Anna Burnside is surprised and saddened that readers voted JK Rowling the greatest living writer in the UK.
...it came as something of a surprise to discover that readers of The Book Magazine have voted J K Rowling as the greatest living writer in Britain. How can this be? She is no more the greatest living writer in Britain than George Galloway is the greatest living statesman, or Jack Vettriano is the greatest living artist. She is not even the greatest living writer of children’s books. She had one good idea that became a formula that she has now worked into the ground.
Her books are astoundingly successful and have made her a fortune of £435m. This does not make them works of literary merit. I don’t grudge her the money. I did grudge every minute I spent with Harry, Ron, Hermione and that bloody stone.
i cant disagree, i think JK Rowling is overrated, she just has one good idea, she is like a company with 1 blockbuster product, that doesnt make the company great. likewise one good idea turned into a book doesnt make JK Rowling great
Posted by
ada-paavi!!!! |
1:56 PM, June 11, 2006
With all due respects to Anna Burnside (who????) and Srivatsan, I beg to disagree with this opinion. You can fool adults - the pseudo intellectuals more easily at that, not children. It's more difficult to live up to the expectation of a child than an adult.
And she captivated the hearts of children and adults alike. My brother, 16, is counting down to the release of the next book. Much more than the release of his Playstation game, "Hitman: Blood money". That is magic. That is the success of an author. If I were to give him a copy of Catcher in the Rye or Hemingway, he'll see to it that my family disowns me. So I don't see why she shouldn't be considered the greatest living writer in Britain.
"I did grudge every minute I spent with Harry, Ron, Hermione and that bloody stone."
That confirms my theory. Most of the people who pass such comments are either envious or ignorant - never getting past chapter twelve of book 1.
Posted by
Krithiga |
8:36 PM, June 11, 2006
I have been silent because this deserves a proper analysis. I am an ardent fan of Rowling and I have no qualms admitting that I eagerly look forward to and stay up late to finish each of her books. Yeah, I even re-read them.
IMHO, in every sphere of doing, be it writing or movies or whatever, the popular achievers never get due credit for their skills. Somehow the whole popularity (and money therefore) that such a person enjoys turns the highly qualified set against them. While there may be some media created celebs, you can see that they fizzle out in no time if they do not have noteworthy talent. Rowling is exceptionally talented - there is no denying that. To judge her choice by certain limited standards and call her overrated is underestimating the discerning capacity of a large percentage of the population. That is sad.
I will chew on this a bit and do a post. Soon.
Posted by
Echo/Lavanya |
4:39 PM, June 12, 2006
Hear, hear.
Posted by
Krithiga |
8:13 PM, June 12, 2006