Quidditch Through the Ages

HPBooks


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name = Quidditch Through the Ages
Author = J. K. Rowling
Illustrator =
Genre = Fantasy
Publisher = flagicon|UK Bloomsbury
flagicon|USA Scholastic
flagicon|Canada Raincoast
Release date = 2001
Chapters = 10
Page Count = 56

"Quidditch Through the Ages" is both a fictional book described in the "Harry Potter" series of novels by the English author J. K. Rowling, and a real book by that author, although her name is only stated in the book as the copyright holder of the "Harry Potter"-name. The real book purports to be a reproduction of a copy of the fictional book held in the Hogwarts library, written by Kennilworthy Whisp.

The fictional book

Within the fictional world of Harry Potter, "Quidditch Through the Ages" is written by Kennilworthy Whisp, a renowned Quidditch expert.

The book traces the history of Quidditch, as well as the earliest broom-based games. According to Madam Pince, the copy in the Hogwarts library is "pawed about, dribbled on, and generally maltreated" nearly every day, which Albus Dumbledore says is high praise for any book. Harry Potter enjoyed this book. When Severus Snape caught Harry outside the school with this book in "Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone", he invented the rule that no library books were allowed outside the school, and took it.

Although the book predates Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, which takes place in 1991, the book contains numerous anachronisms such as comments on the outcome of a match played in 1994. However, the book may have been republished, in newer editions.

Kennilworthy Whisp

In the "Harry Potter" universe, Kennilworthy Whisp is a Quidditch expert and fanatic who has written many books about the sport, including "Wigtown Wanderers", "He Flew Like a Madman", "Beating the Bludgers - A Study of Defensive Strategies in Quidditch," and "Quidditch Through the Ages". He lives in Nottinghamshire, where he divides his time with "wherever the Wigtown Wanderers are playing this week." His hobbies include backgammon, vegetarian cookery, and collecting vintage broomsticks.

The Real Book

In 2001 Rowling penned two companion books to the Harry Potter series, "Quidditch Through the Ages" and "Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them", for British charity and off-shoot of Live Aid, Comic Relief [Transcript of JK Rowling's Chat for Comic Relief http://www.scholastic.com/harrypotter/books/author/interview3.htm] with all of her royalties going to the charity. As of July 2008, the books combined are estimated to have earned over $30 million for Comic Relief [JKR/WB vs. RDR Books Transcript, Day One http://cyberlaw.stanford.edu/system/files/Trial+Transcript+Day+1.txt] The two books have since been made available in hardcover.

ee also

*"Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them"
*"The Tales of Beedle the Bard"
*"Harry Potter prequel"

External links

* [http://www.scholastic.com/harrypotter/author/transcript3.htm Interview with the author about the book]
* [http://www.harry-potters-universe.com Harry Potter's Universe] - Books in Multiple Languages, Audio, Braille and Large Print
* [http://www.amazon.com/Quidditch-Through-Ages-Kennilworthy-Whisp/dp/0747554714/ Quidditch Through the Ages at Amazon.com]

References