Like many of us, oceanographer Seth McAllister is a Harry Potter fan.
But while typical fans might own the series’ seven books, plus additional titles and maybe a special edition or two, McAllister has made it his mission to collect a copy of every authorized translation of the series, as well as editions with special cover art. He’s also commissioned and collected art from various international Harry Potter illustrators.
McAllister’s personal Harry Potter library currently numbers 442 books from around the world, in more than 90 languages.
His goal is to celebrate the languages of the world through these translations, and he’s not only chosen a fun series to do so, but a fitting one; the first book, Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone, is one of the twenty most-translated books in the world.
Read on to learn more about how McAllister has acquired all of these magical tomes, and for an extra treat, visit his Instagram for lots of photos of his books!
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