There are two pieces of news online tonight regarding Harry Potter author J. K. Rowling and honors she recently received. First, the Mythopoeic Society, which is a non-profit agency promoting the study and enjoyment of mythic literature, has chosen Ms. Rowling the winner of its Mythopoeic Fantasy Award for Children’s Literature. This award “honors books for younger readers (from “Young Adults” to picture books for beginning readers), in the tradition of The Hobbit or The Chronicles of Narnia.” J. K. Rowling was chosen by society members for this award which nominates and awards authors for their work annually.
On a related note, Ms. Rowling has been included on a list Britain’s best-loved authors. The Telegraph reports that Ms. Rowling came in number three on the list, with authors Enid Blyton and Roald Dahl coming in first and second. This list, created to mark the 2008 Costa Book Awards, polled adult readers on their favorite authors. Authors who made the top ten include: Jane Austen, William Shakespeare, Charles Dickens, JRR Tolkien, Agatha Christie, Stephen King, and Beatrix Potter. The full list of fifty authors can be found via this link.
Wow! Third on the list! Surprising to be up there with Shakespeare, Austen, Dickens, Tolkien… WOW! I guess Rowling is noted that HP got more people to read so in a way that makes sense. I always dreaded reading in school especially classics by Shakespeare and Tolkien. I have great appreciation for them now but as a junior high and high school student, they were a pain to read! I envy the kids that got to read HP for their classes!! Ugh! I was born in the wrong time LOL
No wonder ‘Harry Potter and The [name one of the 7]’ is on my son’s High School AP English Reading list, this year! He’s a senior, and I was very surprised to see ‘Harry Potter’ on an AP English/Lit Reading List. I’m not surprised, now! Fantastic, Jo. You have not only inspired kids to read, you’ve inspired Teachers to encourage imagination and reading to their students…at ALL levels! Congratulations and thank you, for your sharing of your imagination, with the world! BRAVO!
I would re-order that list a bit, but yeah, well done Jo. If she’s apparently a better author than tolkien or shakespeare, then I think WB should respect her a bit more….
I think WB show Jo a startling amount of respect actually Pigwidgeon. I’ve never know a writer to have so much power on one of their projects. This is a nice honour and pretty cool that only her and Stephen King are the only living authors in the top 10
Congratulations Jo! Very impressive to be included on the list with those authors. She has definitely earned her spot there. She deserves every award she has recieved and many more, in my opinion.
well deserved, but where in the 50 is lewis carroll? where is robert louis stevenson? where the bloody hell is jm barrie? rushdie? joyce? umberto eco? mervyn sodding peake? and WHY is dan brown there? i’m just thankful they haven’t included ian mcewan – then we’d really be in trouble.
I agree that Dan Brown is a stretch, but JK Rowling’s style of writing includes major themes used in great literature, and her mastery of plot detail is excellent. The Harry Potter series appeals to children and adults as well. thanks you Jo!
Wow! Third on the list! Surprising to be up there with Shakespeare, Austen, Dickens, Tolkien… WOW! I guess Rowling is noted that HP got more people to read so in a way that makes sense. I always dreaded reading in school especially classics by Shakespeare and Tolkien. I have great appreciation for them now but as a junior high and high school student, they were a pain to read! I envy the kids that got to read HP for their classes!! Ugh! I was born in the wrong time LOL