J. K. Rowling

Perfect Biography for Adults or Young Adults

This book brings together in one place a lot of the information about Rowling's life that you've read in bits and pieces online or in newspapers and magazines, or have heard about in television or radio interviews. As a fellow writer herself, Kirk brings an important insight to her look at Rowling's background that journalists have not captured. She describes her not only as a girl growing up in England in the 1960s, 70s, and 80s but also as a woman who believed in writing Harry Potter's story even when the odds were stacked against her by a world culture that does not value the middle class attempting to work in the arts. This is the first biography to avoid the sentimentality of the 'poor, single mother' image and consider Rowling as a temporarily unemployed, college-educated woman who kept her head, worked as a teacher, and took care of her daughter while at the same time remaining dedicated to her writing and particularly to Harry Potter's story. If Harry feels like a beloved character to the millions who read his story, that is because the author 'met' him, nurtured him, and believed in him first and infused him with love and courage. This book considers the places and times where and when the author grew up and lived (such as the Forest of Dean in the West Country of England and the 1960s and 70s) and how that context and what was also going on in the world at that time may have directly influenced Rowling's sensibilities, humanitarianism, and work. This strategy in the book continues as important moments in Rowling's life are described parallel to world events until, remarkably, they intersect around September 11th, 2001, when the first Harry Potter film is released that fall to a public much in need of a bit of fantasy. Family, teachers, and friends and their influence on the writer are also considered throughout. Harry's story is told from the first time Rowling met him on the delayed train through the 2nd film and the fifth novel. Controversies Rowling has faced in terms of literary criticism, lawsuits, and book burnings are also addressed fully and fairly. The appendices are many and add much--they include a timeline of Rowling's life and achievements, awards each novel has won, a listing of J. K. Rowling's reading, charitable organizations that are important to her, and addresses for the author both in the U.S. and U.K.. The bibliography is extensive, including all of Rowling's works (British and American publications; articles, too), biographical sources, reading and education guides, responses from young people, criticism and reviews, related articles, and websites. There is a helpful index as well. The biography is easy to read and informative and attempts to place Rowling's work in context with world events, literature, and popular culture. The book would have benefited from more careful editing, but the fresh contexts and updated information provided in the biography will cause most readers to overlook this. I highly recommend the book to Harry Potter fans, readers, students, educators, and those interested in writers' biographies. Kirk donates from the proceeds of the book to J. K. Rowling's preferred charity, Comic Relief, which suggests that she shares in Rowling's humanitarian interests. Perhaps the fact that she is a writer of books rather than a journalist adds to the book's fresh approach and deeper, more valuable insights.

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