They are children's books (Was: the heart of it all)

[Penny Linsenmayer]

No: HPFGUIDX 81990

Hi -

Golly said:
> 
> I think that it is too soon to call the HP series anything  
> 
> I'm not sure how future generations will react to HP.  I'm waiting to 
> see. 

Fair enough.  As for me, I'm betting on them standing the test of time
and academic and popular scrutiny.  <g>

> King and Rowling have each had criticism from the same corner.  The 
> so called Ivory Tower.  The difference is that from the start, being 
> popular has earned Rowling much praise.  Kids are obviously better 
> judges of literature than the average adult.

Eh, well, both authors have also had their share of praise from the
so-called Ivory Tower as well.  For Rowling, there was Nimbus - 2003,
 which featured over 70 academics (though some still graduate
students).  Most of these academics were enthusiastic fans of the
series, if not obsessives on the order of the average fan in attendance!  

The essays included in each of "The Ivory Tower and Harry Potter" (ed.
Lana Whited) (excellent ...... I reviewed it in earlier this spring)
and "Reading Harry Potter" (ed. Giselle Anatol) are, on the whole,
quite complimentary to Rowling and her work.  Even some of the essays
included in Elizabeth's Heilman's "Multidisciplinary Perspectives on
Harry Potter" aren't entirely judgmental and critical.  Indeed my
sense is that the academic community believes the HP books *will* be
classics in due time (and deservedly so).  
> 
> I personally don't think Bloom is entirely off when he says that a 
> good chunk (ok he says all - but I take that as blustering extremism) 
> of Rowling's readers may grow up to read Stephen King over Hardy. A 
> good chunk of all readers grow up and never read classics after they 
> leave high school.

You discount Stephen King; I discount Bloom entirely.  I wouldn't
listen to a word he says in future, as I find most everything he says
on most topics to be pompous beyond measure.  

I said:
> >He did, after all, write
> > the NY Times review of GOF, so the the NY Times obviously felt he 
> was
> > "qualified" to review Rowling.  As to why he didn't write the 
> official
> > NY Times review this go around, well, I have my theories.......... 
> 
Golly queried: > And they are....

Oh, just that the NY Times is entrenched/invested in the whole
"children's bestseller list" debacle.  It's in *their* interest to
have the HP series remain labeled "children's lit," is it not?  If
it's *not* children's lit, then .....er.....Rowling's novels deserve
to be reinstated to their rightful place on the "regular" bestseller
list, yes?  :--)
  
> The NY times felt that Byatt was qualified to review Rowling and many 
> amongst this fanbase disagreed.

Yes, I'm among those who thought her review was wrong-headed on many,
if not most, points.

<<<<<<<<The Wallstreet Journal thought Bloom 
> was qualified to review Rowling.  I felt his discussion was a bit off 
> point.  He had a few good points, but some of it is too strident for 
> children's books. (Remember he reviewed PS)>>>>>>>>>>

He reviewed PS on the basis of having read the first "few chapters." 
He didn't even bother to read the entire book.  That hardly qualifies
him to write a review in a respected publication such as the Journal.
   I don't put much stock in reviews written by people who haven't
even bothered to read the entire book they are reviewing.  

Golly: > Realistically if HP 7 is meant for a 17 year old, it will be
an adult 
> novel. That is perhaps the weirdest thing about the series.   I will 
> be interested to see how that plays out. I figure I have at least a 
> decade to wait.   

Oh, I *knew* we'd eventually agree on something!  <g>

Of course, the question becomes: if Book 7 is technically speaking an
"adult" novel (and I think you have to go by the fact that Rowling has
been consistent about age 17 being "adult" in the wizarding world and
that Harry will turn 17 at the *beginning* of Book 7), then how is the
*series* to be viewed?  "Children's literature except for the last
volume"???  It is my opinion that the series will eventually be viewed
as either a hybrid of juvenile/YA/adult OR as just literature.  Just
literature without any tags or qualifiers.  

Penny