Harry Potter around the World

[Emduong]

Hello everyone,

I was wondering if there were any non-British Harry Potter readers out there who could tell me a little bit about how famous Harry Potter is in their country?

 

[Ell]

I don't know that he's exactly "famous" - more like popular and well-known.

The books are well-known and popular enough among children that they (and their parents) lined up in huge lines for the most recent release.

 

[Paimprenelle]

Well, I'm French, and live in Switzerland. And I can tell you that Harry Potter is a megastar! Many of my friends are eargerly waiting for the book's French version, and some have bought the original version though they're not fluent. I'd say there isn't as much hype as there seems to be in England (and America) but still the phenomenon is huge.

 

[soxfan]

He's quite famous in the States (folks lined up here too). And both movie adaptations have done pretty well at the box office.

 

[member 737]

He's also very popular in Poland, which means a lot of annoying commercial stuff around. There were even such ideas as selling the books at midnight on the day of the first releases ( I suppose bookshop owners were delighted seeing crowds of clients coming to their shops in the middle of the night. However, I wouldn't bet salespersons felt the same.)

At the moment, we're eagerly waiting for the translation of the fifth book - there was almost a national discussion on the subject: how to translate the title (problem with the word "order").

 

[lies]

He's quite popular here as well. I remember with the book release of the fifth book, some shops opened their stores at midnight, so people could get it as fast as possible.

 

[h_carnahan]

Everyone in the states has heard of Harry, it is crazy trying to go see the movies on the first day they come out or get the book when it first comes out. I even have been to Harry Potter parties.

 

[phil_t]

Well, someone answering my description was seen hanging around Tescos at midnight on the night the fifth book came out, but of course i deny all knowledge of such events on the grounds that that would make me very sad - i'd say he's fairly popular here in Britain, there was practically a fist fight when they finally wheeled the books out for sale!!!

Phil