weepingwall said:

Yes, we all are unique in our own different ways and I am sure there is something genius in all of us. I just happen to think she is a brilliant writer. I know I can't do what she does.

yes

now going 2 read this thread

ok, JK is a genius
She HAS got children reading- i have seen this first hand working in a book shop- many a parent has said that their child/children weren't reading until they started HP- and they didnt stop there! Many adults r now reading childrens fiction- sometimes kids books r better than adults!

its when u re-read the HP series that the true genius of JK's writing come out- things that r mentioned in passing in earlier books become major plot lines in latter books- peeves breaks the vanishing cabinet in book 2?(those who have read will no where im going here- not spoiling it 4 those who havent- read the books ) she must have had the major plot lines figured out from day dot- and just tweaked them as she went along

she has got kids (and adults) reading- thats got 2 b a good thing, right?
[Edited 7/27/07 20:58pm]

lazycrockett said:

Is it okay if her work is genius to a 12 year old? If not there are going to a be numerous pissed off kids reading Shakespeare. Literature is a neato word for a book.

DarkKnight1 said:

u have 2 get a kid 2 read full stop, b4 they can even attempt "literature" - and JK is doing that.

i personally dont like "literature", mass market all the way 4 me

who decides if something is "literature" or not- if ppl like it, who really cares anyway.
HP may not b classed as "literature", but it will certainly go down as "classics"

abierman said:

I second that but instead of idiots I would say they are emotionally gullible.

greenpixies said:

What emotions? Doesnt everything elicit some kind of emotion?

MissMe said:

well, whatever it is she's doing I hope she continues it because I've never seen so many kids so excited about reading in a very long time.

DarkKnight1 said:

I mean emotionally gullible in the sense that people latch onto Harry Potter because it is limitless and unrealistic. Fantasy can have realistic qualitites such as certain 'laws of physics' that guide the books narrative. People like escape and dramas about unreachable heights because it takes them away from the cold dark world of responsiblilty and nobility and faithfullness. And yes, everything elicits emotion but is it reasonable and useful emotion?


And yes, I think in the dark secular pop culture JKR is smart.

greenpixies said:

Could not have said that any better.

greenpixies said:

We're talking about fiction here... entertainment. Name a piece of fiction that elicits "useful" emotion. I'm not sure exactly what you mean by "useful" emotion.

Lothan said:

yeah but that wasn't the point of the thread.

Ive read all of the books, and yes Ive enjoyed some of them. (Sorry, the Order and the Half-Prince droned On n On), but her style of writing is at best average if not stiff. Yes she can progress a story from A to B, and move a plot along, but theres enough plot holes to drive a truck through sometimes. Informations is brought up and then goes no where. Characters are introduced and then play little if no point in the story being told, its like they are only there to move the story along instead of having a purpose and then they just disappear and aren't heard anymore.

Like I said I don't mind the books, there fun to read, but her writing is not genius.

If you want to talk bout marketing, or getting kids to read and all that, then fine but thats more with the publishing people and the marketing people and not Rowlings herself.

The Public Relation people should be getting buckets of harry's gold for what they've done.

Rowling on the other hand doesn't deserve the title of genius.

lazycrockett said:

since Harry Potter there has been lots of "the next Harry Potter" and not one has come close 2 JK's series
promotion/marketing may/does play a huge part in her success, but if the product was crap- it wouldnt sell- ppl wouldnt keep coming back 4 more- or get so emotionally attached.

OOTP was huge, but this and HBP were used 2 set up the final book (i wasnt a huge fan of the chapter on Grawp but it set up harry and hermoines escape in the forbidden forest in book 5)


as for holes in plots etc- maybe she'll sit down and re edit one day- didnt tolkien revise his books?

No, her and Dan Brown have both used themes that were already out there. They've sold them to the masses, but they're not genius. IMO!


..
[Edited 7/28/07 3:06am]

evenstar3 said:

sorry, I'm just not into walking/talking trees.....


I'm sure I could make you happy!

greenpixies said:

An imagination is a terrible thing to waste.

Now - please, expound on what would be the definition of a "reasonable and useful emotion".

She's a genius at milking the U.K. benefits system!!!

Didn't she write the first book whilst claiming welfare?

I'm sure that if I was able to scrounge off other people's hard-earned taxes, I'd have the time to write a book too.

She should give back all the profits of her books to the Department of Social Security. If other people are found to be working whilst obtaining benefits they are usually fined - but she gets to make millions instead. It's a travesty.

And I'm only half-joking. It really does annoy me.

Justin1972UK said:

Even if she did so what? At least she was tryign to get off them. Obviously if she was still claiming benefits that would be really weird, but I dont think she is. Thats what the welfare system is there for, to help those in need until they can get back on track again.

coolcat said:

Lord of the Rings....I'll have to think of more later.

The first book made a huge impact on those who read them, what triggered one of the biggest word of mouth campaigns in the history of publishing.

All the books after that sold themselves, except now there was a huge hype surrounding it.

But this would not have happened if the books had been crap. They are not. They are NOT genius when it comes to actual writing, but they are when it comes to creaitng loveable characters and a rollercoaster plot that makes you want to find out what happens to the characters.

many adults read it too, I haven't read any of her books but my mom did. she said it was alright....someone said she what she wrote in the books had to do with a past life she had...hehe who knows.

abierman said:

I heard trees are actually alive and can communicate....some actually talk.

Justin1972UK said:

I'm no expert on her life and work, but didn't she write the first book while being unemployed and without being paid upfront for it? Meaning she wrote it and then searched for a publisher? If so, you should reconsider your opinion, I guess.

Genius isn't a subjetive thing:

GENIUS= MAXIMUM CREATIVITY, which leads to maximum originality

Now, you got the thread's answer: NO

But, are the Harry Potter books good for escapism? YES...

unlucky7 said:

what kind of tree-loving-hippy-bullshit is this?????

I don't know if I would call her genius, but she sure had me hooked at book 1!

It was around 2000, when Harry Potter was just starting to get some attention in the US. As a voracious reader, I wanted to see what all the commotion was about with these books. I bought the first one, and was obsessed! I had to get the second book, but couldn't find it in stores, and ended up buying it at my friend's daughter's school book fair, then had to order three and four through Amazon. You still couldn't find them in stores here at the time.

I told my friend and sister how great they were. They began to read it with skepticism, and they too were hooked from the first chapter.

I have three kids, ages 10, 11 and 14, and only my 14 year old has read the books, and only to get something out of it (computer time at home for instance). My other two kids could care less about Harry Potter and basically reading in general.

I think they're scary and evil.

K totally off topic but Ive always wondered why when I look @ my org, some threads are highlighted though nothing new has been posted and it stays highlighted. why?

nevermind it fixed itself.
[Edited 7/28/07 23:23pm]

lazycrockett said:

That happens when someone tries to post and the org hiccups leaving a blank like with NDRU's post. Then it stays highlighted until someone else posts.

coolcat said:

Thank you.