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A-Z of Harry Potter
An indispensable guide for Harry Potter fans of all ages.
Harry Potter is, without doubt, the publishing sensation of the past decade. Here for the first time in dictionary form is an unofficial readers' guide to all seven books.
From 'Animagus' (a wizard that can transform into an animal) to 'Zonkos' (the joke and gift shop in Hogsmeade), Aubrey Malone explores the characters, creatures, places and spells that JK Rowling has brought to life so successfully.
This is a must-have for all true Harry Potter fans, and the perfect way to celebrate the series that has captured the imagination of millions.
Harry Potter is, without doubt, the publishing sensation of the past decade. Here for the first time in dictionary form is an unofficial readers' guide to all seven books.
From 'Animagus' (a wizard that can transform into an animal) to 'Zonkos' (the joke and gift shop in Hogsmeade), Aubrey Malone explores the characters, creatures, places and spells that JK Rowling has brought to life so successfully.
This is a must-have for all true Harry Potter fans, and the perfect way to celebrate the series that has captured the imagination of millions.
- GenresNonfictionHarry Potter
211 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2007
About the author
Aubrey Malone
112 books33 followersBorn in the west of Ireland, Aubrey Malone was educated at University College, Dublin, graduating with a BA in English and philosophy. He did an M.A. in English, majoring in the literary style of Ernest Hemingway. He went on to write a biography of Hemingway for Robson Books in 1999. For ten years he was a teacher, before becoming a freelance journalist with various newspapers and magazines. He has written over fifty books, including the best-selling The Cynic's Dictionary (Prion). He mainly works in the non-fiction area but he has published two novels and a few collections of poetry and short stories. He has been writing professionally about the cinema since 1973.
His first book, Hollyweird (Michael O’Mara, 1994), focused on the eccentricities of film stars. He followed that up with two books on movies made in Ireland, Michael Collins and Ryan’s Daughter (GLI, both 1996). In 1997 he wrote The Rise and Fall and Rise of Elvis Presley (Leopold Publishing). Three years later he wrote I Was a Fugitive from a Hollywood Film Factory, subsequently reissued as Hollywood Trivia (Prion, 2004).
In 2011 he wrote Censoring Hollywood (McFarland), a book about the history of film censorship. The Defiant One, a biography of Tony Curtis (also McFarland) followed in 2013. In the same year he wrote Maureen O’Hara: A Biography for the University of Kentucky Press. McFarland also published Hollywood’s Second Sex, Malone’s history of the mistreatment of women in movies from 1900 to 1999, in 2016. ABC-CLIO published his study of spirituality in films, Sacred Profanity.
Writing Under the Influence, a study of the relationship between alcohol and literature for thirteen American authors, was published by McFarland in 2017. In 2018 he published a book about people who unfairly failed to win Oscars, And the Loser Is (Vernon Press). That year he also published The Elvis Diaries (One Media), a work of creative fiction based on fact. He is currently working on a biography of Sidney Lumet and an encyclopedia of LGBTQ films.
His first book, Hollyweird (Michael O’Mara, 1994), focused on the eccentricities of film stars. He followed that up with two books on movies made in Ireland, Michael Collins and Ryan’s Daughter (GLI, both 1996). In 1997 he wrote The Rise and Fall and Rise of Elvis Presley (Leopold Publishing). Three years later he wrote I Was a Fugitive from a Hollywood Film Factory, subsequently reissued as Hollywood Trivia (Prion, 2004).
In 2011 he wrote Censoring Hollywood (McFarland), a book about the history of film censorship. The Defiant One, a biography of Tony Curtis (also McFarland) followed in 2013. In the same year he wrote Maureen O’Hara: A Biography for the University of Kentucky Press. McFarland also published Hollywood’s Second Sex, Malone’s history of the mistreatment of women in movies from 1900 to 1999, in 2016. ABC-CLIO published his study of spirituality in films, Sacred Profanity.
Writing Under the Influence, a study of the relationship between alcohol and literature for thirteen American authors, was published by McFarland in 2017. In 2018 he published a book about people who unfairly failed to win Oscars, And the Loser Is (Vernon Press). That year he also published The Elvis Diaries (One Media), a work of creative fiction based on fact. He is currently working on a biography of Sidney Lumet and an encyclopedia of LGBTQ films.
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
September 1, 2010
Now, to most people who know me, I am considered a bit...well a lot of a Harry Potter fanatic so, it was only natural when Aubrey Malone's An A-Z of Harry Potter came into my possession. A little way into the first chapter I found that Malone had made a mistake in saying that Hermione transformed into an Otter as an Animagus however Hermione isn't actually an Animagus, an Otter is just the form of her Patronus. I passed this off as just a mere misunderstanding and continued to read on however, when I sat down and continued to read, I found a list of incorrect facts seeping through on the pages.
We are told many incorrect things such as Sirius Black supposedly dies protecting Harry from Voldemort as opposed to being hit by a killing curse sent by his cousin Bellatrix Lestrange during a duel in the Ministry of Magic - admittedly he was there with the rest of the Order to try and help Harry and his friends obtain the prophecy without being killed by Voldemort and his supporters. In the next few chapters we are informed that apparently Percy Weasley drove his father's flying Ford Anglia to no.4 Privet Drive to rescue Harry from his Aunt and Uncle rather than Fred, George and Ron Weasley, we are also told that Harry brews Felix Felicis in a Potions lesson in order to win an award...no, Harry brews The Draught of Living Death in order to win the Felix Felicis! In the G section Malone writes that Fenrir Greyback is a 'character who turns himself into a wolf' rather than actually being a Werewolf and unable to control transforming, and then once we stumble across the H's (by this time wondering why we are still reading)the news that, in the third book, Harry was prohibited from going to Hogsmeade by Professor McGonagall because Sirius Black is on the loose not because he didn't have consent from his Guardian! Next we are told that the Knight Bus rescues Harry From Privet drive in the first book rather than the third and then we come on to the section about Mad-eye Moody well, at first we are told that Moody's magical eye contains a Foe Glass...all I can say is it must have been a pretty big eye...we are also told in that section, that Horace Slughorn came out of retirement to take the post of Defence against the Dark Arts Professor rather than coming out of retirement to fill the post of Potions Master so that Severus Snape can fulfill his ambition to get the Defence Against the Dark Arts job. A few letters down the line when we find ourselves in the P's (which I will just add bears no mention of the boy himself, Harry!)We are astounded to hear that the key to Voldemort's Power is...The Philosophers Stone?!? I don't think so... In the S Section Malone wrongly passes Professor Sprout off as a man and finally she finishes her whole array of mistakes by saying that a Squib has to be a Pure Blood wizard not just one with only one magical parent.
Amongst all of the mistakes noted here and the mistakes not noted here there is nothing but internet type facts.
The book is marketed as 'An Indispensable Guide for Harry Potter Fans of All Ages' and a 'Must have for all TRUE Harry Potter fans' well all I can say is that any TRUE Harry Potter fans reading this book will be tearing their eyes out at how impossibly inaccurate an author can be.
We are told many incorrect things such as Sirius Black supposedly dies protecting Harry from Voldemort as opposed to being hit by a killing curse sent by his cousin Bellatrix Lestrange during a duel in the Ministry of Magic - admittedly he was there with the rest of the Order to try and help Harry and his friends obtain the prophecy without being killed by Voldemort and his supporters. In the next few chapters we are informed that apparently Percy Weasley drove his father's flying Ford Anglia to no.4 Privet Drive to rescue Harry from his Aunt and Uncle rather than Fred, George and Ron Weasley, we are also told that Harry brews Felix Felicis in a Potions lesson in order to win an award...no, Harry brews The Draught of Living Death in order to win the Felix Felicis! In the G section Malone writes that Fenrir Greyback is a 'character who turns himself into a wolf' rather than actually being a Werewolf and unable to control transforming, and then once we stumble across the H's (by this time wondering why we are still reading)the news that, in the third book, Harry was prohibited from going to Hogsmeade by Professor McGonagall because Sirius Black is on the loose not because he didn't have consent from his Guardian! Next we are told that the Knight Bus rescues Harry From Privet drive in the first book rather than the third and then we come on to the section about Mad-eye Moody well, at first we are told that Moody's magical eye contains a Foe Glass...all I can say is it must have been a pretty big eye...we are also told in that section, that Horace Slughorn came out of retirement to take the post of Defence against the Dark Arts Professor rather than coming out of retirement to fill the post of Potions Master so that Severus Snape can fulfill his ambition to get the Defence Against the Dark Arts job. A few letters down the line when we find ourselves in the P's (which I will just add bears no mention of the boy himself, Harry!)We are astounded to hear that the key to Voldemort's Power is...The Philosophers Stone?!? I don't think so... In the S Section Malone wrongly passes Professor Sprout off as a man and finally she finishes her whole array of mistakes by saying that a Squib has to be a Pure Blood wizard not just one with only one magical parent.
Amongst all of the mistakes noted here and the mistakes not noted here there is nothing but internet type facts.
The book is marketed as 'An Indispensable Guide for Harry Potter Fans of All Ages' and a 'Must have for all TRUE Harry Potter fans' well all I can say is that any TRUE Harry Potter fans reading this book will be tearing their eyes out at how impossibly inaccurate an author can be.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 2, 2025
Learnt new facts that my friends obviously already new sadly 😂
May 7, 2008
Enough to have anybody who has done more than flick through the book squeal in horror. The book is a muddle of inaccuracies (Fleur Delacour is a veela (really?!), Roockwood bring secrets to Voldemort from Hogwarts after escaping Azkaban, the philosopher’s stone holds the key to Voldermort’s power, a horde of owls descend on Privet Drive in the Philosopher’s Stone to alert Harry that he has gained a place at Hogwarts, Moaning Myrtle inhabits the boys’ toilets to get info on Draco Malfoy’s dodgy schemes and so on…)
The rest of the pages are filled with internet forum-style conjecture and random analysis (particularly sketchy was the section stating there were Christian overtones to the books as the children are sent home for the Easter and Christmas holidays).
It markets itself “an indispensable guide for Harry Potter fans of all ages”, but is peppered with words such as ‘apocryphal’, ‘Faustian’ and ‘ignominious’, while still managing to read as though it has been written by an 8 year old.
Most tellingly for a so-called A-Z of Harry Potter, under P you will find no mention at all of Harry Potter.
The rest of the pages are filled with internet forum-style conjecture and random analysis (particularly sketchy was the section stating there were Christian overtones to the books as the children are sent home for the Easter and Christmas holidays).
It markets itself “an indispensable guide for Harry Potter fans of all ages”, but is peppered with words such as ‘apocryphal’, ‘Faustian’ and ‘ignominious’, while still managing to read as though it has been written by an 8 year old.
Most tellingly for a so-called A-Z of Harry Potter, under P you will find no mention at all of Harry Potter.
August 11, 2018
I wish I could give this half a star. So many bad spelling errors and inaccurate information. Coming from a true passionate fan of Harry Potter, I am extremely disappointed.
December 2, 2025
This book tells any reader absolutely everything about Harry Potter (from A to Z) as described in the title. makes great reading and I am glad I bought it!!
December 18, 2016
Acho que alguns termos desse glossário estão muito simples, mas é legal para relembrar o nome de algumas pessoas, feitiços e objetos dos livros/filmes.
June 13, 2012
It was cool that everything about Harry Potter was in one place but there were lots of mistakes that the avid fan would pick out easily. Maybe because it was unofficial they couldn't put everything in correctly or what but everyone know professor sprout is female and not male and that Romilda vaine instead of Ronilda vaine. I just wish they could have been as true to what is actually in the books as possible.
November 21, 2013
ISBN? - 9781905548972
General Subject/s? - Harry Potter / JK Rowling / Fiction / Magic
Title? - Exactly what it says on the cover.
General Analysis? - A little short and not very detailed for my liking, as I already knew what the book told you. Nevertheless a handy guide to some of the aspects of the novels, particularly for those not as familiar with the series.
Recommend? – Not the best for true fans of Potter but a handy guide nonetheless.
General Subject/s? - Harry Potter / JK Rowling / Fiction / Magic
Title? - Exactly what it says on the cover.
General Analysis? - A little short and not very detailed for my liking, as I already knew what the book told you. Nevertheless a handy guide to some of the aspects of the novels, particularly for those not as familiar with the series.
Recommend? – Not the best for true fans of Potter but a handy guide nonetheless.
August 6, 2013
Where to start? I love the Harry Potter books and movies and was hoping this would give some extra insight or information. Some of it was neat to read but, there was a lot of facts that the author got wrong. If you have ever read the books, you can pick them out easily.
January 4, 2012
I am a GIANT Harry Potter fan and this is a great reference book.
August 1, 2015
This book has a lot of mistakes in it, but some interesting information.
March 15, 2016
This book was entertaining enough, but there were a number errors that could have been avoided with just a little bit more research.
February 15, 2008
A so-so compendium
April 2, 2017
Honestly would not bother if your after some real Harry Potter facts. One fact said the knight bus came to collect Harry in the first book, which is not true, it was the third book..
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews