J.K. Rowling speaks at Harvard

[BigFatBlonde]

Posted: 6/6/08 at 5:58pm

She discusses failure and imagination.

http://harvardmagazine.com/go/jkrowling.html

Lovely woman.

Updated On: 6/6/08 at 05:58 PM

[DG]

Posted: 6/7/08 at 12:20am

Wonderful - thanks for sharing that, BFB.

I really do like her.

[DBillyP]

Posted: 6/7/08 at 10:44am

According to a story on NPR yesterday, a number of graduating seniors were not pleased with the choice, finding Rowling unworthy of an institution like Harvard. Fortunately, one of the students interviewed called them out for the whiny, intellectual snobs that they appeared to be.

[DG]

Posted: 6/7/08 at 10:49am

DBilly - I actually wondered how they responded to the choice. I figured there had to be some who were not pleased. I'm glad she had defenders.

[adamgreer]

Posted: 6/7/08 at 11:11am

Her speech sounds wonderful. She's a fantastic writer, and a great speaker.

As for the snobs who were upset...get over yourself. It's not as if she's some trashy mystery writer pounding out "beach read novels" every 6 months. Her novels are well thought out and well crafted. Couple her abilities as an author with her background and her charity work, and you have yourself a fascinating speaker.

[best12bars]

Posted: 6/7/08 at 11:38am

I think I like her even better as a person than as an author.

That was a terrific speech.

[DBillyP]

Posted: 6/7/08 at 12:20pm

"I think we could have done better," shrugged computer science major Kevin Bombino. He says Rowling lacks the gravitas a Harvard commencement speaker should have. "You know, we're Harvard. We're like the most prominent national institution. And I think we should be entitled to … we should be able to get anyone. And in my opinion, we're settling here. "
Rowling's Harvard Speech Doesn't Entrance All

[DG]

Posted: 6/7/08 at 12:22pm

"We're like the most prominent national institution."

Why do I hear gum popping?

I just don't think that needs to be responded to.

And honestly, they should look back through the list of previous speakers - she is not out of place, at all.

[nygrl23]

Posted: 6/7/08 at 12:25pm

Lovely speech, very touching. The inflated, puffed-up egos who complained about her will never benefit from her speech--she's talking not only about failure, but perspective. Lots of these kids who've been told over and over how wonderful they are and who've never been denied anything will go into the world with their egos and insecurities and contribute little to the world but deep carbon footprints.
Updated On: 6/7/08 at 12:25 PM

[adamgreer]

Posted: 6/7/08 at 12:48pm

Here's another choice quote, this one from a USA Today article:

"I feel cheated," says Jean Yang, a Harvard senior majoring in computer science. "It feels like a very trendy choice."

and

"When I look back at my commencement, I want to be reminded of something I was a part of," she says. "I don't want to think of it as the time of Harry Potter."

Sweetie, how about hearing from a woman who started with nothing but her love of writing, and was able to overcome adversity and, from the very bottom up, create a character and a series that singularly inspired children and adults to become excited about reading and literature again. Reading was certainly not something that was "trendy" among kids before Rowling arrived on the scene. To say nothing of her numerous philanthropical efforts she is a part of.

http://www.usatoday.com/news/education/2008-05-14-commencement-speakers_N.htm

[DG]

Posted: 6/7/08 at 12:55pm

"I don't want to think of it as the time of Harry Potter."

To me, the Harry Potter phenomenon is one of the few unqualified positives of this 'time'.

And if the 'trend' that's celebrated in this choice is about women fulfilling their potential, and giving the gift of creation literally to the entire planet, then they would be honored and blessed to be even a small reflection of it.

[StickToPriest]

Posted: 6/7/08 at 2:43pm

Well, some of those reactions prove what we already knew: just because someone went to Harvard doesn't mean they aren't a moron.

[sweetestsiren]

Posted: 6/7/08 at 4:02pm

Exactly, Priest.

I thought her speech was lovely, and can hardly believe that some people seem to have gotten nothing more out of it than "Harry Potter." Her comments about her time working with Amnesty International were especially inspiring.

[best12bars]

Posted: 6/7/08 at 4:13pm

I'm not sure if those comments came before or after she spoke... but either way those gradates come off as highly-educated, privileged, shallow bozos.

If they spoke before they heard her speech, they made face-value snap judgments. Very snobby.

If they spoke after hearing her speech, they're just ig'nant.

[skb2010]

Posted: 6/7/08 at 4:40pm

Delivering a commencement address is a great responsibility; or so I thought until I cast my mind back to my own graduation. The commencement speaker that day was the distinguished British philosopher Baroness Mary Warnock. Reflecting on her speech has helped me enormously in writing this one, because it turns out that I can’t remember a single word she said. This liberating discovery enables me to proceed without any fear that I might inadvertently influence you to abandon promising careers in business, law or politics for the giddy delights of becoming a gay wizard.

You see? If all you remember in years to come is the ‘gay wizard’ joke, I’ve still come out ahead of Baroness Mary Warnock. Achievable goals: the first step towards personal improvement.

Gotta love her.

[best12bars]

Posted: 6/7/08 at 8:47pm

I hope those Harvard grads who commented land killer jobs, because they're going to be total bores as people.

Updated On: 6/7/08 at 08:47 PM