The Shadow of Harry Potter
Launch
Audible
4.6 • 542 Ratings
🗓️ 23 January 2018
⏱️ 46 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
Saying “It’s like Harry Potter” is a useful way to describe a book, but He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named should absolutely not be named in children’s publishing. Like Facebook or Instagram, it’s the unicorn that warps the industry, and “sets impossible expectations,” according to editor Connie Hsu.
Most middle-grade fantasy series are duds, so not only might Arlo Finch not become Harry Potter, it might not become anything at all.
To hear more episodes, listen exclusively with Wondery+. Join Wondery+ for this and more exclusives, binges, early access, and ad free listening. Available in the Wondery App. https://wondery.app.link/mT4GXWxqdab
Support us by supporting our sponsors!
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Transcript
Click on a timestamp to play from that location
| 0:00.0 | You probably recognize this melody. |
| 0:08.2 | It's John Williams' theme to Harry Potter. |
| 0:10.9 | It may be the most recognizable movie music since Star Wars. |
| 0:17.5 | Harry Potter is to books what Star Wars is to movies. |
| 0:20.9 | Not just a blockbuster, but a defining event, a game changer. |
| 0:25.1 | When it was first published 20 years ago, there'd never been anything like it. |
| 0:29.0 | It permanently reset the expectations about what a kid's book could do. |
| 0:33.3 | It is Potter mania. |
| 0:35.0 | Thousands of fans are lining up as we speak, anxiously waiting to get their |
| 0:39.0 | hands on that final Harry Potter book. The Barnes & Noble on Wolf Road turned into Hogwarts. |
| 0:43.8 | I'm wearing the Gryffindor robe. The Potter series has sold 325 million copies in 64 languages. |
| 0:52.8 | In this episode, we're going to talk about Harry Potter |
| 0:55.3 | and how, for better or worse, |
| 0:57.5 | my book will be living in its shadow. |
| 0:59.7 | Right now, two weeks before it comes out, |
| 1:02.1 | expectations for Arlo Finch are high, |
| 1:04.1 | but are they too high? |
| 1:05.6 | Just reading it for me, |
| 1:07.2 | it was like this experience of feeling like |
| 1:09.8 | this is the American version of what Harry Potter was for Brits. |
| 1:13.3 | Everybody wants the next Harry Potter. You don't even need to say that. |
| 1:16.8 | So, did I write the next Harry Potter? |
... |
Please login to see the full transcript.
Disclaimer: The podcast and artwork embedded on this page are from Audible, and are the property of its owner and not affiliated with or endorsed by Tapesearch.
Generated transcripts are the property of Audible and are distributed freely under the Fair Use doctrine. Transcripts generated by Tapesearch are not guaranteed to be accurate.
Copyright © Tapesearch 2026.