Quotes of the Week - Nov 10, 2009:
"I wish they caught me six years ago, eight years ago." --
Bernie Madoff, jailed financier and Ponzi schemer, in newly released
interview with representatives of the US Securities and Exchange Commission.
"This is all happening because my father didn't buy me a train
set as a kid." --Warren Buffett, investor, on his company's $26
billion purchase of Burlington Northern Santa Fe railroad - its biggest
deal ever.
"I went to sleep as Rihanna and woke up as Britney Spears."
-- Rihanna, pop singer, on the unprecedented levels of media attention
she endured after she was assaulted by former boyfriend Chris Brown
in February.
News...Celebrity Quotes and News...Did They Really
Say That...
July 16, 2007: 'Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows' release book
event of year
"To the well-organized mind, death is but the next great adventure."
- Albus Dumbledore, from 'Harry Potter and the Philosopher's/Sorcerer's
Stone'.
It's the book event of the year and one of the biggest moments in
modern publishing history. The final Harry Potter book - 'Harry Potter
and the Deathly Hallows' - is being released at one minute after midnight
on July 21.
The seventh and last book in the series, 'Harry Potter and the Deathly
Hallows' is one of the most eagerly awaited events in the history
of publishing. Publishers announced a record-breaking 12 million copies
for the first print run in the U.S. alone.
The Harry Potter series of fantasy novels by English author J. K.
Rowling have sold
more than 325 million copies and have been translated into more than
63 languages. They have made her the highest earning novelist in literary
history.
Since the release in 1997 of the first novel, 'Harry Potter and the
Philosopher's Stone' (retitled 'Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone'
in the United States), the books have gained immense popularity, critical
acclaim and commercial success worldwide, spawning films, video games
and assorted merchandise.
The Harry Potter story is mostly set at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft
and Wizardry, a school for young wizards, and focuses on Harry Potter's
fight against the evil wizard Lord Voldemort, who killed Harry's parents
as part of his plan to take over the wizarding world.
The first five books have been made into successful motion pictures
by Warner Bros. The sixth, 'Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince',
is set to begin filming in September 2007, and has a scheduled release
of November 21 2008.
J.K. Rowling completed the manuscript of her first Harry Potter story,
called "Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone" in 1995,
having written some of it in local cafes in Edinburgh, Scotland, where
she was a single mother drawing state benefits.
The tale came to her during a delayed train journey. "I sat and
thought for four (delayed train) hours, and all the details bubbled
up in my brain, and this scrawny, black-haired, bespectacled boy who
didn't know he was a wizard became more and more real to me."
The plots of all seven books were mapped out in her head before she
began writing the first.
Amazingly the first book was rejected by no less than eight publishers
- they must be kicking themselves now after making what one of the
greatest publishing mistakes in history.
Barry Cunningham, then of Bloomsbury publishers, signed up Rowling
and the author and company never looked back. Rowling is the world's
first billion-dollar author.
In the final Harry Potter book. Rowling has said she will kill off
at least two characters, but has declined to specify who they are.
The main speculation among readers is whether or not Harry will survive
at the end.
Warner Bros. have distributed four Harry Potter movies so far, amassing
a worldwide box office tally of around $3.5 billion. The fifth - 'Harry
Potter and the Order of the Phoenix - is in cinemas now.
Daniel Radcliffe, who soon turns 18 on July 23, 2007, has played the
central role of the young wizard Harry throughout the film series,
turning him into a household name in his home country Britain. He
has signed up to star in the final two movies.