She's no Stevenson or Dahl but my opinion of her literary skills is less than worthless when measured against the good she has done in getting children to read in this age of electronic games and video soma.
She deserves the riches she earns for succeeding in this task that Hercules would have had trouble completing.
Well done.

Re: the instructions to find the game of Hangman... in North America a rubber in a euphemism for a condom (1. Click the rubber on her desk). When I was a child in England a knob was a euphemism for a penis (2. Click the knob on the open door etc.). Perhaps this goes some way towards answering Dragomir's question...

#2 he doesnt its ginny, get your kids to talk you through the birds and the bees you sad sad man

JK Rowling likes to play games with her readers and that's what has captured their imagination. Not just the kids either. She interacts at THEIR level, unlike other authors who treat the reader like an imbecile who needs it all spelled out for them
Rowling loves the interaction and pushes the play factor forward, urging the kids to read and learn grow.
I think she must be a good mother to her kids. She's nailed this stuff right down and knows what she's doing.
I just wish this wasn't the last book ... and urge her to come up with a new book afterwards that uses the same kind of magic she uses with HP.

"All Hallow Even, back then, was what we would now call All Saints Day."

You sure about that ?

"The phenomenon is called anti-marketing: it is rare, but its results can be spectacular. So spectacular, indeed, that some cynics have even started to think a hitherto heretical thought: is this the real reason behind Rowling's phenomenal success? "

What a daft proposition! The reason the book was successful was that kids (and their parents) engaged with the prose. This story serves only to illustrate the very opposite of what the above statement tries to propose: that marketing, and all the perverse advertising strategies that go with it, are absolutely no substitute for good word of mouth.

Vandala, no. 6:

"... engaged with the prose"?

Beurgh!!!

#7. Fine. "Liked the book". Better?

I agree with #1, no Wells, Verne or Poe neither but filled a huge hole at the right time.

Incredible wealth gained from a good idea which doesn't really have any real substance, I always think that HP could have been so much better.
i agree that she must keep it going in some way, at least until the kids get fed up.

If I was her i would try to get a writing partner to do the graft off her ideas.... a 10% royalty would be good enough!

anyone got her mobile!!

All Hallows Eve (Hallowe'en) is 31 October, the day before All Hallows (Saints) Day, 1 November

It's great to have an author who kids WANT to read. Magic?

anti-marketing is what Sainsbury and Tesco are doing (till now only allowed in the US) i.e emphasising another's weak points instead of your own plus points - a sign of desparation.
One of the first and best adverts was "we dont need to advertise" or as Silverstein would say "I'm so good I dont have to brag."

#12 mickpc
Harsh words against a fellow American-though my wife can't stand him either. I enjoy him and his originality in advancing the horror genre and his invention of the detective story guarantees his place in the writers' pantheon. His character C. Auguste Dupin, in the "Murders in the Rue Morgue", was the prototype for Conan Doyle's Sherlock Holmes decades later.
Also, what other writer has had a sports team named in their honour (Baltimore Ravens)...wait, Hearts of Midlothian/Scott. Are there any else?

Scullion #1

I agree. The books are ok. They are enjoyable and easy to read. The most important thing about the harry potter books though are the fact that they have encouraged a new generation of children to read. In this age of computers, the internet, game consoles, reading amongst children was becoming an endangered pastime. JK got children reading again and that is the gift her books have given us all.

I do agree, that her later books are not classics but I have seen kids eating the books out, similar to the times we were stuck on Enid Blyton. To quote a friend, to adults or children, the JK Rowling's books are "Like candy", cannot resist! :-)

Well, I tried the path listed to the hangman's game but and do get the chime to convert but cannot seem to be able to get the chime/key to drag to the door. Is there some trick to this? Thanks!

What a surprise that Dragomir, the communist, comes here to ruin it for everyone.

I've got all the books and can't wait for the next.

I love the way they promote Harry Potter. It's perfect. I'm planning a holiday for the next book.