Replies

What I was trying to say was that the "commercial" aspect of any work of art, music, or literature has nothing to do with the quality of the work itself.

Agreed. And likewise, yes? Just because something is successful that doesn't automatically make it trash.

I think Michael Jackson -- and J.K. Rowling -- are great artists in their own right. And criticisms of HP seem to hinge on academic-style 'classic literature is better than popular literature' type thinking.

Potter books are popular, and brilliant for what they are. The vast majority of kids prefer HP to the Chronicles of Narnia. When adults go saying that HP isn't "deep" enough, then -- to quote my 10 year old -- "some adults just don't remember what it was like to be a child."

I can remember some comic books that I enjoyed far more than the Hobbit.

Someone once said that a great work of art had to be at least 50 years old before it could be seen in the proper context. That was just enough time for it to hit the scene, to be exposed to critical examination, to become popular, to become outdated and cast on the ash heap of history, and to find itself resurrected in a later "age."

I guess we'll have to wait 50 years before passing judgement on the Harry Potter books. LOL!