The academic equivalent of Kramer*

Now and then (though not lately) I come up with hare-brained schemes to make me a fortune in lieu of finishing the PhD.

With the impending release of the final Harry Potter book and rampant speculation about the possible death of the eponymous hero, one of the biggest problems readers will encounter is avoiding being "spoiled" for the ending by an unthinking acquaintance or passer-by. Much like the recent ending of The Sopranos, people will be hard-pressed to hear nothing about it the next day, given the blanket media coverage and general word on the street. When a major character died at the end of the fifth Harry Potter book, for example, major newspapers ran obituaries for him/her within days.

So while readers can avoid all forms of media until they finish reading (and god help the poor reader who wants to prolong and savour the last Harry Potter), I believe I have found a solution to accidental revelations: T-shirts that read

I haven't finished reading it! Don't tell me if he dies!

I wonder if Chapters would let me set up a booth in store.

* all credit for the post title goes to Ross