My theme for 2013 is Influential Women Authors.
My definition of influential is any author, classic or modern, who has inspired writers, readers, or the larger scope of culture. Some are personal favorites, or have special meaning to me.
What this list is not: a list of the most influential writers of all time. Rather, this is a collection of influential writers, corresponding with each day's letter.
For the full list of participating blogs, click here.
R: JK Rowling
No brainer. This woman has influenced our culture so greatly in the past 15 years. It is the best selling book series of all time, it became the possibly most successful movie franchise in history, launched a theme park, and have delighted millions of children and adults worldwide.
The boy who lived was once a mere idea in a woman's head on a train ride home. Aren't you glad she thought to write her story to share with the rest of us?What I love about these books is how immersive the world is. Everything from the goings-on at Hogwarts, the specific spells they learned, the elaborate backstory of so many characters like Harry's parents, and Dumbledore, and how it all worked together. Some of it was typical kids at a boarding school fiction stuff, but infused with magic it really became something else.
I loved how consistent the themes of friendship and working together remained. Harry needed his friends to defeat evil, he simply could not have done it alone.
No question, the Harry Potter books have influenced an entire generation--the books and the movies. I love it when art influences art. This link to a drawing of If Harry Potter was Anime is AMAZING. I have saved this in my bookmarks since I found it. Keep scrolling, it continues with more characters.
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I still remember reading the first book. I kept hearing about it and hearing about it and then I finally said fine I will see what the hype is all about. It was refreshing to see there was no hype, just an amazing book.
ReplyDeleteI remember when the HP and The Prisoner of Azkaban hit the shelves and my little brother-in-law suggested I read it. The plots sounded dumb at the time (sorry) but I promised I would give them a chance and I did. I've been grateful to him ever since, although the wait between each of the HP books was excruciating for years to come.
ReplyDeleteJ.K. Rowling hit the ball out of the park with her series and I'm grateful to her as a booklover for creating such a wonderful world to escape and as a writer for creating a generation of YA book-gobbling fanatics.
Well, finally one that I've both heard of and read!
ReplyDeleteI read the first one before it became a hit. The second one came out first in the UK and I ordered it from AmazonUK to get it as soon as I could. I liked the first books better than the last ones.
ReplyDeleteI've never read a single HP book, and have absolutely no desire to do so ever. I'm still waiting for the books to be on the bargain table, though I will give the trend credit for having lasted longer than I'd predicted. It wouldn't annoy me so much if there weren't so many rabid fanboys and fangirls who act like you're killing kittens if you say you've never read the books and just aren't interested.
ReplyDeleteHey I get it, I avoided them for years thinking it was all hype. I still think it wouldn't be for everyone. When I finally read it though I got it and Half-Blood prince will go down as one of my favorite books ever.
DeleteThere are some series I don't like that everyone seems to love, or books I have no interest in. It's a matter of taste. The fandom of HP is pretty astounding. I don't think anyone could have predicted it.
DeleteThat picture is amazing - I would so watch an anime version! I was really proud of myself for being able to tell who everyone is - sad I know!
ReplyDeleteIt really is an amazing story, I still can't believe how much she had planned out before she even started writing it.
I love JK Rowling, not just for her books, but for the way she presents herself in public. She strikes me as someone who remains humble despite all the success, and I have so much respect for that.
ReplyDeleteYes, and she's donated so much to charity. Amazing amounts.
DeleteWhen I read the first Harry Potter many years ago, it felt to me like I was snuggling up in a comforter and settling in to hear/read some good old-fashioned storytelling - and I loved it!
ReplyDeleteJ K Rowling is such a great role model for women and writers. Whenever I get a rejection letter about a story I always think of her and start editing!
ReplyDeleteWho doesn't love some Harry Potter? The thing I loved about the Potter series is they grew with the kids who started reading them when book one came out.
ReplyDeleteHistory Sleuth's Writings
I also liked how as Harry aged, the stories aged from middle grade up to YA with more serious themes.
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