The Ivory Tower and Harry Potter: Perspectives on a Literary Phenomenon.(Book Review)

Publication: The Modern Language Review

Publication Date: 01-JUL-04

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COPYRIGHT 2004 Modern Humanities Research Association

The Ivory Tower and Harry Potter: Perspectives on a Literary Phenomenon. Ed. with an introduction by LANA A. WHITED. Columbia and London: University of Missouri Press. 2002. x+408 pp. 27.50 [pounds sterling]. ISBN 0-8262-1443-6.

This well-presented volume is a collection of critical perspectives on the four existing books (at the time of publication) of the Harry Potter series. The dedication--'For all those who help children become readers'-sums up the volume's assumption that Harry Potter has done so. All contributors (with the exception of Mendlesohn) are interested in judging why the Harry Potter series is good for children. This is not attributed to its intrinsic literary value but to its success. If popularity is read as proof that children love the book, then this makes...

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