Tales of Beedle the Bard was initially intended to be given to six people who are most closely connected to its author, J K Rowling and as well as through helping her throughout the 17 years of her Harry Potter journey.
A seventh copy was eventually made to be auctioned off at Sotherby's in London to raise funds for The Children's Voice campaign by The Children's High Level Group. The book was bought by Amazon.com at a record price of £1,950,000 and the proceeds helped to improve the lives of institutionalized children across Europe.
Below are some images of the original hand-made book by J K Rowling:
Amazon.com has decided to publish the book to all Harry Potter fans, much to every Muggles' delight. w00t! A Collector's Edition is also available for sale through Amazon here. However, at a price of $100, I am better off with buying the standard UK version. The Collector's Edition comes with the following:
• All five fairy tales from the original The Tales of Beedle the Bard
• Outer case disguised as a wizarding textbook from the Hogwarts library
• 10 ready-for-framing prints of J.K. Rowling's illustrations
• Exclusive reproduction of J.K. Rowling's handwritten introduction
• 10 new illustrations by J.K. Rowling not included in the Standard Edition or the original handcrafted edition
• Velvet bag embroidered with J.K. Rowling's signature
• Metal skull, corners, and clasp
• Replica gemstones
• Emerald ribbon
The collection sure sounds cool but it's simply too expensive for me to buy, especially since the Sing dollar is so weak against the UK sterling pound. =(
So I contended myself with the standard edition. A picture of my copy of the book is posted below:
Hmm, the picture is not very well-taken though. In any case, the book is being retailed for S$19.26 at Popular's Bookshop. With the 20% discount off top-selling books, I only had to pay S$15.41 for my copy.
Thank goodness I didn't make a preorder as the price would have been S$21.95. So now I am still admiring my book and I have yet to start reading it. It's such a joy to be holding it in my hands for the moment. For this book will almost signify the end of the Harry Potter world, which has kept me enthralled for so long.
Rowling did mentioned that she might one day publish a Harry Potter encyclopedia of her own but how soon will that day come, no one knows. However, no one ever wants the Harry Potter dream to end. At the very least, that's how I'm feeling right now.
During the years when Rowling was still writing the story through to the seventh book, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, I could still remembered the long wait for each Harry book to be completed, published and released to the world at the exact midnight. Though I did not queue overnight to get my hands on the books, I did made preorders to ensure that I get my own copy of the book.
The moment I get my book, I would hurry back home and settle down in my bed to start my journey into the magical world once more. And each time, Rowling did not disappoint. I'd still remember the day that I flipped the final page of the Deathly Hallows. Harry's journey had came to an end. No more eighth book or nth book to look forward to anymore.
That's why when Rowling announced that she had written Tales of Beedle the Bard, I became instantly happy for I know that there will be a day when this new book will get published and come into my hands. When that happens, I will get transported back to Harry's magical world again, even though it will be for a short time.
Boy, I sound so much like a crazy fan, don't I? Still, I don't mind going through all that again if I have a choice once more. For now, I shall be walking through the magical world with Tales of Beedle the Bard.
Tada!
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