When the U.K. newspaper the Sunday Times outed J.K. Rowling as the author of detective novel The Cuckoo's Calling earlier this year, computer scientists were among the first people called in. Although the novel was published under the pen name Robert Galbraith, two computational scholars––including Duquesne University's Patrick Juola––were tasked with confirming or denying whether the novel belonged to the Harry Potter author, or one of three other possible writers. That Juola succeeded (his conclusions were later confirmed by Rowling herself) speaks volume about the the potential that algorithms and computer science can have, even with application to a field as notoriously subjective as literature. Which raises an interesting question: Can we use software to help us think about literature? Reverse Engineering J.K. Rowling To explore that question, we should first look at how the Juola cracked Rowling's writing style. To begin the process, Juola loaded 1,000–word samples of The Cuckoo's Calling in to his self–designed Java Graphical Authorship Attribution Program (JGAAP), along with several other texts, including The Casual Vacancy, Rowling's first post–Harry Potter novel. A freely available Java–based, modular program for textual analysis, categorization, and authorship attribution, JGAAP analyzed the texts on four different variables: word–length distribution, the use of common words like "the" and "of," recurring–word pairings, and the distribution of "character... Continue reading at 'Fast Company'
[ Fast Company | 2013-09-03 00:00:00 UTC ]
Princess Weekes joins to answer: Which fans have stuck by the series, and will others be able to resist the siren call of a brand new TV series? Continue reading at Slate
[ Slate | 2025-05-03 09:00:00 UTC ]
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I wrote a letter to John Lithgow asking him to step away from the Harry Potter TV show. The good news is, he saw the letter. The bad news... Continue reading at Book Riot
[ Book Riot | 2025-05-03 07:30:00 UTC ]
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Wondery chief brand officer Nicole Blake is giving podcasts the ‘Harry Potter’ treatment. Not so long ago, a book deal and a live tour marked the outer limits of how far a hot podcast could hope to expand its horizons. These days, they’re only the beginning. Especially at Wondery, the... Continue reading at Fast Company
[ Fast Company | 2025-04-19 11:00:00 UTC ]
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Doyenne of children’s literature has regularly utilised social media in support of women-only spacesCocktail in hand and puffing on a celebratory cigar onboard her superyacht, reportedly somewhere in the Bahamas, JK Rowling celebrated on social media after this week’s UK supreme court ruling... Continue reading at The Guardian
[ The Guardian | 2025-04-18 16:11:28 UTC ]
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John Lithgow confirmed in Dumbledore role, with Paapa Essiedu playing Severus Snape and Nick Frost as HagridFor many Harry Potter fans, no actors could ever live up to the original cast of the cherished film franchise. For others, a new TV adaptation is an opportunity for greater detail and... Continue reading at The Guardian
[ The Guardian | 2025-04-14 17:21:18 UTC ]
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Paapa Essiedu will portray Severus Snape, while Paul Whitehouse has been cast as Argus Filch. Continue reading at BBC World
[ BBC World | 2025-04-14 16:00:09 UTC ]
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Paddington, Lord of the Rings and 007 – but not Harry Potter – expected at Bedfordshire theme park. Continue reading at BBC World
[ BBC World | 2025-04-10 02:00:53 UTC ]
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The Harry Potter and Death of Stalin actor has found fame with a new audience in hit TV showHe has worked in the industry for more than three decades, and appeared in blockbusters, but for a long time Jason Isaacs had managed to eschew the limelight.Then came The White Lotus, and suddenly the... Continue reading at The Guardian
[ The Guardian | 2025-04-05 08:00:17 UTC ]
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Amy Pascal and David Heyman have been described as "two of the most accomplished" producers around. Continue reading at BBC World
[ BBC World | 2025-03-25 18:20:34 UTC ]
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Actor reportedly in final negotiations to follow up performance in Oscar-nominated hit Conclave with key role in much-anticipated HBO seriesJohn Lithgow is nearing a deal to star as Professor Albus Dumbledore in HBO’s hotly anticipated Harry Potter series, sources told Deadline and Variety.HBO... Continue reading at The Guardian
[ The Guardian | 2025-02-12 22:21:35 UTC ]
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Harry Potter fans anticipating the third attraction based on the popular book and movie franchise at Universal Orlando Resort learned that the fictional setting for the ride will be the British Ministry of Magic Continue reading at ABC News
[ ABC News | 2024-11-19 19:10:32 UTC ]
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We’re big Lego fans here at Engadget, so it’s not difficult for us to understand why the building block sets are some of the first items to sell out during the holiday shopping season. Kids and adults alike seek out Lego sets all year round, and they make particularly good gifts. Whether you... Continue reading at Engadget
[ Engadget | 2024-11-14 15:00:13 UTC ]
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2024 has been a rough year for Sonos. The company’s would-be triumphant entry into the crowded headphones market was overshadowed by a disastrous app redesign. In the fallout of the botched software update, the company decided to delay products that were ready to be shipped to give itself more... Continue reading at Engadget
[ Engadget | 2024-11-11 13:00:11 UTC ]
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One of fantasy and sci-fi’s all-time greats has passed away. Artist Greg Hildebrandt, known for his iconic work on Star Wars, Lord of the Rings, Marvel and Magic: The Gathering, died on Thursday at 85. He and his twin brother Tim, who died in 2006, were a powerhouse duo — the Brothers... Continue reading at Engadget
[ Engadget | 2024-11-01 19:30:27 UTC ]
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Move over, Harry Potter! Hotly anticipated adult novels from such authors as Haruki Murakami and Sally Rooney are the latest to get the midnight book release party treatment. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2024-10-28 04:00:00 UTC ]
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Want your house to have extra atmosphere on Halloween? Or maybe you just love Harry Potter and have enough adult money to decorate your home however you wish? Either way, these floating candles are absolutely gorgeous and a perfect addition to any magic-filled room. Right now, you can... Continue reading at PC World
[ PC World | 2024-10-25 12:30:34 UTC ]
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The Super Nintendo World theme park in Orlando is nearly ready for visitors. Universal Orlando Resort just announced that the Mario-friendly attraction will open its doors on May 22, 2025. That gives you over six months to find the perfect Goomba costume to wear on opening day. This is the third... Continue reading at Engadget
[ Engadget | 2024-10-17 16:45:06 UTC ]
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