[CatBell]

Have read with enjoyment the Harry Potter series,but have noticed there are two ways I find the first book posted.. One as "HP & the Sorcerer's Stone" (which I have seen the hardback book) and also as "HP & the Philosopher's Stone" (of which I own a copy) whats the scoop?

[niiina]

No idea...but I have another question to go with it.
I have seen a Harry Potter book advertised as "Adult Edition".

What is that supposed to mean?

Put another cover on, so adults don't feel they are buying a kiddys book or what?
Or does it have scenes that is not for kids or what?
I'm sure it's the cover thing. A bit silly if you ask me, but it might sell more books...

[Sammie]

Sorcerer's stone is the American title - there's another thread with this in s'where around here.

and, yes, it's just the cover that's different. I think it's so that the commuters don't hve to feel self concious when they read it on the train!

[This message has been edited by Sam82 (edited November 28, 2001).]

[CatBell]

Thanks for the clarification...Sam!

Thank goodness I am savvy enough not to give a rip what others may think of my reading. What would be the pleasure in reading only what someone else thought was worthy ???

[alison]

The design of adult HP books is I think pretty cool - the ones I've seen have black and white photos on the covers. It does sort of suggest an R rated HP, tho. http://www.sffworld.com/ubb/smile.gif

I'm a big reader of children's literature, so it doesn't bother me.

Alison

[jbcohen]

I for one have no problem beeing seen with a Harry Potter even though I am 30 something. Some of the best Fantasy authors orriginally wrote their books for kids - Orson Scott Card, to name just one.

[CatBell]

Wow... am pleased that even with the limited thread that people have wandered over and posted. Thanks all!

[Cygnus]

I thought I saw this in another post, or maybe I heard it somewhere.. 25 and I'm already going senile. They went with the title Philosopher's Stone because it refers to a real artifact that supposedly gives the owner eternal life. I heard that they thought the American kids wouldn't get the reference, so they changed it to the Sorcerer's Stone for the U.S. publication. I can't vouch for the accuracy of this.. just a Harry Potter rumor!

[This message has been edited by Cygnus (edited December 01, 2001).]

[Peregrine]

Absolutely true. The philosopher's stone is an alchemic substance which holds the secret of turning base metals into gold, creating an 'elixer' that gives eternal life and nullifying poisons - some nifty tricks.

The original meaning probably translates into modern english as the 'stuff of knowlegde'.

I have to say that I am very, very disapointed that Bloomsbury and their marketing company give so little credit to the intellegence of the US public that they assumed - not so much that US kids wouldn't get the reference, not many UK kids do either - more that a kid in the States would be frightened off reading anything with the word philosopher on the front.

Peregrine

[Hans]

It was not Bloomsbury, who decided to use Sorcerous Stone for the US version as they did not even publish the US version, they were the publishers of the UK one. It was Scholastic, the American publisher who decided to change the title.

These were the books that got me started to read in the first place, and brought me to the imaginative world of Fantasy.