Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone

Harry Potter is a genuine phenomenon, and a large part of that is that this book is perfect. Rowling’s description of Potter’s entry into the world of Hogwarts, the eccentricities of wizards and magic, the joy of finally finding a place that you belong, is luminescent, iridescent, funny and poignant.

I don’t see much point in writing a longer review, since everybody knows Harry Potter. I have a lot of problems with the setting, the over-arching plot, and the politics of the characters as the series develops, but this book is amazing, with a lightness and attention to the craft of wordsmithing that are truly amazing.