Pottermore bookshelf shutting down

[issybird]

Pottermore stopped selling Harry Potter ebooks and audiobooks last September; as of January 31, 2022, its bookshelf will no longer be accessible. While it seems unlikely for the vast majority here, just in case you don’t have backup copies of anything purchased from Pottermore, be sure to download them by the end of the month.

[stumped]

i am curious as to how Pottermore intend to treat the many thousands of non-tech savvy customers they sold ebooks to, who will have no idea about creating backups.

are they just abandoning them. surely that's not good for the Harry Potter brand?

[tomsem]

I only purchased one ebook from Pottermore, just to see how it worked. This included ‘redeeming’ it in the ebook platforms it supported at the time (Amazon, Kobo, Nook, ??). I’m surprised it lasted this long, given that it stopped being the exclusive source to purchase HP ebooks/audiobooks some time ago.

[stumped]

so it may be a question of what becomes of unredeemed gift, assuming they sold gifts back in the day ?

your redeemed cloud copy continues to exist with whoever you chose ?

[Critteranne]

I downloaded my files, but they're in epub. It was so long ago that I'd forgotten they only sold them in one format. What in the world? (I'm pretty sure they're non-DRM, so I should be able to convert them.)

They're also on my Amazon Content and Devices. If I go to the page for one of the books, it says "You already borrowed this item. Read anytime on your Kindle apps and devices."

On the Amazon page, there is also a "Buy at Pottermore" link. Whoops.

There is also a Buy link in case I want to buy the ebooks again. Those links go to the newer editions with different covers.

I think when Pottermore was selling the exclusive ebooks, Pottermore and Amazon used to have an agreement so that if you bought the books at Pottermore, you could download them via Amazon for your Kindle. Once JKR allowed other stores to sell the eBook, that changed, and the ebooks were available for purchase through Amazon, B&N, etc.

[tomsem]

With Kindle Unlimited, you can borrow any of them in any of the available languages, except for (a peeve of mine) UK English. I’d like to read it in the ‘original’ English some day…

[issybird]

Originally Posted by tomsem

With Kindle Unlimited, you can borrow any of them in any of the available languages, except for (a peeve of mine) UK English. I’d like to read it in the ‘original’ English some day…

The first book was particularly poorly “translated” into American, starting with the title! Referring to Lily as Harry’s “mom” sticks in my mind.

I really, really dislike it when publishers think they have to dumb things down for us dumb Yanks. We’re not quite so stupid as all that. What ever happened to figuring out things from context or, I dunno, looking things up? Might even be good for the kids at that.

[CRussel]

Originally Posted by issybird

The first book was particularly poorly “translated” into American, starting with the title! Referring to Lily as Harry’s “mom” sticks in my mind.

I really, really dislike it when publishers think they have to dumb things down for us dumb Yanks. We’re not quite so stupid as all that. What ever happened to figuring out things from context or, I dunno, looking things up? Might even be good for the kids at that.

Amen! When you read a book written in English, you should read it in the original English. And if that means you need to look up a term that is unfamiliar, that's just a learning opportunity. I'd say the same applies to non-English language books, except that isn't really realistic for those of us who are monoglots. (I know, I live in a country where there are two _official_ languages, and an untold number of other native languages, and I only speak one of them. Pathetic, but I appear to be too old to learn a new language. And yes, I've tried.)

FWIW, even Canadian is quite a bit different from American English, and I don't just mean the accent. We have garburators in our kitchens and chesterfields in our living rooms.

[Critteranne]

Originally Posted by issybird

The first book was particularly poorly “translated” into American, starting with the title! Referring to Lily as Harry’s “mom” sticks in my mind.

I really, really dislike it when publishers think they have to dumb things down for us dumb Yanks. We’re not quite so stupid as all that. What ever happened to figuring out things from context or, I dunno, looking things up? Might even be good for the kids at that.

That's what I had to do when I read the Paddington books, C. S. Lewis, and books like "It's Murder at Saint Basket's." (Holy cow, I just found out that one is on Kindle!) I wish we'd had the Internet or glossaries or something, but eventually, I was able to figure things out.

I remember trying to figure out what the blazes an electric torch was because I imagined something that looked like a plastic Christmas candle with a fake flame. Then, I figured out it was a flashlight! And when Paddington was sucking on a bullseye, I was befuddled -- until I figured out from context that it was a type of candy.


It was probably harder for kids to figure out "bigger picture" things. For example, why children in British books set near wartime were so excited when they found an orange in their Christmas stocking. I remember thinking their parents must be poor. I later learned about wartime shortages.

It would have been nice if publishers had put notes in the beginning or end of a book to explain some of this stuff to the Yanks! That would be better than changing the title and word use of the book.

[pdurrant]

Originally Posted by issybird

Pottermore stopped selling Harry Potter ebooks and audiobooks last September; as of January 31, 2022, its bookshelf will no longer be accessible. While it seems unlikely for the vast majority here, just in case you don’t have backup copies of anything purchased from Pottermore, be sure to download them by the end of the month.

The copies downloadable from Pottermore are DRM-free ePubs, that can be readily converted to other formats with calibre.

Some people will also have access from their usual ebookstore, as there were some arrangements between Pottermore and other stores back in the day. For example, I can download my Pottermore books directly from my Amazon Kindle account.

[John F]

Originally Posted by Critteranne

...

They're also on my Amazon Content and Devices. If I go to the page for one of the books, it says "You already borrowed this item. Read anytime on your Kindle apps and devices."

...

That sounds like a Prime Reading book?

[Critteranne]

Originally Posted by John F

That sounds like a Prime Reading book?

It does, but it's not listed as a Prime Reading book on my Content & Devices. I do remember buying them from Pottermore before they became available through Prime Reading.

I seem to remember that the whole situation started out kind of messy. First, JKR didn't want eBook editions because of piracy worries. Then, JKR decided eBooks were OK after all but sold them only through Pottermore -- but through some kind of incantation (or legal agreement, same thing), you could read your Pottermore purchases via other vendors. Finally, JKR changed her mind again and allowed them to be sold through other vendors.

[pdurrant]

Anyone else remember "Harry Potter and the Unauthorised Ebook"?

[ZodWallop]

Originally Posted by issybird

The first book was particularly poorly “translated” into American, starting with the title! Referring to Lily as Harry’s “mom” sticks in my mind.

I really, really dislike it when publishers think they have to dumb things down for us dumb Yanks. We’re not quite so stupid as all that. What ever happened to figuring out things from context or, I dunno, looking things up? Might even be good for the kids at that.

Originally Posted by CRussel

Amen! When you read a book written in English, you should read it in the original English. And if that means you need to look up a term that is unfamiliar, that's just a learning opportunity.

Keep in mind, these are kid's books. And at the time, Harry Potter wasn't yet

Now, I am surprised that since then, they haven't been replaced by the UK originals. Most especially that first book.

[theducks]

Originally Posted by CRussel

Amen! When you read a book written in English, you should read it in the original English. And if that means you need to look up a term that is unfamiliar, that's just a learning opportunity. I'd say the same applies to non-English language books, except that isn't really realistic for those of us who are monoglots. (I know, I live in a country where there are two _official_ languages, and an untold number of other native languages, and I only speak one of them. Pathetic, but I appear to be too old to learn a new language. And yes, I've tried.)

FWIW, even Canadian is quite a bit different from American English, and I don't just mean the accent. We have garburators in our kitchens and chesterfields in our living rooms.

Eh! (I once made a custom BIOS for our Canadian office development system. Replaced 'What?" with "Eh? " . Took them MONTHS to notice )

I have no problem with adding end notes or a glossary for the education of non-native dialect speakers.