da vinci code is the new harry potter

...is the new lord of the rings.

now, some people might kill me for that statement (the respective fans of each, for example). but as i see things, that statement is true.

every once in a while, some books become so popular that it seems like every other literate person has read it, is reading it, or wants to read it. honestly. i remember there was this person back in high school who was not at all the type to read, and he admitted as much. it turns out, though, that he has read a non-required book for school: harry potter. oh, the power of literature.

the reason i am writing about this phenomenon is that aside from being awed by this phenomenon, i am extremely curious about how it starts. i mean, is it from word-of-mouth or do they just have really good publicists?

i've read the da vinci code and harry potter and the lord of the rings. and yes, i found them to be great books. on the other hand, i've also read books as good as they are which aren't nearly as popular. why is that? why aren't those books popular?

by the way, i'm really asking, so feel free to post your answers.