Just as I sat down to write this, I saw a new Variety report that Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince has “jumped the $100 million mark in its first 24 hours.” More millions made from the imagination from J.K. Rowling, yet if there’s one thing you came away with after watching the documentary J.K. Rowling: A Year In The Life, it’s probably something along the lines of, “Jolly good for her.”
Rowling has long seemed one of the best sorts of literary superstars: hard-working yet unafraid to express the pleasure she takes in her success; possessor of, as she said in this film, a “short fuse” but also full of sly humor when she speaks. A Year In The Life was shown in Britain in 2007, and was overseen by novelist-filmmaker James Runcie. I’m still not quite sure if I don’t believe the scenes of her typing the last words of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows weren’t re-staged for the camera crew, but even if they were, who cares? What came across was a complicated, likable person, a writer who has worked very hard and, to judge from some of the questions Runcie put to her, still does.
There’s no reason, for example, for Rowling to have to answer whether she believes in God, especially when her response is a slightly tortured, tentative, “Yeeeees,” as though she was trying to re-convert to her original faith right in front of us. But that’s one reason she’s so charming: unpretentious (with a fondess for expensive high heels), blunt (she hasn’t had any contact with her father “for a few years”), and emotional. Runcie knew what he was doing when he saved the last bit — a visit to the small apartment where she wrote the first Potter book and she began quietly weeping, saying that her life had been “very hard” and this was the place where she turned her life around.
The bestselling author she reminds me of most is Stephen King, in the sense of being enormously popular, prolific, and wealthy, and also down-to-earth and a force for good in the popular culture. She’s generous with charity; she speaks her mind about social issues she’s passionate about (though she was careful not to attempt any proselytizing during this prime-time hour). No recluse, probably a good cook (that birthday cake she was making for one of her kids looked yummy), and at work, she said, on “a political fairy tale.” Jolly good for her. And, therefore, for us.
Did you watch? What did you think?
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I’ve been a Harry Potter fanatic for over 10 years. This was truly touching, and I did have to say jolly good for her. She loves what she does, and what she does she’s good at. She deserves every success she gets, monetary or otherwise.
harry potter has been my life. and i still love it.
this woman is fantastic. she is an inspiration and a true role model. oh how i wish all celebrities were like her ^.^
harry potter has been my life. and i still love it.
this woman is fantastic. she is an inspiration and a true role model. oh how i wish all celebrities were like her ^.^
harry potter has been my life. and i still love it.
this woman is fantastic. she is an inspiration and a true role model. oh how i wish all celebrities were like her ^.^
harry potter has been my life. and i still love it.
this woman is fantastic. she is an inspiration and a true role model. oh how i wish all celebrities were like her ^.^
Loved the bit where she asked if she could be “drunk & disorderly” when faced with the awesome task of signing autographs for the 1700 faithful who attended the midnight launch reading of Deathly Hallows! Pour that lady a drink for staying for seven hours to complete the task.
And who didn’t feel empathy when she disclosed she felt at her most fraudulent – like a 13yr old girl being asked her opinion in a room full of adults – when surrounded by people soliciting her views on Harry Potter theme park ideas! She obviously feels odd being looked at as the Oracle from time to time.
And finally, she looked so pained about leaving the Harry Potter story where it was, telling the director to stop it – after lovingly writing out all the names of next generations (and teasingly noting that she was most interested in Harry and Ginny’s second son). As much as we’d would love for her to continue on, she deserves a break and to write new things, like that upcoming political fairytale.
I thought it was good but entirely too short. A year in the life of JK rowling can be boiled down to a mere 43 minutes? I highly doubt that, and I felt slightly short-changed, as if much more rich footage sits idle somewhere waiting for a packaging deal. If not, then I felt that was just too concise to qualify as a documentary worthy of being with rowling at some of the most important moments in her recent career.
I will read anything she writes. I watched this, and I was touched. That political fairy tale sounds intriguing.
Thanks for posting this review. The storm knocked out our dish so I didn’t get to see the documentary I’ve been waiting a year to see.
Thanks for the review and the comments. A storm in the area knocked out our dish so the documentary I’ve been waiting a year to see, I didn’t get to see.
There’s only one legitimate place I’ve found to watch it, the rest seem like scams :-/ You can see it over here though: http://jjpeg.com/watch28015.html
It takes a minute to load but after that it’s good to go
The documentary was very powerful, not only because she was candid while recounting her story, but because – like her books – her life makes you believe that an “ordinary” person can save the world. That is exactly what she has done for thousands of people who needed an epic journey in which to escape, a story that would renew their faith that great works of art can still be written. I cried when she did. She deserves all the joy and success that she has. 17 years! Wow.
I thought the new harry potter movie was nasty, go vote in the official poll!! tinyurl.com/pottervote
I agree that summing the year of JK Rowling up into those few moments did leave me feeling short changed. I would like to have seen an extended version.
I have never read one of her books. I am intrigued with her, the writer. After hearing of the ‘dementors’ and other metaphors in her books I have a desire to find out more.
The moments with her sister reminiscing with old photos and embarrassed about their “fringe” was heartfelt and a pleasure! She is an amazing lady with an incredible imagination.
It was wonderful tribute, but I agree, too short. I wonder if the original BBC doc was longer? A year in under an hour? But it did encompass the highlights. And made me cry!
I am a huge fan, and as a mom and writer I consider her an inspiration and amazing role model. I recommend teh books to everyone, especially anyone who ever converses with children.
@Marciasheart I certainly hope you read and enjoy!
(ps- this is about the author not the film!)
I think the political fairy tale that she was referring to was “The Tales of Beedle the Bard”, which has already been released. Remember, this was filmed two years ago.
Loved the program.Have always loved
Harry Potter.Thank you JK Rowling!
A wonderful profile documentary that helps restore my faith in karma. Her talent and humility deserve everything she has received. And it was especially illuminating to realize just how many of the metaphorical characters and situations within the Harry Potter books helped exorcise her own demons and get her through tough times. I hope they release an extended version of this documentary on DVD.
@ Jim
No, The Tales of Beedle The Bard are not the political fairy tale she is working on. Beedle The Bard is a leftover from The Deathly Hallows that she expanded for the fans and the proceeds to go to charity. The Political Fairy Tale is an entirely new work of hers involving some kind of “shadow” creature if I remember correctly.
JK Rowling is one of my favorite living authors. While I generally like works by Toni Morrison and Octavia Butler I have been fully able to immerse myself in the world of Harry Potter. I remember first picking up the book in the 7th grade after my mom got it for me during state testing. We had to have something to read after we complted out “FCAT” and I read Harry Potter. I have grown up with the books and at times have been the same age as the characters. JK Rowling is truly phenomenal and a gift to the literary world. I wish her much more success and hope she continues to produce new creative and astounding works of art.
I’m a huge Harry Potter fan and love JK Rowling. She seems completley normal, funny, sweet and like someone I could be friends with. She deserves all the success she has, she’s beyond talented. Good for her!
I have nothing but respect and admiration for Rowling, and don’t begrudge her one iota of her success.
I’ll be completely blunt honest and say i cried. I think Harry Potter is beautiful and amazing and i am unrequittabley sad the saga is over. i’ve been to countless midnight premieres and release parties and those books have grown up with me, from me being younger than harry in his first adventures, to the final adventure me being almost the same age. J.K. Rowling in my opinion is a literary genius and i believe she’s amazing for giving the world her gift and then having a family of her own and not reveling in her fame. I’ll say as an avid Harry Potter reader and die hard fan (without costumes or painted scars) i was highly disappointed in the movie Half Blood Prince. it barely followed the book at all. It was like they just tried to make the whole thing funny and didn’t really care there was a story to be told that millions of other die hard fans were waiting to watch adapted to the silver screen. The books already wirtten, why rewrite it? I’m scared for Deathly Hollows.
i didn’t realize it was on until it was about halfway thru and i was upset to miss it! the parts that i saw though just made me admire her more- and i already loved her just for creating harry potter. it was such a tease when she said the second son is the one she’s interested in. i hope someday, even if it’s a decade from now, that she goes back to the wizarding world…
I loved watching this! It was definitely the most intimate interview I’ve seen of JK. The part when she goes to visit the apartment she started writing the first book in was so emotional.
They should make a movie based on her where so many people read her book she becomes god, just like in that ‘In The Mouth of Madness’ movie…
that no one saw.
J.K. Rowling is my hero. End of story.
I miss the year leading up to the release of Deathly Hallows so, so much!
Dan – the link you posted contains a requirement to complete/accept an “offer. Not acceptable.
This documentary is AMAZING!! Simply brilliant! I really want to buy this on dvd! It’s the second time I’ve watched it and it’s just as touching and powerful as the first time. JK Rowling is such an awesome woman. You can tell her head is just overflowing with all kinds of stories just waiting to be told. I can’t wait to read what she writes in the future and she definitely deserves to take her time after spending 17 YEARS of her life writing Harry Potter. I loved seeing all the influences for different parts of the story and it just makes me want to re-read them all over again. These books are so amazing and I know it sounds cheesy but I can’t imagine my life without them. I was already a pretty avid reader before Harry Potter, but after I read those books reading just took on a whole different meaning to me. I started to read in a different way and I would just get lost in the story and understand the characters so much more. Everyone (not just Potter fans) should watch this.
Hey, IrishGirl5. Sorry, but “dan” is just an ad bot, or a poor shmuck in a cyber sweat shop cruising the EW post pages to throw tricked up links at unsuspecting readers (sorry, this is you). If I were you, I would run an anti-virus on your computer to make sure his little link didn’t mess up your machine. On topic. I am a 39 years old computer programmer, but I loved reading the Harry Potter books more than anything that I can remember since I was a child. For all I care JK should have all the fortune she has collected. It was very well deserved, as opposed to american airhead celebutants that only get exposure (pun intended) for their crazy public antics. If you’re going to make money off of a body part, how about your brain!! Way to go JK, can’t wait to watch the documentary.
I started reading her books to my kids when they were 2 and her first book was just released. I had the British version (a friend brought it back from England). I loved it before it became famous. My kids and I take turns reading it aloud and acting out the scenes. And we have changed this small southern (overly fearful of witches) by introducing my sons friends to the trio. We like to say that Coca-Cola taught the world to sing, but J.K. Rowling taught the world to read. Keep writing!!!!