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Harry Potter (very long), part II
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From: agoldschlager at penguinputnam.com <agoldschlager>
Date: Thu, 11 Nov 1999 14:13:53 -0500
I realize that I'm going on so long, it might help to break this up in several parts.
To continue:
Why has the appeal and selling power of Harry Potter so surpassed Philip Pullman's THE GOLDEN COMPASS and THE SUBTLE KNIFE (which have done well, but not nearly so well as Harry)?
I think it is this: Although Lyra, the protagonist of Pullman's books, is younger than Harry, these books are considerably more sophisticated than Harry Potter. They are high fantasy as well as dealing with some fairly serious issues about religion and religious oppression. Considering that the Pullman books have a unique take on the church, original sin, and the war in heaven, I'm surprised that no one's tried to ban them, but that's probably because they're too sophisticated to sum up in a sound bite, and most would? censors don't bother to read the books they want to ban.
Why do both boys and girls like Harry Potter?
I'm not sure about the answer to this one, but I'd like to offer a quote from Neil Gaiman, a premier fantasist who is probably best known for the comic book series THE SANDMAN. I know that one doesn't usually refer to comic books in this venue (although someone else has already mentioned SPIDERMAN (but I thought the quote offered was actually Professor Xavier from the X-Men, although I could be wrong)). Anyway, this comes from issue
#36, part 5 of the story arc entitled "a game of you":
"Boys and girls are different, you know that? Little boys have fantasies in which they're faster, or smarter, or able to fly.... Now, little girls, on the other hand, hand different fantasies.... Their parents are not their parents. Their lives are not their lives. They are princesses. Lost princesses from distant lands. And one day the king and queen, their real parents, will take them back to their land, and then they'll be happy for ever and ever."
I submit to you that, although an orphan and not 100% happy, Harry partakes of both of these fantasies.
Just my several cents.
Thanks for listening patiently,
Amy Goldchlager Assistant Editor, Phyllis Fogelman Books
Received on Thu 11 Nov 1999 01:13:53 PM CST
Date: Thu, 11 Nov 1999 14:13:53 -0500
I realize that I'm going on so long, it might help to break this up in several parts.
To continue:
Why has the appeal and selling power of Harry Potter so surpassed Philip Pullman's THE GOLDEN COMPASS and THE SUBTLE KNIFE (which have done well, but not nearly so well as Harry)?
I think it is this: Although Lyra, the protagonist of Pullman's books, is younger than Harry, these books are considerably more sophisticated than Harry Potter. They are high fantasy as well as dealing with some fairly serious issues about religion and religious oppression. Considering that the Pullman books have a unique take on the church, original sin, and the war in heaven, I'm surprised that no one's tried to ban them, but that's probably because they're too sophisticated to sum up in a sound bite, and most would? censors don't bother to read the books they want to ban.
Why do both boys and girls like Harry Potter?
I'm not sure about the answer to this one, but I'd like to offer a quote from Neil Gaiman, a premier fantasist who is probably best known for the comic book series THE SANDMAN. I know that one doesn't usually refer to comic books in this venue (although someone else has already mentioned SPIDERMAN (but I thought the quote offered was actually Professor Xavier from the X-Men, although I could be wrong)). Anyway, this comes from issue
#36, part 5 of the story arc entitled "a game of you":
"Boys and girls are different, you know that? Little boys have fantasies in which they're faster, or smarter, or able to fly.... Now, little girls, on the other hand, hand different fantasies.... Their parents are not their parents. Their lives are not their lives. They are princesses. Lost princesses from distant lands. And one day the king and queen, their real parents, will take them back to their land, and then they'll be happy for ever and ever."
I submit to you that, although an orphan and not 100% happy, Harry partakes of both of these fantasies.
Just my several cents.
Thanks for listening patiently,
Amy Goldchlager Assistant Editor, Phyllis Fogelman Books
Received on Thu 11 Nov 1999 01:13:53 PM CST
