imagine the book that we love so dearly in 2D. LOL But, it’s true… At the end of the day, it doesn’t really matter. The only way it would matter is if it never had happened.

So, be happy, people. This is the happy ending authors write about….

Posted by thegriffpuff on May 01, 2008 @ 06:59 PM
Lo

Another sign that an era is truly ending. Or perhaps, has ended. Only time will tell.

Posted by Lo on May 01, 2008 @ 07:00 PM
Mrs. de Mimsy-Porpington

Sigh.

Posted by Mrs. de Mimsy-Porpington on May 01, 2008 @ 07:09 PM
michaelabraham81

Nine and a half years….wow. But it will always be number 1 on my list.

Posted by michaelabraham81 on May 01, 2008 @ 07:17 PM
Bowtruckle

They need a list for “books the most people have in their homes”. HP would be topping that list, and would continue to be on it for generations.

Posted by Bowtruckle on May 01, 2008 @ 07:47 PM
carol

that right kim i aready have my copies of oliver twist, huck finn tom sawyer,willy wonka put away for my grandchildren hp series is next to go into their personal library no greater gift then great books to expand your imagination. and the great ones dont need to be on nyt’s best seller list as long as they are on mine

Posted by carol on May 01, 2008 @ 07:51 PM
k

Actually, I’m happy. It’s crazy that it can be on a best seller list for so long. This is sad, but i’m glad for it.

Posted by k on May 01, 2008 @ 07:54 PM
Deb

Do you not think that when the generation that has grown up with Harry has children of its own that Harry Potter will not enjoy a whole new life? I sure do.

Posted by Deb on May 01, 2008 @ 07:57 PM
mollywobbles23

Folks, chillax. It was bound to happen sometime. I never really cared much about it being on the list. It’s not going to change how great it is. Also, I think some people may be confused: it’s not selling as much, the NYT did not take it off. Anyway, it will definitely be back on once the HBP movie comes out. With every movie there are people who have never read the books, but after seeing whichever movie is out, they are prompted to read the books, or at least the ones that come after so they can find out what happens.

Nine and half years is a really long time! Wow!

Posted by mollywobbles23 on May 01, 2008 @ 07:59 PM
Em

Harry Potter will never, ever loose it’s magic. Ever. It may not be on the New York Times bestselling list, but who cares? Anyway, everyone buys the Harry Potter books as soon as they come out, so obviously they won’t stay on the list forever. Harry Potter will always be number 1 for me and so, I’m sure, so many others. Harry Potter has magic beyond anthing else in this world, and nothing will ever overpower it. <3harry><3>

Posted by Em on May 01, 2008 @ 08:03 PM
TOLKIEN

Es triste que ya no habrá historias de H.P., pero ojalá que pronto Rowling, cumpla su promesa de sacar a la venta pública los otros libros relacionados con el mundo de Harry. Espero que J.K. Rowling venza a lexicon, y al fin pueda hacer el diccionario o enciclopedia de el mundo de Harry.¡¡En México te queremos y apoyamos Rowling, be strong!!!

Posted by TOLKIEN on May 01, 2008 @ 08:12 PM
younger granger

That’s sad.

Posted by younger granger on May 01, 2008 @ 08:14 PM
Ginger

I wish we had another HP book to look forward to, but it’s ok-it’s still great to reread them and read other books.

For a while after finishing DH, I was devouring the William books by Richmal Crompton…,its British humour is fantastic and it was a great way to get rid of post-HP depression :) I highly recommend the books-start with Just William if you can.

Posted by Ginger on May 01, 2008 @ 08:14 PM
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