In the News

J.K. Rowling Hosts Party Before Auction of "Tales of Beedle the Bard"

J.K. Rowling
Posted by: Sue
December 11, 2007, 01:41 AM

Author J.K. Rowling hosted a party tonight in honor of the upcoming Sotheby's auction of the "Tales of Beedle the Bard" book. Metro reports that Jo gave a reading of fairy tales mentioned in the final Harry Potter novel before they are auctioned to raise money for a children's charity. You can see photos of JKR at this event, here via Getty, and Rex Features.

As reported previously, Sotheby's will be auctioning off a special hand-written book by J.K. Rowling called "The Tales of Beedle the Bard" which were mentioned in "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows." All proceeds from this auction will benefit The Children's Voice charity. The book is one of seven that Jo created, with the other six going as gifts to special friends of the author. The book is currently on display in London, England before it goes up for auction this Thursday. You can see additional photos of this unique book here in our galleries, and read Melissa's special preview of the book, here.

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45 Comments

Patrick

Jo didn’t invite me?!

Posted by Patrick on December 11, 2007, 01:58 AM report to moderator
Amy S

Jo’s looking fabulous, as always :) Anyone who got to go to this is extremely lucky!!

Posted by Amy S on December 11, 2007, 02:03 AM report to moderator
katie

You mean these people got the hear the story from Jo!

Oh my god that is Awesome!!!

Dang nabbit, I cannot possibly say the word Awesome without getting Whommpy’s House of Awesome song stuck in my head!

Posted by katie on December 11, 2007, 02:05 AM report to moderator
sammy

She did a reading and we’ll never get to here it…damn!

Posted by sammy on December 11, 2007, 02:22 AM report to moderator
Zamboni

Am I the only one feeling a bit like this book, which none of us are aver going to know the contents of, written by an author we have devotedly followed for ten years, is getting dangled over our noses and taunted with it?

At this point I’m coming to the conclusion that the contents of this (probably) amazing book will never be published for mass consumption, and I won’t be able to read it because I’m not a billionaire. I’m more than a little upset about this.

Posted by Zamboni on December 11, 2007, 02:27 AM report to moderator
Qwill

Hee Hee Hee! Who is Whompy?

Yep! My toenails are turning green with jealousy. I wish Jo all the best with her auction.

Posted by Qwill on December 11, 2007, 02:32 AM report to moderator
Mom Weasley

Well, at least my 15.00 for the booklet went to a good cause. I, however, have never received it. I’m more than just a tad disappointed and totally disgusted with Sothebys. I could cry actually. I really wanted to see it.

Posted by Mom Weasley on December 11, 2007, 03:03 AM report to moderator
katie

Whompy is the Whomping Willows who is Matt Magocomo which is my favorite wizard wrock band ever.

His song ‘Oh Christmas Tree’ is on jingle spells and you can hear it on his myspace www.myspace.com/thewhompingwillows

Posted by katie on December 11, 2007, 03:29 AM report to moderator
Fer_keeper

I am sorry to hear that Mom Weasley… it could have got lost among the xmas tons of mail (I hate when that happens).

Posted by Fer_keeper on December 11, 2007, 03:41 AM report to moderator
Fer_keeper

I would like to add that I also feel a little (okay, a LOT) envious of all those peeps who will hear/read the story. Yet, I will not lose hope about that little book getting published, not until I am buried six feet under!

Posted by Fer_keeper on December 11, 2007, 03:43 AM report to moderator
Renee

I’m sad that it’s being dangled about us but none of us will ever have the chance to read it because we’re not rolling in the dough. sigh

But, to the person that ordered the booklet from Sotheby’s and didn’t receive it, e-mail the catalogue department with your order number and tell them you didn’t get it. I ordered both catalogues (the HUGE one with a small mention of the book as well as the special booklet) and the HUGE one came damaged and I hadn’t received the booklet when I e-mailed them about it. They sent another copy of each, both of which, thankfully, came undamaged (and the booklet turned up the two days after I had e-mailed saying I didn’t get it). Woo-hoo!

Posted by Renee on December 11, 2007, 03:55 AM report to moderator
Amy S

Has Jo ever said that this book is “never to be published”? No, she hasn’t has she? Then it will be published. Simple as that folks. I bet you plans are already in the works, but obviously if they are they can’t be made public yet because it would decrease the value of this book. Sit tight guys.

Posted by Amy S on December 11, 2007, 03:59 AM report to moderator
Bandersnatch

Jo is doing a wonderful thing for charity. She is under no obligation to make public everything she writes. Sure, a part of me wishes that I too could read the Tales of Beedle the Bard (and I hope you’re right, Amy, that eventually it might go public in some form), but I respect what she is doing and wish her all the best with this charity auction.

So no, I do not feel like Jo is doing any kind of “dangling.” “You can’t always get what you want,” as the Rolling Stones once said.

Posted by Bandersnatch on December 11, 2007, 04:34 AM report to moderator
Qwill

Thanks, Katie.

Posted by Qwill on December 11, 2007, 04:44 AM report to moderator
chaser ginny

“I’m sad that it’s being dangled about us but none of us will ever have the chance to read it because we’re not rolling in the dough. sigh”

It’s the feeling of many, renee.

Posted by chaser ginny on December 11, 2007, 05:11 AM report to moderator
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