On The Shelf

Again, a Wizard SummerThere’s less than a week to go before Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince invades our bookshelves. JK Rowling&...

Again, a Wizard Summer

There’s less than a week to go before Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince invades our bookshelves. JK Rowling’s publicists have once again primed her readers into charged anticipation, so this is as good a time as any to catch up with some of the earlier instalments. Here are the best three so far:

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
Potter 3 was the last book when Rowling showed even a semblance of an attempt to keep her books short and be kind to tender wrists. This was also a turning point in the saga when the narrative turned dark, and Rowling will have done well in Potter 6 if she can manage to introduce another concept as chilling as the Dementors.

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
Potter 4 is still a cracking good reread, and the unexpected death of one of Harry’s acquaintances still shocks. This is also a growing-up novel, with Harry and Ron suddenly given to rash acts to impress cheerleaders. It confirms their pal, Hermione, as a budding liberal, taking up the cause of school overworked employees.

Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone
This is where it all began. Instead of agonising over which major character will be killed off in Rowling’s penultimate Potter book, get lost in this introduction to Hogwarts, the Dursleys, and the school train.

Haryana cadre IPS officer Y Puran Kumar,

Puran Kumar names 10 IPS officers in ‘final note’, cites caste bias, humiliation

Cities1 hr ago

Haryana IPS officer Y Puran Kumar, 52, committed suicide after being mentally and administratively tortured by 3 retired IAS and 10 IPS officers. His wife, Amneet P Kumar, has refused a post-mortem until justice is served. His note details incidents of discrimination and harassment, and his wife demands action. Chandigarh Police is investigating.

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