Posted by Peter Ceresole on October 12, 2004 at 17:50:52 from 80.177.22.49 user PeterC.
In Reply to: RE: Is AR a 'childrens writer'? posted by Andrew Craig-Bennett on October 12, 2004 at 15:30:00:
To grow up when AR and Tolkien were little boys was to grow up without proper books.
You reckon? My father was born in 1896, in France, and his childhood reading (which he loved) was Jules Verne and Arsene Lupin. Adventure stories. In England he'd have had school adventures to read.
When AR was small were there really no good children's books? This is a genuine question; I don't know the answer. I'm thinking of "Treasure Island", though... Would that have been too late?
Of course the present generation of authors has a powerful tradition to draw on; Rowling's stories strike me as being a brilliant interpretation of Stalky/Just William/Jennings mixed in with '50s scifi sorcerers' tales of the kind I used to read in 'Astounding'. I read one of her books (the first) and never really wanted to read any more, but I certainly recognise her brilliant touch.