Fantastic Beasts & Where To Find Them. Review on Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them - J K Rowling

What do you do when you hold in your hands a limited edition book?knowing well that after reading it, you would instantly become a part of that elite band of people who have had the opportunity of reading the book???

Well as far as I am concerned, I would not only read the book? but also tell the whole community of mouthshut about it. Do I sound like an obnoxious creature right now?well may be I am too? who knows?

THE BOOK:

?Fantastic beasts and where to find them?

? I guess there is no potter fan on the planet who has not heard about this book. The book is a steady compendium for Harry Potter and his friends whenever he has a point of doubt regarding any creature? great or small, provided it has something magical about it.

According to Albus Dumbledore ?no wizarding household is complete without a copy of Fantastic Beasts, well thumbed by the generations who have rifled its pages in search of the best way to rid the lawn of Horklumps, interpret the mournful cries of the Augery or cure their pet Puffskein of drinking out of the toilet??(From the forward by Albus Dumbledore found only in the special edition of this book).

In a precise and concise form, the book details each and every magical creature that has ever been recorded ,from the horrid basilisk to the extremely shy mooncalf. The book classifies the beast first based on the Ministry of Magic (M.O.M)classification [which ranges between x and xxxxx on a scale of ascending perceived dangerousness].

Then it details the morphology, peculiar characteristics and features to identify/train/use each creature as and when it is applicable.

The entries are clearly arranged in the alphabetical order, which makes finding out an individual beast very easy.

Finally the book is replete with explanatory footnotes by the author and hilarious doodles by Harry, Ron and Hermione which makes reading the book a truly enjoyable experience.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Newton (Newt) Artemis Fido Scamanderwas born in 1897. His interest in fabulous beasts was encouraged by his mother, who was an enthusiastic breeder of fancy Hippogriffs. Upon graduation from Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, Mr. Scamander joined the Ministry of Magic in the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures. After two years at the Office for House-Elf Relocation, years he describes as ?tedious in the extreme?; he was transferred to the Beast Division, where his prodigious knowledge of bizarre magical animals ensured his rapid progress.

Although almost solely responsible for the creation of the Werewolf Register in 1947, he says he is most proud of the Ban on Experimental Breeding, passed in 1965, which effectively prevented the creation of new and unmanageable monsters within Britain. Mr. Scamander?s work with the Dragon Research and Restraint Bureau led to many research trips abroad, during which he collected information for his worldwide best-seller Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, now in its fifty-second edition.

Newt Scamander was awarded the Order of Merlin, Second Class, in 1979 in recognition of his services to the study of magical beasts, Magizoology. Now retired, he lives in Dorset with his wife Porpentiaand their pet Kneazles: Hoppy, Milly and Mauler.

A FEW FACTS HERE AND THERE:

Coming to the muggle details? this book was written by J K Rowlingunder the pseudonym Newt Scamander for Comic Relief (an NGO) and all the proceeds from the sale of the book was donated for the cause of development of the state of children all over the world. This book was released as a limited edition copy along with ?Quidditch Through the Ages?, way back in 2001.

The copy of the book is supposedly owned by Harry, which is also being shared by Ron? so it is obviously filled with personal trivia and doodles that are very funny indeed.

I always wished that J K Rowling could write down all those textbooks she kept talking about in the potter books, the books that the budding witches and wizards read so avidly. It had that appeal of creation of a cult that I marvelled. Therefore, when I came across this book, to say the least it was a dream come true.

So for all the like minded Potter maniacs? broaden your circles, try to find out the book? hunt it down and read it? cause the pleasure of finally having read it and thumbed it down to an even familiarity is an experience well worth your time.

AN EXAMPLE OF AN ENTRY FOR MY NOT SO FORTUNATE FRIENDS:

Pixie:

The pixie is mostly found in Cornwall, England. Electric blue in colour, up to 8? in height and very mischievous, the pixie delights in tricks and practical jokes of all description. Although, wingless it can fly and has been known to seize unwary humans by the ears and deposit them at the tops of tall trees and buildings. Pixies produce a high-pitched jabbering intelligible only to other pixies. They bear live young.

Ps: I wish I could have bought ?Quidditch Through the Ages? also... but I had run short of cash and now can only be sad and sorry, because even after 2 years of searching I haven?t come across a copy of the book? so is there anyone out there who has the book? please, please, please? tell me? I would like to get a Xerox of the book.