July 21...don't bother me for 24 hours...and now to reread the HP series in preperation

It is official: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows will be released on July 21...and the muggles rejoice.

Portland, ME is planning an amazing celebration...including using the narrow gauge railroad as the Hogwarts Express and "building" a facsimile of Diagon Alley at the routes end in a huge turn of the century warehouse complex. It should be a great evening. Of course, the next day will be a complete write-off as a "reading day".

Update: Interesting trivia pulled from announcement article:

• The series has sold over 325 million copies worldwide in 64 languages
• In the first 24 hours of sales, the last book sold 2,009,574 copies in Britain and came close to nine million sales in the US (of the 10.8 million US "first editions")
• The series is so important to Bloomsbury's earning that the release was announced at the London Stock Exchange.

One can sate most/all their HP trivia/background/etc. info needs at the surprisingly well referenced wikepedia entry.