Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets

5b J. K. Rowling. London: Bloomsbury, 1998. First Edition First Impression.

Notes

The second book in the Harry Potter series, Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets by J.K. Rowling, was first published in 1998. In this installment, Harry returns to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry for his second year, only to find the school plagued by mysterious attacks that petrify students. The legend of the "Chamber of Secrets" resurfaces, suggesting that a monster hidden within the school is responsible. As the mystery unfolds, Harry, along with Ron and Hermione, discovers that the chamber was opened by Tom Riddle—Voldemort in his younger form—through a magical diary. The creature responsible turns out to be a deadly basilisk controlled by Riddle. The novel deepens the series’ themes of identity, prejudice (especially through the concept of “pure-blood” wizardry), and the power of choice.

The first edition of Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets was published by Bloomsbury in the UK on July 2, 1998, with an initial print run of only about 10,000 copies—3,000 of which were hardcovers aimed at libraries. Due to the overwhelming success of the first book, demand for the sequel was high, and second and subsequent printings followed quickly. These later printings were nearly identical in content but can be distinguished by details on the copyright page, such as the number line (e.g., a “2” indicating a second printing).

Description

Pictorial boards with original pictorial dust jacket. Near pristine condition with only slight edge wear to head and foot of spine and some slight separation along the spine from the interior text.