Quidditch Through the Ages (Paperback)

‘A Warning: If you rip, tear, shred, bend, fold, deface, disfigure, smear, smudge, throw, drop or in any other manner damage, mistreat or show lack of respect towards this book, the consequences will be as awful as it is within my power to make them.’ Irma Pince, Hogwarts Librarian
 
Do you know your Quaffle-pocking from your Haver-sacking?
The noble sport of Quidditch, as any self-respecting witch or wizard knows, has a long, distinguished (and not infrequently painful) history. It is an unfortunate truth that no spell exists to allow even the most advanced spell-casters to fly without the aid of magical devices. There is of course, always the transfiguration option and by all means give that a try if the mood takes you although why anybody would want the brain of a pigeon just to be able to fly like one is beyond me.
 
By far and away the most exciting way to fly is by broomstick and from the earliest days of their development there have been games from the simple Swedish broom race (simple if you don’t count the dragon reservation the course passes through) to the Irish Aingingein where competitors battled to score goals whilst racing through burning barrels. The only real game, of course, is Quidditch.
 
Learn about your favourite teams, investigate how the sport grew from a violent pastime to an international sensation and learn the curious mystery behind the introduction of the crucial fourth ball, the golden snitch.
Now legendary Quidditch expert Kennilworthy Whisp has taken time out from retirement backgammon-playing to put pen to paper and record everything about this noble sport. Astonish your friends with your astounding facts, brush-up on your technique and choose your favourite players.
Oh and don’t forget to hide it from the Muggles.
 
A perennial bestseller in the wizarding world and one of the most popular books in the Hogwarts School library, Quidditch Through the Ages contains all you will ever need to know about the history, the rules - and the breaking of the rules - of the noble sport of Quidditch.
 
Packed with fascinating facts, this definitive guide by the esteemed Quidditch writer Kennilworthy Whisp charts the game's history from its early origins in the medieval mists on Queerditch Marsh, through to the modern-day sport loved by so many wizard and Muggle families around the world. With comprehensive coverage of famous Quidditch teams, the commonest fouls, the development of racing brooms, and much more, this is a must-have sporting bible for all Harry Potter fans, Quidditch lovers and players, whether the weekend amateur or the seasoned Chudley Cannons season-ticket holder.
 
This brand new edition of the most famous sports book in the wizarding world pairs J.K. Rowling's original text, with gorgeous jacket art by Jonny Duddle and line illustrations throughout by Tomislav Tomic. A contribution from the sale of each book will go to Comic Relief.