WEDNESDAY, JUNE 25, 2003
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
5
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN - 11
Harry Potter book summons young, old to Borders' party
By Kevin Wiggs
kwiggs@kansan.com
Kansan staff writer
It resembled a Kansas basketball game, with the line forming hours in advance and exhilaration everywhere. But this was not Allen Fieldhouse before a game against Missouri, it was Borders Books, Musica and Cafe on the night of the release of J.K. Rowling's fifth Harry Potter book, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix.
Julia Shultz, Dodge City senior, paints the face of Kylee Emerson, a 10-year-old Topeka resident. Face painting was one of the activities offered at the Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix release party at Borders Books, Music and Cafe, 700 New Hampshire St., Friday night.
The fifth installment of the children's novel was officially released Saturday morning, but over 1,000 people spent Friday night at Borders, 700 New Hampshire, to pick up their reserved copy or partake in pre-Potter activities, such as face painting, a treasure hunt and a costume contest.
store manager of Borders. "Everyone was ready to read."
Zach Straus/Kansan
"I've been in the book business for 20 years now, and this is the most anticipated book I've ever seen," said Doug Weaver.
After the stroke of midnight, the book could be sold for the first time.
Weaver said Borders received 1,200 books in its first shipment, but all of them were reserved for people that pre-ordered. At 8 p.m.the first groups arrived, and at 10 p.m.a line was forming. As new owners of the book emerged from the store, some sat on the curb and began reading. Others tried to read as they walked to their cars.
By the end of the night, or at 1:45 a.m. when Borders closed, 400 books were gone.
Those 400 counted toward the biggest book opening sale in history. Five million copies of Phoenix were sold on its first day, breaking the record of three million set by Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire released three years ago.
Borders depleted its supply by Sunday, a fate shared by many Lawrence bookstores. Hastings, 1900 W 23rd St., the Raven Bookstore, 6 E 7th St., and Children's Book Shop, 937 Massachusetts, were all sold out by Monday morning.
Only Oread Bookstore in the Kansas
Union had copies left after Sunday. All have since restocked or will restock this week.
Amanda Rogers, Wichita senior, worked at Borders the night of the release and said parents were more zealous about getting a copy than the children.
Marla Hefty, English lecturer at the University, said she was glad to be part of a phenomenon that got kids reading.
"It's a delight to see kids buying an 800-
page book and reading it multiple times," she said.
Serena Tongiani, a visiting professor of pharmaceutical chemistry from Italy, said she reserved her copy four months ago.
"It won't come out until December in Italy, so I want to read it and tell them what happens," she said.
- Edited by Amy Kelly