HBP Acknowledged in Parliament

In a question and answer session with Great Britain Prime Minister Tony Blair at Parliament, the subject of Harry came up:
Q8. Miss Anne Begg: Now that the summer recess is almost upon us, will my right hon. Friend have time to do what millions of people did this weekend and read the new Harry Potter novel by Scotland'sContinued...

Young People Attend Hogwarts Day Camp

Young readers in New Canaan, Connecticut had the chance to discuss the plot of the recent Potter book at a summer camp modeled after Hogwarts.
The "Hop on the Hogwarts Express" program divides campers into Houses. Students participate in activities such as Quidditch, potions class, costume contests,Continued...

HBP Ending Ruined for British Motorists by Big Jerk

People driving along A442 near Telford had the ending of Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince revealed to them on a banner hanging from a bridge. The banner was removed by noon.
A spokesperson for the Telford and Wrekin council: "This does have a serious side to it as if the banner hadContinued...

HP & Astronomy in South Florida

Amy let us know about the Astronomy for Wizards event at the The South Florida Science Museum on July 30 at 5 and 7 pm.
Audience members will be divided into houses and take turns winning house points with their knowledge of the wizarding world. Professor Pagan will teach you all about the various constellations, starsContinued...

Illegal Versions of HBP Online

Illegal, downloadable versions of HBP are the subject of a recent article in Wired's online magazine. It seems that a few people scanned the entirity of the book, in violation of copyright laws, and distributed it on peer-to-peer networks. Such a distribution is illegal in most countries, and inContinued...

Harry Potter in the post-9/11 and 7/7 World

Slate Magazine this week features an article exploring how the series resonates in the post-9/11 and post-7/7 world. The article contains some spoilers for the plot of HBP, and the reporter notes:

In 1998, when the first Harry Potter book came out, Voldemort was a fantastical villain, a symbol of evilContinued...

Young Readers May Need to Discuss Book, Reports Boston Globe

The Boston Globe reports on the impact Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince may have on younger people, offering advice from experts as well as remarks from readers:

"Talking about fiction is a safe way for children to talk about real life. The book can be a catalyst for importantContinued...

Potter Fans Not Just Children

In the wake of the release of Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, the media seems to be catching up to what we already knew; that Harry Potter is not just for children. The Washington Post has a nice article about one such adult fan who loves Harry Potter, Jennie Levine (or Zsenya, as she is known in the fandom),Continued...

JKRowling.com Updates on Half-Blood Prince Release Weekend

JKRowling has updated her website with thoughts about the Half-Blood Prince release weekend. Her news section, and the extras section both have been updated,including her reactions to meeting our own Melissa and Emerson from MuggleNet.

And there they were, waiting for me. I had met MelissaContinued...

JKRowling.com to Feature Accessibility for Disabled and Visually Impaired Users

JKRowling.com became accessible yesterday to disabled, deaf and visually impaired internet users. Lighmaker worked with RNIB and Macromedia to develop the new version.
The site is now navigable by keyboard without a mouse, and contains an accessibility menu, includingContinued...

Official WB Goblet of Fire Website Now Live

The Official WB Goblet of Fire film website is now live. We saw the preview a few days ago; now you can go to those screens and vote for your favorite Tri-Wizard Champion. Click here to enjoy.

Enough to Entirely Cover Brazil

When you've run out of things to discuss and debate about book six, the Times Online offers us this - Harry Potter and the Compendium of Utterly Useless Trivia.
Thanks to the many Leaky readers who sent this in!

Potter Fan Carrie Taylor Confirmed Dead in London Bombing

Police confirmed that Carrie Taylor, the Potter fan we mentioned last week, was among those killed in the bombing attack of the London Underground on July 7th. Carrie was 24.
Thanks very much to her friend, Margaret, for letting us know.

EW HBP Review by Author Christopher Paolini

Christopher Paolini, author of the fantasy series Inheritance, reviews Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince for Entertainment Weekly:

It's heartening, both as an author and a reader, to see that J.K. Rowling is brave enough to experiment with her beloved series, and that she has remained true toContinued...

THE INTERVIEW Part Deux

Part two of THE INTERVIEW, along with part two of the report, is up:
The MuggleNet/TLC Jo Rowling Interview, Part Two
Edinburgh Report, Part Two

Update: Emerson has posted a public apology for use of the word "delusional" over on MuggleNet. He also posted a statement that people really need to read. Vent out yourContinued...