I'll check in with you guys in 2 days. I should have finished the book by then.

Just got back from the party at our local B&N. They hit max capacity of the store at 930(!). Quite the group there tonight that's for sure.

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Good Luck!
Jamie Dresser
Other World Computing

About 300 (just my guess) at my town's ONLY independent bookstore.

[inklingsbookshop.com]

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MacResource User Map: [www.zeemaps.com]#

We just got back from the Hallows Ball thrown at the Borders in Sunnyvale. There were over 2,000 muggles there! We were ~20 in line. Each kid is now reading their copy with plans to go till at least 2 am.

Last time around, book 6 was finished within 24 h by each kid. Mom & I are reviewing book 6 until we get our chance at book 7.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/21/2007 02:48AM by bhaveshp.

It's 2AM and the wife and 3 teeny boppers have yet to return from the local Borders party. I could be worried, I'm not. I am thankful it's she not me.

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"Who's more foolish - the fool or the fool that follows him?" - Obi Wan Kenobi

My wife and daughter have returned from Wall Word with their copy. Could not wait for the UPS guy to deliver the one from Amazon that sat at the depot yesterday and will be delivered today. She kept hoping that they would deliver it yesterday anyway.

Not!

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Staunton, Virginia



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/21/2007 06:34AM by Bernie.

Spoiler alert!










Darth Vader is Luke and Leia's father

My daughter had to babysit last night and couldn't go to any of the bookstore parties, but we are eagerly awaiting the Amazon delivery today. I still haven't figured out how Amazon sent it UPS but it is going to get it delivered today, since UPS doesn't do Saturday deliveries. I will be interested to see who actually brings the book to the house.

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Roswell, GA (Atlanta suburb)

Quote
rgG
. I still haven't figured out how Amazon sent it UPS but it is going to get it delivered today, since UPS doesn't do Saturday deliveries. I will be interested to see who actually brings the book to the house.

rgG -

do you have your book yet? Amazon shipped UPS who handed off to the Post Office. the USPS promised all books would be delivered by 6pm saturday, supposedly with the customer's regular mail. my mail delivery has come and gone and there was no book. we weren't home but there was no yellow slip saying they tried to leave a book. my son is majorly bummed but we're hoping USPS is sending out special trucks just with the books.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/21/2007 11:39AM by graylocks.

graylocks, I thought that is what they might be doing and indeed that is what happened with us. We just got our regular mail delivery and our postlady managed to get the Harry Potter into the mail box. I hope for your son's sake that they do send another truck around with his book. Even though Amazon said that the book will be free if you don't get it today, I'm sure you would rather get the book. I'm holding out good thoughts for a special delivery for you later today.

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Roswell, GA (Atlanta suburb)

Quote
rgG
graylocks, I thought that is what they might be doing and indeed that is what happened with us. We just got our regular mail delivery and our postlady managed to get the Harry Potter into the mail box. I hope for your son's sake that they do send another truck around with his book. Even though Amazon said that the book will be free if you don't get it today, I'm sure you would rather get the book. I'm holding out good thoughts for a special delivery for you later today.

dang! now i'm getting really nervous. the fact that's it's not here now has already taken a bit of the sheen off the event. yes, i'd much rather have the book; in this particular instance, free is meaningless.

Yeahhhhh! it just came UPS!!!!!!

Are the books still being published in modified form in the US?

A friend who was reading them years ago said that the American versions and British versions were different: basically "dumbed down" due to the singularly moronic assumption that American kids would not be able to figure out British slang. I can't remember where she was getting her British editions.

Glad to hear that graylocks. I am surprised that UPS made a Saturday delivery, but I am really glad your son got his book.

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Roswell, GA (Atlanta suburb)

Quote
ka jowct
Are the books still being published in modified form in the US?

A friend who was reading them years ago said that the American versions and British versions were different: basically "dumbed down" due to the singularly moronic assumption that American kids would not be able to figure out British slang. I can't remember where she was getting her British editions.

my son has the UK version of book 2. to say the american versions are dumbed down is a gross exaggeration. yes, they do change the spellings of some works (colour - color) and philosopher was changed to socerer - that one, granted, was a bit unnecessary. but the kind of change that made perfect sense is best explained in the example of Harry and Ron putting on jumpers before going outside. Rowlings allowed 'jumpers' to be changed to 'sweaters' so that american readers wouldn't lose their flow in reading trying to figure out why Ron and Harry would have put on a girl's dress before going outside.

i don't know if these cultural modifications have still been necessary.

Quote
rgG
Glad to hear that graylocks. I am surprised that UPS made a Saturday delivery, but I am really glad your son got his book.

i was surprised to see the UPS truck also. funny thing is, the box had UPS and USPS labels and barcodes on it. wonder how they alloted which got delivered by whom.

My friends, who are terrible anglophiles and order their HP books from the UK, did not describe them as being dumbed down either, but rather like graylocks said they described it as changing words for clarity -- I would say the most famous example being "booger" replacing "bogie". I think the title change in the first book is how the "dumbed down" perception came about.

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Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/21/2007 03:32PM by $tevie.

Follow up to their not home at 2AM. As the night (morning?) wore on and with a wristband approaching four digits, Donna was wearing down but determined. Just as she was to be rewarded a man came to the line complaining he had just bought two books and then found out his wife had already done the deed.

He had a receipt and the two books and anyone who would pay what he did could have them. At that point he could well have done an impromptu auction and made a few bucks. Wife asked if he's take a Borders gift card. He was just tired and wanted to go home. He sold the 2 in about 30 seconds

Thing is he bought his at the supermarket (Ralph's) next door to Borders. Seems he just ambled into the market bought his books and left while hundreds of people stood in line at the book store a hundred feet away.

Once they noticed the alternative, a good portion of the line literally went into a foot race to the market rather than spend another moment in line. Seems all the local super marts had books to sell, they just never promoted it.

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"Who's more foolish - the fool or the fool that follows him?" - Obi Wan Kenobi

Both UPS and the USPS were delivering books on Saturday.

I'm betting there are places more rural than UPS likes to deliver, and there are P.O. Boxes that UPS doesn't deliver to.

I happened to talk to a UPS driver yesterday. He said it "was crazy out there!" He delivered to huge parties at homes, people were waiting on the porch, etc. He was shocked when "one lady actually came up and HUGGED ME!"

But he enjoyed the madness- lots of kids were really excited to see him.

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I am that Masked Man.

All you can do, is all you can do.

There’s trouble — it's time to play the sound of my people.

Your boos mean nothing to me, I've seen what you cheer for.

Insisting on your rights without acknowledging your responsibilities isn’t freedom, it’s adolescence.

I've been to the edge of the map, and there be monsters.

We are a government of laws, not men.

Everybody counts or nobody counts.

When a good man is hurt,
all who would be called good
must suffer with him.

You and I have memories longer than the road that stretches out ahead.

There is no safety for honest men except
by believing all possible evil of evil men.

We don’t do focus groups. They just ensure that you don’t offend anyone, and produce bland inoffensive products. —Sir Jonathan Ive

An armed society is a polite society.
And hope is a lousy defense.

You make me pull, I'll put you down.

I *love* SIGs. It's Glocks I hate.