[HPFGU-OTChatter] Re: Audio Versions of the Books

[Pauline]

>during their O.W.L.'s--the British version says "We managed to keep
>our peckers up somehow."  Which of course has entirely DIFFERENT
>connotations in the U.S., at least where I come from.  heh.  "pecker"
>is a slang word around here for male genitalia.  *giggle*

LOL - They probably managed to do that too.  I have nothing against the US 
versions, but wouldn't call the original works the "UK version", because 
they are not.  They are just the Harry Potter books as written.

>On a related note, I find Jim Dale's reading of the American version
>to be more pleasant to listen to, over-all than Stephen Fry's reading
>of the UK version.

I agree.  I listened to the Jim Dale ones first, and assumed Stephen would 
do a better job, but now having listened to both agree with what you said 
about McGonnagal being Scottish, and to me Stephen Fry's Hermione sounds 
slightly like a female impersonator.  LOL

The audiobooks have been my saviour.  I read the first 4 books to my son in 
2000 with his 4yo sister listening in for the most part.  She became so 
entranced with the series I would have completely lost my voice if I had to 
read them to her as much as she wanted to listen to them.  We listen to 
them in the car, before bed etc. And she is the expert in all those little 
details that we can't quite remember.   With only have read about half a 
page of the series.   I must put my order in with amazon for the next 
one.  I guess they will be the most reliable and cheapest way to get one 
fast in Australia.

It does feel to us like having the book read by a friend who is wonderfully 
gifted at bringing the story to life.

>On the other hand, Stephen Fry does Snape's voice much better,
>according to what I think Snape should sound like--and because Snape
>is my favorite character of the lot, this weighs heavily in his
>favor.

Yes, absolutely.  Ahhhh imagine having Alan Rickman read Snape.  It would 
be cool to have the books read by the actors who portray the characters on 
screen.

Love Pauline


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