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AUGUST 16, 2004 at 10:28 PM
Posted by CHEESER
Source: Various
The author who has been credited with turning on an entire generation of kids (and adults) to reading with her boy wizard series Harry Potter is being considered for an unusual honor: JK Rowling is one candidate for a statue
to celebrate Edinburgh's "modern-day heroes."
"I think its wonderful as she's a huge literary figure who has single handedly re-invigorated the children's market and encouraged so many children to take up reading again," said a spokeswoman for UK book chain Waterstone's. "She has delighted millions with her reading and made so many more authors start writing books for children as well."
But one resident told the city council it was premature to honor somebody still living. "I have nothing against JK Rowling or her writing but I think we have a tradition in Edinburgh of waiting until people have died before we put up a statue to them," he said.
(For fun, I created a mock-up of Jo's potential statue modeled after The Thinker by Auguste Rodin. Click here for the full-size image.)
Rowling's books, which in a study released by the American Library Association are among the most re-read fiction, have sold over 260 million copies worldwide. Others include the Lord of the Rings series, A.A. Milne's Winnie the Pooh and Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol. Topping the list is Alice Walker's The Color Purple.
The ALA has tried to capture and use the magic created by the phenomenal success of Potter and Rings to keep the public interested in reading. One campaign (see photo above) even includes a photo of heartthrob Orlando Bloom (Lord of the Rings, Pirates of the Carribbean) to lure people to their local libraries.
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Auror
Points: 4040
Dan's no.1 fan 4ever says:
JK is my hero. She always will be and desereves this more than anybody else possibly could!
Posted Aug 17, 2004 at 4:02 AM EST
Order of Merlin, 3rd Class
Points: 1525
veta says:
Orlando Bloom!!!?!?!?!?! Wow! Now that's great! Even though I don't like him that much he is good-looking and i sort of like him, but not very much. other famous actors or actresses should do that more often!
Posted Aug 17, 2004 at 4:36 AM EST
Wizard
Points: 576
Reducto says:
Ahan... So... Edinburgh needs to wait until she dies.... Well then we wont be seeing her statue for another 60 years or so eh?
Posted Aug 17, 2004 at 4:47 AM EST
Points: 646
tetet says:
Well, that is quite interesting... Lucky for her....
I havent heard of anyone like that! its, honestly unbelivable, really.... Well, I think she should be really proud about it... Who could ever think of anyone wholl be called "hero" just for making the young and old read her books? IMPRESSIVE!!! COOL!!! and AWESOME!!! she rocks...
Posted Aug 17, 2004 at 4:59 AM EST
Head Girl
Points: 484
Severin says:
That is so cool, that is such an honour. They shouldn't wait till JKR is dead, that really doesn't matter.
Posted Aug 17, 2004 at 5:02 AM EST
Sirius' Princess
Points: 5611
nymphadora84 says:
Oh yes, she should get it. If any one deserves it, its definately her!
And i like that Thinker modelled statue!
Posted Aug 17, 2004 at 5:09 AM EST
Night Elf
Points: 4827
diamond dust says:
i think that JKR should win but the others aren't bad so it's going to be hard if you ask me. and they shouldn't wait until she's daed. i mean, she'll never know that she has won then..
Posted Aug 17, 2004 at 5:13 AM EST
Witch
Points: 788
~HP fan #1~ says:
I think it's great. JKR deserves it.
Posted Aug 17, 2004 at 5:58 AM EST
Student
Points: 247
Brothers says:
That's great to hear. I know that lots of people who normally wouldn't have read a book, have started to read her's which is something to be proud of!
Posted Aug 17, 2004 at 6:03 AM EST
Muggle
Points: 91
The Dark One says:
I think she deserves everything she get goodluck to her she has delighted milions with these brill books!
Posted Aug 17, 2004 at 6:56 AM EST
Harry's Mental Advisor
Points: 19432
Smileyradcliffe says:
I hope that you win! I am pretty sure people will go flocking to a library if they thought olrando bloom was going to be there. nice picture of him.
Posted Aug 17, 2004 at 7:09 AM EST
Witch
Points: 818
ElizabethRG says:
THat's awesome!!!!!! Holy crap! Orlando Bloom is so fricking gorgeous. Wheew I am so jealous of his girlfriend!
Posted Aug 17, 2004 at 7:37 AM EST
Snape's Woman
(Moderator)
Points: 5392
Prof. Andaxia Moonstar says:
That would be incredible if she had a statue made in her honor! She is certainly worthy of the esteem; I personally know several people who have become interested in reading thanks to her. Also, I have discovered I love fantasy novels - I had read very few until I devoured the HP books; now I cannot get enough fantasy and have discovered more favorite authors. JKR is a special person and deserves all the recognition she gets.
Posted Aug 17, 2004 at 8:38 AM EST
Order of Merlin, 2nd Class
Points: 1645
morgana witch says:
I think JKR Rowling should be honored now...she's an amazing person. Hero's don't need to be dead. There's plenty of people considered heros (like war vets) who are still alive!
Posted Aug 17, 2004 at 8:41 AM EST
Ravenclaw Ghost
Points: 9469
Pearlescent says:
Ahh.. how cool! I would love to see J.K. get it! Heh, Orli looks a little confused in that poster..
Posted Aug 17, 2004 at 8:50 AM EST
Professor
Points: 1158
Moonbake says:
That is a great honor. What a great pic of Orlando too. he is such a hottie! Good luck JK!
Posted Aug 17, 2004 at 8:55 AM EST
Muggle
Points: 97
BornToSlow371 says:
Orlando Bloom is a GREAT actor and all but he looks like a girl in that piture *laughs*
It's cool J.K.'s gettin' a statue of herself made but a little extream, don't ya think? Well, I don't know...
Its a great honor!
Posted Aug 17, 2004 at 9:05 AM EST
Keeper of the Faeries
Points: 5239
juliebug04 says:
Well, I think it would be cool for her! I don't know why they would wait and do the statue posthumusly, but whatever...
Posted Aug 17, 2004 at 9:09 AM EST
Points: 15101
xeon says:
She could win, but i aggree with them though, you should wait till after the person has died untill a statue is made of them!
But still, its cool, shell have a statue about her!
Posted Aug 17, 2004 at 9:16 AM EST
Auror
Points: 2856
Oliver Wood is Fit says:
It would be good for her to be in Edinburgh, as that's local, but I do agree, there shouldn't be one anywhere more prominent till she's dead. But I don't know who the other contestants are, maybe they're more deserving?
Posted Aug 17, 2004 at 9:28 AM EST
Witch
Points: 556
hpbri says:
That would be cool if their was a statue of my favourite writer! Go JKR!
Posted Aug 17, 2004 at 9:54 AM EST
Keeper of Harry's Fate
Points: 8909
TheOneWhoMustBeNamed says:
That would be fun. I am not sure this is the right time for it. I think, if done at all, it should be at the end of the series. People may feel differently at that time. If a statue were done, I would definitely do it with her surrounded by several of her favorite characters, similar to the one of Walt Disney going hand in hand with Mickey.
Posted Aug 17, 2004 at 9:55 AM EST
Witch
Points: 849
*SkyHighandFallen says:
Oh,I really think they should make a statue of her!! She deserves it, writing as wonderfully as she does. And I'm sure she has to handle the press and such. So see? Deserves it.
Posted Aug 17, 2004 at 10:08 AM EST
Transfiguration Professor
Points: 2990
Choralee says:
A JKR statue! What a neat idea! I would never have thought about that. I do liek Chee*ser's mock up of JKR in "The Thinking Man" but I do hope, should a statue be made of her, that it could be her sitting in a cafe writing on a notepad and drinking tea.
Posted Aug 17, 2004 at 10:08 AM EST
Weird Sisters Guitarist
Points: 3573
Prof. Sk8ergirl says:
Wow!!!That indeed is a great honour but she is a great person!!!!!!!!!I just hope she gets it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Posted Aug 17, 2004 at 10:20 AM EST
Head Girl
Points: 401
munnii says:
Yeah! That would be so wicked! That would really boost tourism too..they should seriously consider it!
Posted Aug 17, 2004 at 10:27 AM EST
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