One of the best magazines I read is Entertainment Weekly. I appreciate the fact that this particular publication keeps the focus on entertainment news rather then on gossip and tedious tidbits. As a longtime subscriber, I was pleasantly surprised to see "Harry Potter" author J.K. Rowling on this week's cover as "Entertainer of the Year". God knows she deserves it.
If you haven't heard of Harry Potter, you probably have secluded yourself from every form of multimedia available. When the seventh and final installment of the Potter series came out this summer, the media was on high alert as were the millions of fans eager to read the book. As an avid fan, I was not disappointed with the end result. Rowling has created a world of magic and intrigue, and her books merit several re-reads. Flat out, she is a wonderfully talented author who has captured the public's imagination.
To see the author of a series of books named "Entertainer of the Year" was a breath of fresh air for me. God knows Rowling deserves it for her impact on so many fans. Her books are the mainstay of all ages and have translated very successfully into the big screen. I firmly believe Rowling is deserving of the rewards she has gained for her work and love the fact that on top of everything else she is a "rags to riches" story. Who doesn't love that?
If you get a chance, pick up a copy of EW and check it out. As the magazine points out, Rowling has made a book the hot new accessory and it is about damn time.
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9 comments:
You know, I guess I've never seen a picture of J.K. Rowling before, but she's pretty hot stuff.
Damn time indeed. I may not be a fan of the Potter stuff (just not my genre), but I applaud any writer who makes it big and gets people reading again. Especially kids. As much as I love movies, there's something about a good book that can engage the mind and imagination like nothing else. Kudos to her on the win, and for EW acknowledging a writer's impact.
An author of books for CHILDRENS no less! I think it's great to see. HP books are a great example of all-ages material - stories that children and adults enjoy. Stories that do not talk down to readers and can breach generation gaps to capture the imagination of people of all ages. Way to go JK!
I'm not sure I'd describe a writer as an entertainer. Certainly, many books are entertaining, but that's not quite the same thing.
I'd expect an entertainer to be a performer of some kind. If you are going to include everyone who is involved in the creation of things that entertain, then that's a very wide brief.
Wow, I am the problem child yet again. I don't have a problem with J.K. Rowling receiving awards and bringing books back to children and adults. Buttttttttt, I hated H.P. And The Half-Blood Prince and the last book... Well, it was pretty much a disappointment to me. The series really captured me, I read the first 5 at least 3 times, twice to my girls aloud. But then the 6th book basically turned me against Harry Potter. The ending felt forced and like she derailed the Hogwart's Express right off the rails into the river. And the last book tried to recapture the feeling but seemed even more rushed and forced to me. And some of the bits really upset me, some of my favorite characters were not even worthy of making a real appearance much less an actual death "on stage" in the book! How ignoble! And then several weeks after the book comes out, Dumbledore is gay! Gosh, 'cause aside from pc bull----, that matters how again? I am happy for her, I am happy that she brought books back to 'sexy' and her Cinderella story but I was savagely and forgivingly disappointed with the end of the series and won't pick it up again for love or money. And unless it's a barn-burner, I won't be picking up her proposed detective novel...
Whoops, I mean "non forgivingly" of course.
I am still quite giddy about this. Having a writer create a book that spawns successful movies and RPG makes Rowling versatile, and isn't that what entertainment is all about? When an idea becomes an empire, success is assured.
I am sorry to hear that some of you do not agree. That is okay though. I am sure there are other folks who you may think are more deserving, and that is fantastic. Much like Rowling, we all deserve a chance!
I wasn't touched by what I read.
and if you are going to make anything about HP an entertainer of the year... screw the writer. I form the voices in my head.
ah well.
Me!
Having a writer create a book that spawns successful movies and RPG makes Rowling versatile, and isn't that what entertainment is all about?
No. It's not. Entertainment is about many things, but it is not about merchandising.
And creating a character or story that is then taken by others and translated into other formats does not mean that the original creator is versatile.
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