Different Harry Potter Versions?

[Nepal4me]

I have noticed there are 2 Harry Potter 1st books, one called The Sorcerer's Stone and one called The Philosopher's Stone.

Also the lengths of the books are different. One is about 280 pages, one about 340 pages.

Can anybody tell me why this is?

[HeavyDrinker]

They are both the same.

The yanks couldn't understand the concept of Flamel being a philosopher, plus they couldn't say it properly.

Now go away as Harry Potter makes me velly angly!!!

[Totster]

There is no difference. When JKR's agent when shopping for a US publisher, they were told that the book was "too British". As a result a number of editorial changes were made to make the book more "understandable" to American readers. Most of the changes were in adopting US spelling for word and using US synonyms for some words that they thought would confuse the reader, like "soccer" for "football".

The change everyone talks about is the change in the title. The publisher thought that "Philosopher's Stone" was too arcane for American children and had "Sorcerer's Stone" substituted.

I copied this from a google search.....

totster

[AnotherOneAmerican]

Sorcerer's Stone (US Version) is illustrated, so longer.

Philosophers Stone (UK Version) is not.

[Totster]

Another link (again from Google)

http://www.hp-lexicon.org/about/books/ps/differences-ps.html (lists the differences)

totster

[AnotherOneAmerican]

Another link (again from Google)

http://www.hp-lexicon.org/about/books/ps/differences-ps.html (lists the differences)

totster

They don't mention the illustrations.

[USNret]

Most of the changes were in adopting US spelling for word and using US synonyms for some words that they thought would confuse the reader, like "soccer" for "football".

The change everyone talks about is the change in the title. The publisher thought that "Philosopher's Stone" was too arcane for American children and had "Sorcerer's Stone" substituted.

American children? Heck, I have trouble enough understanding what you Brits are saying half the time. Some talked about "posting home" or such nonsense. To me, that meant adding a new comment on TV.com, but I later perceived he was talking about mailing something home. In American parlance, a philosopher is someone who thinks great thoughts (e.g., Plato) whereas a sorcerer is a magician of sorts.

In sports (like quidditch) "pitch" would mean to throw the ball. Of course, in England it means the field of play. When will British people learn to speak English?

[RabC]

Most of the changes were in adopting US spelling for word and using US synonyms for some words that they thought would confuse the reader, like "soccer" for "football".

The change everyone talks about is the change in the title. The publisher thought that "Philosopher's Stone" was too arcane for American children and had "Sorcerer's Stone" substituted.

American children? Heck, I have trouble enough understanding what you Brits are saying half the time. Some talked about "posting home" or such nonsense. To me, that meant adding a new comment on TV.com, but I later perceived he was talking about mailing something home. In American parlance, a philosopher is someone who thinks great thoughts (e.g., Plato) whereas a sorcerer is a magician of sorts.

In sports (like quidditch) "pitch" would mean to throw the ball. Of course, in England it means the field of play. When will British people learn to speak English?

QED

[SeaVisionBurma]

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