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Making people read again

The Neyveli Book Fair 2005 is a wonderful shot at getting people back into the habit of reading. It is definitely true that in recent times, life has been all about satisfaction from technology - plasma TVs, the Internet, camera phones and DVD players to name a few. Newer technology is what's in. Many have been swayed from reading books considering them time-consuming and are limiting themselves to reading newspapers and magazines.

Those that possess the love for reading and have stayed loyal to books will agree that there is one person has single-handedly brought books back into the limelight. Her name is J.K. Rowling.

She changed the face of fiction and millions of readers throughout the world have united to worship the work of genius that she created - Harry Potter. She is the reason that the phenomenon has been created - a phenomenon that has put books back into the hands of the young and the old. She is an author of such distinction that she has been able to conjure an order for a print run of 10.8 million copies three months before her latest book is released!

The series of books known as Harry Potter has made billions from sales and there is no sign of it letting up. Children have put down playstations and grabbed books again. Adults have to know what all the fuss is about, so they read one. Once you read the book - you really are hooked. There is no looking back. To create such a book requires many ingredients, an inherent quality is great story-telling. It is the same reason why we watch movies and were fascinated with tales told when we are young. A great story can stir your soul, tap your emotions and just simply set you free. Authors have existed through centuries, from Shakespeare to Dan Brown - they all have brought something special to the table. No single author has made millions of people across the globe sit up and take notice like J.K. Rowling has. She has a unique gift for storytelling and we need more authors like her. It has actually reached the point where people can feel really left out of the loop if they haven't read any of the Harry Potter books.

Who could have predicted that a book about a boy's seven years at a school that teaches magic could attract people of so many varied sensibilities? My answer to that would be - it is his humanity that really touches us even more than the fantasy. There are many different themes in the books that we can relate to. The fact that half of Harry Potter's readership consists of adults tells us that everyone is able to empathise with something in the book. That is truly the mark of an extraordinary author - creating empathy where few people could imagine it exists.

The writer of this article like many others felt a real connection when he first read the book. This connection that Rowling has made has only gotten stronger through the years. Thank you, J.K. Rowling for reminding us what a fulfilling experience reading a wonderful book can be.

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Briefly

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