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Hog’s Head Conversations, Special Azkatraz Edition

by Travis Prinzi on July 3, 2009

Hog's Head Conversations Azkatraz Edition Beautifully done by Red Hen Publications, this is content of the back cover for the special Azkatraz edition of Hog’s Head Conversations: Essays on Harry Potter. Note the charities that will be helped with purchases of this volume at Azkatraz!

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Sectumsempra, by Arabella Figg

by Travis Prinzi on July 2, 2009

Our next guest post comes from Arabella Figg! ~ Travis

c24-sectumsempra This is my first post here, and what a chapter to work on! So, no metaphorical Dung Bombs, please. (All page references are from the American edition.)

Sectumsempra could well have been titled Truth or Consequences, as deceit plays the starring role. Moreover, two events we’ve long-anticipated—a confrontation between Harry and Draco, and another kind between Harry and Ginny—occur.

The chapter begins with good news—Katie Bell’s return and the Ron/Lavender and Ginny/Dean breakups, Harry can now pursue Ginny, but fears Ron will disapprove; is he right (Ron has previously indicated how he would feel)? He returns Katie to the Quidditch team, displacing Dean who has played most of the year; was this fair? [click to continue…]

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Around the Common Room

by Travis Prinzi on July 2, 2009

Journey to the Sea, Issue 12 is posted! Great stuff in here on Hades/Death in mythology. I’m really looking forward to reading through this issue.
HP Progs’ Episode 101 is an interview with Steve Vander Ark about the Harry Potter Lexicon
Cory Godbey is doing Tolkien tribute work: Here’s Bilbo, and here’s Gandalf. Love ‘em both.
The Tolkien Professor is working his way through lectures on The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings. Looks like a great set of lectures. Free subscription through iTunes (HT to Amy Sturgis)
Janet Batchler continues her re-read of Harry Potter: Here’s Book 5!

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Deathly Hallows Casting “News”: Rufus Scrimgeour

July 1, 2009

We haven’t talked at length about some of the characters that we would meet in the DH films. I personally can’t help but wonder who will play the wonderfully delirious Xenophilius Lovegood (assuming they leave him in the script…).
But, a little news/rumor found its way to IGN today concerning the casting of Rufus Scrimgeour. It [...]

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Horcruxes

July 1, 2009

Chapter 23 (”Horcruxes”) is one of the most important chapters in the book with great implications for what happens thereafter, especially the last novel. The Felix Felicis potion is wearing off as Harry arrives at the portrait of the Fat Lady, but not before he finds out from Nearly Headless Nick that Dumbledore arrived at [...]

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Save the Malfoys, Save the World

June 30, 2009

My post for The Harry Potter Alliance’s What Would Dumbledore Do Campaign:
Save the Malfoys, Save the World

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Azkatraz Registration Extended

June 30, 2009

Azkatraz had planned on closing its online registration today, but they’ve decided to extend it a few more days. If you haven’t registered yet, now’s the time! Here’s what’s still available:

Weekend Pass (including the Ball) – $130
Single-day Pass for Sat/Sun/Mon – $45 per day
Master of Potter Administration including breakfast, lunch and cocktail reception on Monday [...]

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Hog’s Head Conversations Cover!

June 28, 2009

A special Azkatraz edition will be available at the conference in San Francisco. It should be available to all at Amazon.com shortly thereafter!
Zossima Press, 2009
Cover Artwork by Michael Politakis
Cover Design by Red Hen Productions
Stay tuned for list of authors and essay titles!

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Essence of Insanity, by “Lily Luna”

June 27, 2009

Special thanks to Lily Luna for her willingness to guest-blog for Chapter 22 of our Half-Blood Prince Read-Through! She’ll be returning for “Flight of the Prince” as well. Enjoy! ~ Travis
I am honored to be asked to assist with the HBP read-through.
In Chapter 22, Slughorn extracts a bottle of valuable venom from [...]

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The Unknowable Room, by “revgeorge”

June 26, 2009

This is the first of several guest posts in our Half-Blood Prince Read-Through. Pub patron revgeorge has graciously agreed to cover Chapter 21. Enjoy! ~ Travis
As a first time author on this blog instead of a commenter, I’m a bit nervous and feel compelled to be both coherent and also brief at the [...]

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Lord Voldemort’s Request

June 25, 2009

Travis asked some of us to fill in on the HBP read-thr0ugh, since he’s busy, you know, editing a book!
It would be easy to skip through Chapter 20 thinking that the most important thing we learn is how Voldemort/Riddle came into possession of Hufflepuff’s Cup and Slytherin’s Locket. We know that both end up becoming [...]

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Around the Common Room

June 23, 2009

Several items of interest:

Amy Sturgis, one of our favorites around here and a guest blogger last October, has a new Home Page and redesigned her LJ to match. Very cool.
Danielle Tumminio is another contributor to Hog’s Head Conversations. She’s teaches a class on Harry Potter and Christian Theology at Yale which was highlighted by CNN. She’s got [...]

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Tim Burton’s Alice in Wonderland

June 22, 2009

It’s slated to release sometime next year, but some production art and headshots of characters have creeped out online over time, especially in the last day or two.
And if you’re wondering… Yes, it is most certainly steeped in Tim Burton’s classic vision of the fantastic.
And yes, the image to the left is Johnny Depp as [...]

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Briefly Re-”thinking” Harry’s Walk in the Woods

June 20, 2009

THH’s readers are a smart set — well informed and willing to stretch their imaginations. I’ve always imagined that we come from a tremendously wide variety of ages, backgrounds, philosophies and worldviews. I’ve also figured, in the last few days, that many of us have at least been distantly aware of the turmoil in Iran. [...]

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Elf Tails

June 20, 2009

I’ll admit that not much struck me in the re-reading of Chapter 19 of Half-Blood Prince, so I’ll have to leave much of the discussion to the pub. Lots of humor, of course. The Dumbledore/Snape argument is the most interesting part of this chapter, but having that answer now, there isn’t a lot to say [...]

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Apparition, Bezoars, and Poisoned Mead

June 18, 2009

Chapter 18 of Half-Blood Prince gives us one of those references to Snape’s first potions class which lead Cathy Liesner, in John Granger’s Barnes and Noble University class, to speculate about “Stoppered Death” in the weeks following the release of this book. Mr. Granger ended up expanding on the theory and including it in Who [...]

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PubCast #65 Available at iTunes!

June 17, 2009

Update: Apparently, though it downloaded to my iTunes, it’s not doing the same for others. I’ve made another adjustment, and hopefully you’ll see it soon. Do let me know as soon as you see it in your iTunes.
I’m not entirely sure what fixed it, but I have great news: Hog’s Head PubCast #65 is finally [...]

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Hog’s Head “Flock” at Azkatraz?

June 17, 2009

Azkatraz posted a list of scheduled get-togethers (”find your flock”) today. I’m wondering: How many Hog’s Head patrons, lurkers, and fans are planning to be at Azkatraz? Should we plan a Hog’s Head gathering?
If you’re a lurker who’s never commented, and you’re coming to San Francisco this summer, this would be a great time for [...]

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Dr Who Vindaloo

June 17, 2009

Here’s a clip from Spike Milligan. Sadly deceased.
I remember watching this on the telly with my brother when it was originally broadcast.
Having grown up on Dr Who it had us rolling on the floor.
Big thanks to Black Angus for this trip down memory lane.

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Rowling and Bloomsbury Accused of Plagiarism

June 15, 2009

A Yahoo! article indicates that a legal action filed in England is claiming that J.K. Rowling copied significant portions of Goblet of Fire from a 1987 children’s book written by Adrian Jacobs, called Willy the Wizard.
It named the estate’s trustee as Paul Allen, and said that Rowling had copied “substantial parts” of “The Adventures of [...]

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A Tolkien Quote to discuss

June 15, 2009

“There cannot be any ‘story’ without a fall – all stories are ultimately about the fall – at least not for human minds as we know them and have them.”

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A Sluggish Memory

June 13, 2009

The first few pages of chapter 17 of Half-Blood Prince belong to after-break catching-up. Hermione gets filled in on the Snape/Draco conversation, and Ron begins to show more signs of discontent in his relationship with Lavender.
Fawkes and Loyalty to Dumbledore
The action begins once again in Dumbledore’s office, where one of my favorite Dumbledore/Harry moments takes [...]

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New York C.S. Lewis Society: 40th Anniversary Weekend

June 12, 2009

The New York C.S. Lewis Society, “the oldest society for the appreciation and discussion of C.S. Lewis in the world,” is hosting a 40th anniversary weekend symposium, with excellent Lewis scholars, August 7-9, 2009. If you’re near NYC, this is an event you won’t want to miss. I’m 7 hours away, and I’m trying to [...]

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Christmas Eve at the Burrow

June 11, 2009

We’re halfway through Half-Blood Prince!
More Snape irony in this chapter: As Harry what he overhears to Ron, he’s convinced he knows that Snape is on Voldemort’s side, because “No one’s that good an actor, not even Snape.” Wrong! Funny that as Harry is being vindicated about Malfoy, he’s completely wrong about Snape.
Dumbledore really becomes a [...]

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