J. K. Rowling is one of the most popular authors of all time. Her Harry Potter books are beloved by millions of children and respected by critics of both children's and adult literature. On the other hand, these same books have aroused controversy regarding their literary merits and moral messages. Critical Companion to J. K. Rowling seeks to educate readers about these debates and encourages them to think about Rowling's novels thoughtfully while understanding the context in which they were written.
BBC - J.K. Rowling & Stephen Fry: Living with Harry Potter
Living with Harry Potter
Broadcast:Saturday 24 December 2005
In a rare recorded conversation, JK Rowling and Stephen Fry, the voice of the books on audio, discuss the process of bringing their creations to life on and off the page.
Mythmaker: The Story of J.K. Rowling (Who Wrote That?)
Virtually everyone knows her name and the names of her wizarding characters. As the 13th richest woman in England, she earned her fortune in a rather unusual way - by writing books. J.K. Rowling is one of the most popular authors of the late 20th and early 21st centuries. Her books about Harry Potter are widely read by adults and children alike and have been translated into more than 64 languages. With the recent completion of the seven-book series, Rowling's popularity is at an all-time high. But Rowling didn't start out famous.
Harry Potter's Bookshelf: The Great Books Behind the Hogwarts Adventures explores the literary landscape of themes and genres J.K. Rowling artfully wove throughout her novels-and the influential authors and stories that inspired her. From Austen's Emma and Dickens's class struggles, through the gothic romances of Dracula and Frankenstein and the detective mysteries of Sayers, to the dramatic alchemy of C.S. Lewis, J.R.R. Tolkien, and Shakespeare, Rowling cast a powerful spell with the great books of English literature that transformed the story of a young wizard into a worldwide pop culture phenomenon.
