Harry Potter and History
Harry Potter lives in a world that is both magical and historical. Hogwarts pupils ride an old-fashioned steam train to school, notes are taken on parchment with quill pens, and Muggle legends come to life in the form of werewolves, witches, and magical spells. This book is the first to explore the real history in which Harry's world is rooted.
Did you know that bezoars and mandrakes were fashionable luxury items for centuries? Find out how Europeans first developed the potions, spells, and charms taught at Hogwarts, from Avada Kedavra to love charms. Learn how the European prosecution of witches led to the Statute of Secrecy, meet the real Nicholas Flamel, see how the Malfoys stack up against Muggle English aristocrats, and compare the history of the wizarding world to real-life history.
- Gives you the historical backdrop to Harry Potter's world
- Covers topics ranging from how real British boarding schools compare to Hogwarts to how parchment, quills, and scrolls used in the wizarding world were made
- Includes a timeline comparing the history of the wizarding world to Muggle "real" history
Filled with fascinating facts and background, Harry Potter and History is an essential companion for every Harry Potter fan.
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Book details
- Edited by
- Nancy R. Reagin
- Imprint
- Trade Paper Press, an imprint of Turner Publishing Company
- Published
- Pages
- 352
- Formats
- Paperback, Hardcover
- Series
- Wiley Pop Culture and History Series
- Subjects
- Literary Criticism › Children's & Young Adult Literature
Literary Criticism › Science Fiction & Fantasy
Literary Criticism › European › English, Irish, Scottish, Welsh - Topics
- history of magic · witchcraft history · fantasy literary criticism · European folklore · mythology and legend · medieval history
- ISBN-13
- 9780470574720 (Paperback)9798887980096 (Hardcover)
About the author
NANCY R. REAGIN is a Distinguished Professor of European history and gender studies at Pace University, with four books in modern European history. Her recent books include Star Wars and History, Star Trek and History and Harry Potter and History.
Reagin has been awarded fellowships by the National Endowment for the Humanities. She holds a Ph.D. from Johns Hopkins University and has published scholarly work on German gender history, national identities, and consumer cultures, including A German Women’s Movement: Class and Gender in Hanover, 1880–1933 and Sweeping the German Nation: Domesticity and National Identity in Germany, 1870–1945.
Nancy lives in New York, NY.