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Originally Posted by The Saucepan Man
Book awards are a relatively recent phenomenon and tend to be awarded to recently published works. I doubt that there were many, if any, awards of the type that proliferate today around when LotR was first published. That, no doubt, is the reason for it not having been the recipient of any such awards (if indeed that is the case).
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LotR's enduring appeal in this regard suggests that there is much more at stake here than the fickle finger of fashion. Will the Harry Potter books be topping popularity polls in 30 to 40 years' time?
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A very good point about award,
Sauce. They have become, in many ways, part of the marketing apparatus of modern publishing. Still and all, there are a great many more books published now than earlier in the twentieth century.
As to your point about the Harry Potter books, I would venture to say, yes they will. Why? For some of the same reasons LotR is still so popular.
Many Downers here have said how they first read the books in early adolescence, and have returned to read them again over and over. *coughs* Mithadan *coughs* The magic of the first or early readings stays with us, and we return to our favourite books, as treasured experiences of something wonderful that real life misses.
This same phenomenon exists with Rowlings' books. The Harry Potter series is a magic key which has opened the portal of reading for many, many children. The number is legion of children who either could not read or who hated reading, but who then were hooked by Rowling's first book and have gone on to continue to read the series. Will the books retain their magic once those children return to them as adults? Who knows how strong the magic of reading is for some people.
The real issue might be, while those who read Rowlings pass on their reading experience to their children, as has happened with Tolkien.
But you know,
Sauce, we really don't need to diss other writers in order to hold up Tolkien to great praise. He can stand on his own feet.
