Details for J. K. Rowling's next novel

[Allyn Gibson]

CaptainCanada wrote:

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No, she floated the idea of publishing future works under a pseudonym midway through the last decade, but eventually decided against it (partly because she figured the press would find out about it pretty quickly anyway).

The rumors of the pseudonymous novel are older than that, however. I'm aware of what she said later, but it was believed around 2000-1 that she had published a mystery novel under a pseudonym.

[Stone_Cold_Sisko]

I'm surprised to hear so much pessimism. THe concept sounds right up her alley, providing ripe opportunity for the kind of somewhat over-the-top british-y humor and conflict that permeated Harry Potter. Kind of like when Umbridge took over the school or the ministry of magic stuff in later books.

It opens with the sudden death of a popular man whose unexpected demise shocks the town. The battle for his seat on the local council sets off "the biggest war the town has yet seen," with rich people fighting poor, parents battling their teenagers, and wives in conflict with their husbands.

[DarthPipes]

Oh, it's clear from the HP books that she hates politicians. Not that I blame her. But disgust and distrust of government is definitely a theme in the later books of the series.

It sounds interesting, I'll definitely pick it up. I want to see what else she's capable of outside of Harry Potter.

I did read an article a day or two ago where she discussed the encyclopedia.

[Captaindemotion]

^ She doesn't hate all politicians. She was an enthusiastic supporter of the last Labout government, even under Gordon Brown.

[Starkers]

Captaindemotion wrote:

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^ She doesn't hate all politicians. She was an enthusiastic supporter of the last Labout government, even under Gordon Brown.

Labout government? Man you Tories would have killed for that as a slogan a few years ago

[Captaindemotion]

Damn typo! I better copyright that before Saatchi and Saatchi get to it!

[Starkers]

Are they still going?

[Sci]

Captaindemotion wrote:

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^ She doesn't hate all politicians. She was an enthusiastic supporter of the last Labout government, even under Gordon Brown.

Indeed, she and the former Prime Minister are good friends, apparently.

Rowling's attitude towards politicians and political leaders is a bit more complex than just dislike -- even in the Harry Potter books, some political leaders are seen in a good light, and many of the main characters go on to work for the Ministry of Magic. It's not that she's anti-politician, per se, so much as it is that she depicts political systems as often falling into the hands of people who are more interested in power and self-glorification than in good governance.

[Hound of UIster]

Captaindemotion wrote:

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^ She doesn't hate all politicians. She was an enthusiastic supporter of the last Labout government, even under Gordon Brown.

Could have fooled me.

Every politician and bureaucrat (even the good ones) are depicted in a negative manner.

At least Paul Cornell was more enthusiastic and open in his support of Labour.

[Captaindemotion]

Hound of UIster wrote:

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Could have fooled me.

Every politician and bureaucrat (even the good ones) are depicted in a negative manner.

At least Paul Cornell was more enthusiastic and open in his support of Labour.

I don't know if she could be much more enthusiastic and open than this:

http://www.time.com/time/specials/pa...894201,00.html

Back in the mid-1990s, when he was new labour's brooding, intellectual heavyweight, I was a lone parent struggling to get by. He said he was not interested in stigmatizing the poor but in finding solutions for their predicament. I was tired of hearing government ministers lambaste the likes of me as irresponsible scroungers. I wanted Gordon Brown in charge.He went on to become one of the longest-serving Chancellors of the Exchequer that Britain has ever seen. While our economy grew strongly, he could have stood back and done nothing; on the contrary, he brought in and continually drove up the minimum wage, and 600,000 children and a million pensioners were raised out of poverty. Brown believed the wealthy would always be able to look after themselves; it was people at the other end of the economic scale that government ought to be helping.
When capitalism shuddered on its foundations last year, Brownite words like responsibility and morality started issuing from the unlikeliest politicians. Global financial regulation, something Brown had advocated long before last September, shot to the top of the political agenda. Now Prime Minister, Brown took a lead among European leaders in setting a course for economic recovery. He hosted the most important meeting of the world's major economies in years. In doing so, the British press said, he had become "Chancellor to the world."
The son of a Presbyterian minister, with a formidable intellect and a work ethic to shame a nest of ants, the 58-year-old Brown is frequently dubbed "dour." I know him as affable, funny and gregarious, a great listener, a kind and loyal friend. These are strange and turbulent times, but issues of fairness, equality and protection of the poor have never been more important. I still want Gordon Brown in charge.


Read more: http://www.time.com/time/specials/packages/article/0,28804,1894410_1893847_1894201,00.html #ixzz1sad7m6fU

[Starkers]

Ah good old Gordon "I have eliminated boom and bust" Brown.

The same Brown who loved the poor so much he elimitated the 10p tax rate so they all had to pay more. The same Brown who sold Britain's gold reserves when the price was at a 20 year low and raided the pensions...

Sorry Rowling always gets my goat when she starts talking politics ever since I read/saw an interview with her where she basically said "Well I could have got a job but then I wouldn't have been able to write about my little boy wizard..."

[Argus Skyhawk]

The cover of The Casual Vacancy has been released.

[Lonemagpie]

Hm, the sort of cover that tends to go on retro-chicklit from publishers like Arrow. Welcome to 1935 or so...

[Lonemagpie]

Starkers wrote:

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Ah good old Gordon "I have eliminated boom and bust" Brown.

The same Brown who loved the poor so much he elimitated the 10p tax rate so they all had to pay more. The same Brown who sold Britain's gold reserves when the price was at a 20 year low

And who, in fact, announced the sale well in advance so that the price could drop as far as possible because everyone knew the market was about to be flooded...

All things considered, right now I'd rather have Major and Lamont in charge - because they're the ones who, when we were last in recession in 1993/4, actually dealt with it correctly.

Which is why it always baffles me that Cameron and Osborne are doing *exactly* the opposite of what actually fucking worked...

[Hound of UIster]

They are Tories.

It's not really baffling at all.