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Troubled times spur escapist movies    
In a piece reminiscent of literary critic AS Byatt's scathing 2003 rebuke of adult "Harry Potter" fans, Hollywood Reporter writer Martin Grove claims moviegoers opt for more escapist films in troubled times. "It's a key reason for the success of such summer-to-date hits as ... Warner Bros.' Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban," he writes, adding that the trend "could impact negatively on Friday's much hyped arrival of Michael Moore's Fahrenheit 9/11."
Source: Hollywood Reporter
Posted by Cheeser on Jun 25, 2004 at 2:23 PM

Remembering the great Byatt debate  
On the final day of 2003, Slate published a small recap of events started by literary critic A.S. Byatt's scathing July review of "Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix." In what Salon called a "goblet of bile," Byatt opined that JK Rowling's enormously popular series was written for "people whose imaginative lives are confined to TV cartoons." Her comments touched off a lively and very heated counteroffensive in the HP community.
Source: HPANA
Posted by Cheeser on Jan 13, 2004 at 4:12 PM

Retort directed toward A S Byatt's comments  
David Rossie has written a strong retort to A S Byatt's recent ridiculous comments about Harry Potter and the book's legions of fans - who stated notoriously that fans of the Potter series are "confined to TV cartoons, and the exaggerated mirror worlds of soaps, reality TV and celebrity gossip."
Source: Ithaca Journal via Wizard News
Posted by James on Jul 26, 2003 at 11:27 AM

Potter fails to bewitch Scots writer  
One of Scotland's leading writers, Ali Smith, has reignited the debate over the merits of JK Rowling's Harry Potter books by dismissing them as a "bad imitation of Enid Blyton."
Source: The Times
Posted by Geri on Jul 25, 2003 at 9:44 AM

Opinion: "...A S Byatt is right."  
Felicity Kendal reasons that the Harry Potter series, unlike true classic books which "[are] more than a smash hit" and "have something to do with inspiration and a great deal more to do with some inexplicable magic that places one word before another to create a rhythm", are nothing more than a drop in the cauldron of underdeveloped literature.
Source: The Daily Telegraph via iharrypotter.net
Posted by James on Jul 19, 2003 at 1:18 AM

Retorts aimed at A.S. Byatt  
As most Potter fans should know, author A.S. Byatt has published a scathing review of the Harry Potter series, stating in one of her more memorable quotes that the Harry Potter series are for people with "limited imagination." True to style, Potter fans have flooded BBC with retorts aimed directly at Ms. Byatt's opinion.
Source: BBC via iharrypotter.net
Posted by James on Jul 16, 2003 at 11:20 PM

Harry Potter 'a temporary crowd-pleaser'  
That's how Philip Hensher refers to the latest Potter book, which he describes as Rowling's "signal service to literature" - not that she actually writes literature, mind you. A S Byatt would probably be proud of this review.
Source: The Spectator via The Leaky Cauldron
Posted by grae on Jul 14, 2003 at 12:33 PM

The changing face of children's literature  
Nowadays books are still made out of the same old stuff - a bundle of paper bound at the spine, and the only difference is what's printed inside. So why aren't today's children responding in the same way to the fictions that lit their parents' imaginations when they were young?
Source: Sunday Herald via Godric's Hollow
Posted by grae on Jul 14, 2003 at 11:16 AM

Rowling defended by new neighbor  
Ian Rankin, author of the popular Inspector Rebus novels, is moving into JK's Merchiston neighborhood. Turns he out he has a few things to say about A S Byatt's recent attack on Potter.
Source: The Scotsman via Godric's Hollow
Posted by grae on Jul 13, 2003 at 12:50 PM

Potter critic misses the mark  
Another rebuttle to the Byatt article puts Potter fandom in perspective.
Source: The Scotsman via Wizard News
Posted by Sano Orbis on Jul 13, 2003 at 12:29 PM

Shame the adults from buying HP?  
Byatt may have more than just literary works on her mind when her criticism isn't solely aimed at Rowling, but to her grown-up fans as well... and their pocketbooks.
Source: Cleveland PD/Guam Pacific Daily News via iharrypotter.net
Posted by eudaemonia on Jul 12, 2003 at 1:50 PM

Attack on Potter literary worth starts war of words  
The Booker prize-winning author A. S. Byatt was accused yesterday of dumping "a goblet of bile" on JK Rowling by insisting that Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix was lacking the skill of the great children's writers. Expectedly, backlash has begun.
Source: Daily Telegraph
Posted on Jul 10, 2003 at 4:51 PM

Adults crave innocent refuge of Potter stories  
What is the secret of the explosive and worldwide success of the Harry Potter books? Why do they satisfy children and - a much harder question - why do so many adults read them?
Source: New York Times
Posted on Jul 9, 2003 at 12:31 AM