Harry Potter
The success of the Harry Potter franchise has led to a set of stamps being commissioned by Royal Mail, which feature the British children's covers of the seven books. Royal Mail is the national postal service of the United Kingdom. [1]
Author	J. K. Rowling
Country	United Kingdom
Language	English
Genre(s)	Fantasy, Thriller, Bildungsroman
Publisher	Bloomsbury Publishing Scholastic Publishing
Publication date	26 June 1997 – 21 July 2007
Media type	Print (Hardback & Paperback) and audiobook
Pages	3407 (in total) 4126 (in total)

Harry Potter is a heptalogy of fantasy novels written by British author J. K. Rowling. Joanne "Jo" Rowling OBE (born 31 July 1965 who writes under the The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located English is a West Germanic language originating in England and is the First language for most people in the United Kingdom, the United States Fantasy literature is Fantasy in written form Historically speaking the majority of fantasy works have been literature The thriller is a broad Genre of Literature, Film, Gaming and Television. A bildungsroman (ˈbɪldʊŋsroˌmaːn "novel of formation" is a Novelistic genre that arose during the German Enlightenment (and is regarded by some as Publishing is the process of production and dissemination of Literature or Information &ndash the activity of making information available for public view Bloomsbury Publishing Plc is an independent London -based publishing house known for literary Novels It was named Publisher of the Year in 1999 and The Scholastic Corporation (or sometimes referred to as Scholastic Press; in other cases Scholastic Inc Events 363 - Roman Emperor Julian is killed during the retreat from the Sassanid Empire. Year 1997 ( MCMXCVII) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display full 1997 Gregorian calendar Events 356 BC - Herostratus sets fire to the Temple of Artemis in Ephesus, one of the Seven Wonders of the World Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. A hardcover (or hardback or hardbound) is a Book bound with rigid protective covers (typically of cardboard covered with Cloth Paperback, softback, or softcover describe and refer to a Book by the nature of its binding. Heptalogy is a rarely used term for a series of seven creative works that are connected by a common storyline Fantasy literature is Fantasy in written form Historically speaking the majority of fantasy works have been literature The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located Joanne "Jo" Rowling OBE (born 31 July 1965 who writes under the The books chronicle the adventures of the eponymous adolescent wizard Harry Potter, together with Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger, his best friends from the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Ronald Bilius "Ron" Weasley is a Fictional character in the Harry Potter book series written by J Hermione Jean Granger Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry is a setting in J K The central story arc concerns Harry's struggle against the evil wizard Lord Voldemort, who killed Harry's parents in his quest to conquer the wizarding world, after which he seeks to subjugate the Muggle world to his rule. A story arc is an extended or continuing storyline in episodic storytelling media such as Television, Comic books Comic strips Lord Voldemort (ˈvoʊldəmɔrt or ˈvoʊldəmɔr is a Fictional character and the main antagonist in the Harry Potter novel series written The Fictional universe of J K Rowling 's Harry Potter series of fantasy novels comprises two separate and distinct societies the For all uses of the terms "Muggle" and "Muggles" other than those related to "Harry Potter" see Muggle (disambiguation

Since the release of the first novel Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone in 1997, which was retitled Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone in the United States, the books have gained immense popularity, critical acclaim and commercial success worldwide. Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (published in the United States as Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone) is the first novel in The United States of America —commonly referred to as the ^[2] The series has spawned films, video games and Potter-themed merchandise. As of April 2008, the seven book series has sold more than 375 million copies^[3] and have been translated into more than 64 languages. ^[4] The seventh and last book in the series, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, was released on 21 July 2007. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows is the seventh and final of the Events 356 BC - Herostratus sets fire to the Temple of Artemis in Ephesus, one of the Seven Wonders of the World Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. ^[5] Publishers announced a record-breaking 12 million copies for the first print run in the U. S. alone. ^[6]

The success of the novels has made Rowling the highest-earning novelist in history. ^[7] English language versions of the books are published by Bloomsbury in the United Kingdom, Scholastic Press in the United States, Allen & Unwin in Australia, and Raincoast Books in Canada. Bloomsbury Publishing Plc is an independent London -based publishing house known for literary Novels It was named Publisher of the Year in 1999 and The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located The Scholastic Corporation (or sometimes referred to as Scholastic Press; in other cases Scholastic Inc The United States of America —commonly referred to as the Allen & Unwin, formerly a major British publishing house is now an independent book publisher and distributor based in Australia. For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Australia topics. Raincoast Books is a Canadian book publishing company Based in Vancouver, British Columbia, the company produces a range of fiction and non-fiction Country to "Dominion of Canada" or "Canadian Federation" or anything else please read the Talk Page

Thus far, the first five books have been made into a series of motion pictures by Warner Bros. The sixth, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, began filming in September 2007, with a scheduled release of 21 November 2008. The Harry Potter films are a fantasy series Warner Bros Entertainment Inc (or Warner Bros, Warner Bros Pictures) is one of the world's largest producers of Film and Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince is an upcoming 2009 fantasy Adventure film, based on the novel by J Events 164 BC - Judas Maccabaeus, son of Mattathias of the Hasmonean family restores the Temple in Jerusalem. 2008 ( MMVIII) is the current year in accordance with the Gregorian calendar, a Leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common ^[8] The series also originated much tie-in merchandise, making the Harry Potter brand worth £7 billion ($15 billion). A tie-in is an authorized product based on a media property a company is releasing such as a movie or Video / DVD, Computer game, Video game In Marketing, a product is anything that can be offered to a Market that might satisfy a want or need ^[9]

Contents 1 Overview 1.1 Plot summary 1.2 Universe 1.3 Chronology 2 Series 2.1 Origins and publishing history 2.2 Completion of the series 2.3 After Deathly Hallows 2.4 Translations 3 Literary analysis 3.1 Structure and genre 3.2 Themes 4 Achievements 4.1 Cultural impact 4.2 Awards and honours 4.3 Commercial success 5 Criticism, praise, and controversy 5.1 Literary criticism 5.2 Cultural criticism 5.3 Controversies 6 Other media 6.1 Films 6.2 Games 6.3 Theme park 6.4 Theatre 7 See also 8 References 9 Harry Potter books 10 External links

Overview

Plot summary

The story opens with the conspicuous celebration of a normally secretive wizarding world; for many years, it has been terrorised by the evil wizard, Lord Voldemort. The Fictional universe of J K Rowling 's Harry Potter series of fantasy novels comprises two separate and distinct societies the Lord Voldemort (ˈvoʊldəmɔrt or ˈvoʊldəmɔr is a Fictional character and the main antagonist in the Harry Potter novel series written On the previous night, October 31, Voldemort discovered the Potter family's hidden refuge, killing Lily and James Potter. Events 445 BC – Ezra reads the Book of the Law to the Israelites in Jerusalem (see Nehemiah 91 NLTse The following are Fictional characters in the Harry Potter book series written by J However, when he attempted to murder their toddler son, Harry, the Avada Kedavra killing curse he cast rebounded upon him. Voldemort's body was destroyed, but his spirit survived: he is neither dead nor alive. Meanwhile, the orphaned Harry is left with a distinctive lightning bolt-shaped scar on his forehead, the only physical sign of Voldemort's curse. Harry is the only known survivor of the curse, and Voldemort's mysterious defeat causes the wizarding community to dub Harry "The Boy Who Lived". Harry is protected by the enchantment that was produced when Harry's mother died while protecting him from Voldemort. This protection will last until his 17th birthday.

On November 1, Rubeus Hagrid, a 'half-giant', delivers Harry to his only living relatives, the cruel and magic-phobic Dursleys, comprised of Uncle Vernon, a bad-tempered uncle; Aunt Petunia, a woman who appears to absolutely loathe Harry; and Dudley, their spoiled and overweight son. Events 996 - Emperor Otto III issues a deed to Gottschalk Bishop of Freising which is the oldest known document using the name Ostarrîchi Rubeus Hagrid is a Fictional character in the Harry Potter book series written by J The following are Fictional characters in the Harry Potter book series written by J The following are Fictional characters in the Harry Potter book series written by J The following are Fictional characters in the Harry Potter book series written by J The Dursleys are, in the words of Professor McGonagall, "the worst sort of Muggles imaginable" and seek to deny Harry his magical birthright by making up a false story about Harry's parents dying in a car accident. The following Fictional characters are staff members and denizens of Hogwarts in the Harry Potter books written by J They treat Harry like a slave and force him to live in a small, cramped closet under the stairs at their Privet Drive home. Within the fictional universe of Harry Potter, constructed in the writings of J

However, as his eleventh birthday approaches, Harry has his first contact with the magical world when he begins receiving letters from Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, which are delivered by owls. Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry is a setting in J K The Owls are an order of birds of prey. Most are Solitary, and nocturnal, with some exceptions (e Unfortunately, his uncle confiscates the letters before he can read them. Much to the Dursley's chagrin, Hogwarts is aware that Harry is not receiving his letters. However, the letters keep on coming and Uncle Vernon decides to move the family (Harry included) to a deserted island off the coast, hoping that the letters will cease. At the stroke of midnight on Harry's eleventh birthday, Rubeus Hagrid (Hogwarts half-giant gamekeeper) kicks in the door of the house where they are staying, and presents Harry with a letter explaining that he is a wizard and has been selected to attend Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Each book chronicles one year in Harry's life, which is mostly spent at Hogwarts. There he learns to use magic and brew potions. In the Fictional Harry Potter series created by J K Rowling, magic is depicted as a natural force that can be used to override the usual In the Fictional Harry Potter series many magical objects exist for the use of the characters. Harry also learns to overcome many magical, social, and emotional hurdles as he struggles through his adolescence, Voldemort's second rise to power, and the Ministry of Magic's corruption and incompetent negligence. In JK Rowling 's Fictional universe of Harry Potter, the Ministry of Magic is the Government for the Magical community of Britain After facing many obstacles, forging lasting friendships, and losing countless loved ones, Harry Potter confronts the Dark Lord for the last time.

For a detailed synopsis of the novels, see the relevant article for each book.

Universe

Main article: Harry Potter universe

The wizarding world in which Harry finds himself is both completely separate from and yet intimately connected to our own world. The Fictional universe of J K Rowling 's Harry Potter series of fantasy novels comprises two separate and distinct societies the Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (released in the United States as Harry The Fictional universe of J K Rowling 's Harry Potter series of fantasy novels comprises two separate and distinct societies the While the fantasy world of Narnia is an alternative universe and the Lord of the Rings’ Middle-earth a mythic past, the wizarding world of Harry Potter exists alongside that of the real world and contains magical elements similar to things in the non-magical world. For other uses of "Narnia" see Narnia (disambiguation. The Lord of the Rings is an epic Middle-earth refers to the fictional lands where most of the stories of author J Many of its institutions and locations are in towns and cities which are recognisable in the real world, such as London. It possesses a fragmented collection of hidden streets, overlooked and ancient pubs, lonely country manors and secluded castles that remain invisible to the non-magical population (known as "Muggles"; i. For all uses of the terms "Muggle" and "Muggles" other than those related to "Harry Potter" see Muggle (disambiguation e. the world of the reader). Wizard ability is inborn, rather than learned, although one must attend schools such as Hogwarts in order to master and control it. However, it is possible for wizard parents to have children who are born with little or no magical ability at all (known as "Squibs"). The Fictional universe of J K Rowling 's Harry Potter series of fantasy novels comprises two separate and distinct societies the Since one is either born a wizard or not, most wizards are unfamiliar with the Muggle world. The magical world and its many fantastic elements are depicted in a matter-of-fact way. The Fictional universe of J K Rowling 's Harry Potter series of fantasy novels comprises two separate and distinct societies the This juxtaposition of the magical and the mundane is one of the prominent motifs in the novels; the characters in the stories live normal lives with normal problems, for all their magical surroundings.

Chronology

Main article: Chronology of the Harry Potter stories

The books mainly avoid setting the story in a particular real year; however, there are a few references, which allow the books, and various past events mentioned in them to be assigned corresponding real years. The time line is sufficiently set in Chamber of Secrets, in which Nearly-Headless Nick remarks that it is the five-hundredth anniversary of his death on October 31, 1492; thus, Chamber of Secrets takes place from 1992 to 1993. Events 445 BC – Ezra reads the Book of the Law to the Israelites in Jerusalem (see Nehemiah 91 NLTse This chronology was again reiterated in Deathly Hallows, in which the date of death on James and Lily Potter's gravestone is October 31, 1981. Events 445 BC – Ezra reads the Book of the Law to the Israelites in Jerusalem (see Nehemiah 91 NLTse Year 1981 ( MCMLXXXI) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link displays the 1981 Thus, as Harry was a year old at the time of his parents' murders, his year of birth is 1980 and the main action of the story takes place from 1991 (the second chapter of Philosopher's Stone) to 1998 (the end of Deathly Hallows). Interviewed for an ITV documentary broadcast in December 2007, Rowling stated that the final battle with Voldemort's forces takes place on 2 May 1997, however, this would seem to be a mistake, and that the actual date should be 2 May 1998, fitting in with the dates given in Chamber of Secrets and Deathly Hallows. Events 1194 - King Richard I of England gives Portsmouth its first Royal Charter. Year 1997 ( MCMXCVII) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display full 1997 Gregorian calendar Events 1194 - King Richard I of England gives Portsmouth its first Royal Charter. Year 1998 ( MCMXCVIII) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link will display full 1998 Gregorian calendar)

Series

There are seven books in the Harry Potter series:

1. Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (26 June 1997)
2. Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (2 July 1998)
3. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (8 July 1999)
4. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (8 July 2000)
5. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (21 June 2003)
6. Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (16 July 2005)
7. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (21 July 2007)

• All seven books in the series have been released in the English language as audiobooks. Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (published in the United States as Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone) is the first novel in Events 363 - Roman Emperor Julian is killed during the retreat from the Sassanid Empire. Year 1997 ( MCMXCVII) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display full 1997 Gregorian calendar Events 310 - Pope Miltiades is elected 626 - In fear of assassination Li Shimin ambushes and kills his rival Year 1998 ( MCMXCVIII) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link will display full 1998 Gregorian calendar) Events 939 - The Major Occultation or Ghaybat el-Kubra of Muhammad al-Mahdi 1099 - First Crusade: 15000 Year 1999 ( MCMXCIX) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display full 1999 Gregorian calendar) Events 939 - The Major Occultation or Ghaybat el-Kubra of Muhammad al-Mahdi 1099 - First Crusade: 15000 2000 ( MM) was a Leap year that started on Saturday of the Common Era, in accordance with the Gregorian calendar. Events 524 - Godomar, King of the Burgundians defeats the Franks at the Battle of Vézeronce. Year 2003 ( MMIII) was a Common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, released on 16 July 2005 is the sixth of seven novels in J Events 622 - The beginning of the Islamic calendar. 1054 - Three Roman legates fractured relations between the Western and Year 2005 ( MMV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows is the seventh and final of the Events 356 BC - Herostratus sets fire to the Temple of Artemis in Ephesus, one of the Seven Wonders of the World Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. English is a West Germanic language originating in England and is the First language for most people in the United Kingdom, the United States The UK editions are performed by Stephen Fry, while the American versions by Jim Dale. Stephen John Fry (born 24 August 1957 is an English Humorist, Writer, Wit, Actor, Novelist, filmmaker Jim Dale MBE (born James Smith on 15 August 1935 is an English Actor and Singer - Songwriter, best known for his roles

Supplementary books

• Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (2001)
• Quidditch Through the Ages (2001)
• The Tales of Beedle the Bard (2007)

Origins and publishing history

In 1990, J. Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them is a 2001 book written by English author J Quidditch Through the Ages is both a Fictional book described in the Harry Potter series of novels by the English author J } The Tales of Beedle the Bard is a book of children's stories by British author J K. Rowling was on a crowded train from Manchester to London when the idea for Harry suddenly "fell into her head". London ( ˈlʌndən is the capital and largest urban area in the United Kingdom. Rowling gives an account of the experience on her website saying:^[10]

“

I had been writing almost continuously since the age of six but I had never been so excited about an idea before. I simply sat and thought, for four (delayed train) hours, and all the details bubbled up in my brain, and this scrawny, black-haired, bespectacled boy who did not know he was a wizard became more and more real to me.

”

In 1995, Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone was completed and the manuscript was sent off to prospective agents. A manuscript is any Document that is Written by hand as opposed to being printed or reproduced in some other way A literary agent is an agent who represents Writers and their written works to Publishers Theatrical producers and Film producers and The second agent she tried, Christopher Little, offered to represent her and sent the manuscript to Bloomsbury. After eight other publishers had rejected Philosopher's Stone, Bloomsbury offered Rowling a £2,500 advance for its publication. ^[11]

Despite Rowling's statement that she did not have any particular age group in mind when she began to write the Harry Potter books, the publishers initially targeted them at children age nine to eleven. ^[12] On the eve of publishing, Joanne Rowling was asked by her publishers to adopt a more gender-neutral pen name, in order to appeal to the male members of this age group, fearing that they would not be interested in reading a novel they knew to be written by a woman. A pen name, nom de plume, or literary double, is a Pseudonym adopted by an Author or their publishers to conceal their identity She elected to use J. K. Rowling (Joanne Kathleen Rowling), using her grandmother's name as her second name, because she has no middle name. ^[13]

The first Harry Potter book was published in the United Kingdom by Bloomsbury in July 1997 and in the United States by Scholastic in September 1998, but not before Rowling had received $105,000 for the American rights — an unprecedented amount for a children's book by a then unknown author. The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located The United States of America —commonly referred to as the The Scholastic Corporation (or sometimes referred to as Scholastic Press; in other cases Scholastic Inc ^[14] Fearing that American readers would not associate the word "philosopher" with a magical theme (as a Philosopher's Stone is alchemy-related), Scholastic insisted that the book be given the title Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone for the American market. The philosopher's stone (lapis philosophorum Greek: Chrysopoeia) is a Legendary substance supposedly capable of turning inexpensive Metals

Rowling's publishers were able to capitalise on this buzz by the rapid, successive releases of the first four books that allowed neither Rowling's audience's excitement nor interest to wane while she took a break from writing between the release of Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire and Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, and also quickly solidified a loyal readership. ^[15] The series has also gathered adult fans, leading to two editions of each Harry Potter book being released (in markets other than the United States), identical in text but with one edition's cover artwork aimed at children and the other aimed at adults.

Completion of the series

In December 2005, Rowling stated on her web site, "2006 will be the year when I write the final book in the Harry Potter series. " Updates have since followed in her online diary chronicling the progress of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, with the release date of 21 July 2007. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows is the seventh and final of the Events 356 BC - Herostratus sets fire to the Temple of Artemis in Ephesus, one of the Seven Wonders of the World Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century.

The book itself was finished on 11 January 2007 in the Balmoral Hotel, Edinburgh, where she scrawled a message on the back of a bust of Hermes. Events 1055 - Theodora is crowned Empress of the Byzantine Empire. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. The Balmoral is a luxury five-star Hotel and Landmark in Edinburgh, Scotland. Edinburgh ( ˈɛdɪnb(ərə Dùn Èideann) is the Capital of Scotland and is its second largest city after Glasgow. It read: “JK Rowling finished writing Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows in this room (652) on 11 January 2007. Events 1055 - Theodora is crowned Empress of the Byzantine Empire. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. ”^[16]

Rowling herself has stated that the last chapter of the seventh book (in fact, the epilogue) was completed "in something like 1990". ^[17][18]

In June 2006, Rowling, on an appearance on the British talk show Richard & Judy, announced that the chapter had been modified as one character "got a reprieve" and two others who previously survived the story had in fact been killed. Richard & Judy is a British magazine/ chat show that aired on Channel 4 from 2001 to 2008 She also said she could see the logic in killing off Harry to stop other writers from writing books about Harry's life after Hogwarts. ^[19]

On March 28, 2007, the cover art for the Bloomsbury Adult and Child versions and the Scholastic version were released. Events 37 - Roman Emperor Caligula accepts the titles of the Principate, entitled to him by the Senate. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. ^[20]

After Deathly Hallows

Rowling spent seventeen years writing the seven Harry Potter books. In a 2000 interview through Scholastic, her American publisher, Rowling stated that there is not a university after Hogwarts. The Scholastic Corporation (or sometimes referred to as Scholastic Press; in other cases Scholastic Inc Concerning the series continuing past book seven, she stated, "I will not say never, but I have no plans to write an eighth book. "^[21] She has since said that if she does write an eighth book Harry Potter will not be the central character, as his story has been told, and that she would not begin such a project for at least ten years. ^[22]

When asked about writing other Harry Potter-related books similar to Quidditch Through the Ages and Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, she has said that she might consider doing this with proceeds donated to charity, as was the case with those two books. Quidditch Through the Ages is both a Fictional book described in the Harry Potter series of novels by the English author J Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them is a 2001 book written by English author J Another suggestion is an encyclopedia-style tome containing information that never made it into the series, also for charity. ^[23] She has revealed she is currently penning two books, one for children and one not for children. ^[24]

In February 2007 Rowling issued a statement on her website about finishing the final book, in which she compared her mixed feelings of "mourning" and "incredible sense of achievement" to those expressed by Charles Dickens in the preface of the 1850 edition of David Copperfield, "a two-years' imaginative task. David Copperfield or The Personal History Adventures Experience and Observation of David Copperfield the Younger of Blunderstone Rookery (which he never meant to publish " "To which," she added, "I can only sigh, try seventeen years, Charles…"

On July 24, 2007, Rowling announced in an interview that she "probably will" write an encyclopedia of the Harry Potter world, which would include background information cut from the narrative as well as post-Deathly Hallows information, including details of what happens to the other characters, who the new Hogwarts headmaster is, and more. Events 1132 - Battle of Nocera between Ranulf II of Alife and Roger II of Sicily. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. ^[25] Rowling refers to the encyclopedia as the "Scottish Book", a take on the Scottish play. " The Scottish play " and " The Bard's play " are Euphemisms often used for William Shakespeare 's Macbeth, the ^[26]

In a 90-minute live Web chat, Rowling revealed^[27] what several of the characters did in the years between the conclusion of the book and the epilogue.

Rowling has written an 800-word synopsis of a prequel to the Harry Potter Series for Waterstones "What's Your Story" postcard book, a prequel which she has stressed she is not actually intending to write. Waterstone's is a United Kingdom –based chain of bookshops. ^[28][29]

Translations

Main article: Harry Potter in translation

The series has been translated into 65 languages,^[30] placing Rowling among the most translated authors in history. ^[31] The first translation was into American English, as many words and concepts used by the characters in the novels may have been misleading to a young American audience. Phonology North American English regional phonology In many ways compared to English English, North American English is conservative in its Phonology. [1][2] Subsequently the books have seen translations in languages as diverse as Ukrainian, Hindi, Bengali, Welsh, Afrikaans and Vietnamese. Ukrainian (in Ukrainian украї́нська мо́ва ukrayins'ka mova,) is a language of the East Slavic subgroup of the Slavic languages. Hindi ( Devanāgarī: hi [[wiktहिन्दी हिन्दी]] or hi [[wiktहिंदी हिंदी]] IAST:, IPA:) is Welsh ( cy Cymraeg or cy y Gymraeg, kəmˈrɑːɨɡ and {{IPA|[ə ɡəmˈrɑːɨɡ]}}, is a member of the Brythonic branch of Celtic Afrikaans is an Indo-European language, derived from 17th century Dutch and classified as Low Franconian Germanic, mainly spoken in Vietnamese ( tiếng Việt, or less commonly Việt ngữ) formerly known under French colonization as Annamese ( see Annam) The first volume has been translated into Latin and even Ancient Greek,^[32] making it the longest published work in that language since the novels of Heliodorus of Emesa in the 3rd century AD. Latin ( lingua Latīna, laˈtiːna is an Italic language, historically spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. The Ancient Greek language is the historical stage in the development of the Hellenic language family spanning the Archaic (c Heliodorus of Emesa, from Emesa, Syria, was a Greek writer generally dated to the third century AD who is known for the ancient Greek romance ^[33]

The high profile and huge public demand for a decent local translation means that a great deal of care is often taken in the task. In some countries such as Italy, the first book was revised by the publishers and issued in an updated edition, in response to feedback from readers. In countries such as China and Portugal, the translation is conducted by a group of translators working together to save time. Some of the translators hired to work on the books were quite well known prior to their work on Harry Potter, such as Viktor Golyshev, who oversaw the Russian translation of the series' fifth book. Viktor Golyshev (born 1937 is a well known English -to- Russian translator Russian ( transliteration:,) is the most geographically widespread language of Eurasia, the most widely spoken of the Slavic languages Golyshev was previously best known for translating William Faulkner and George Orwell;^[34] his tendency to snub the Harry Potter books in interviews and refer to them as inferior literature may be the reason he did not return to work on later books in the series. William Faulkner (born William Cuthbert Falkner) ( September 25, 1897 – July 6, 1962) was an American Author Eric Arthur Blair (25 June 1903 – 21 January 1950 who used the Pseudonym George Orwell, was an English writer The Turkish translation of books two to seven was undertaken by Sevin Okyay, a popular literary critic and cultural commentator. Turkish ( tr Türkçe IPA) is a language spoken by over 63 million people worldwide making it the most commonly spoken of the Turkic languages. Sevin Okyay ( Istanbul, 1942 is a Turkish literary critic Journalist, author regular Columnist ^[35] For reasons of secrecy, translation can only start when the books are released in English; thus there is a lag of several months before the translations are available. This has led to more and more copies of the English editions being sold to impatient fans in non-English speaking countries. Such was the clamour to read the fifth book that its English language edition became the first English-language book ever to top the bestseller list in France. English is a West Germanic language originating in England and is the First language for most people in the United Kingdom, the United States This article is about the country For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic France topics. ^[36]

Literary analysis

Structure and genre

See also: Harry Potter influences and analogues

The novels are very much in the fantasy genre; in many respects they are also bildungsromans, coming of age novels. Writer J K Rowling cites several writers as influences in her creation of her bestselling Harry Potter series Fantasy literature is Fantasy in written form Historically speaking the majority of fantasy works have been literature A bildungsroman (ˈbɪldʊŋsroˌmaːn "novel of formation" is a Novelistic genre that arose during the German Enlightenment (and is regarded by some as They can also be considered to be part of the British children's boarding school genre, which includes Enid Blyton's Malory Towers, St Clares and the Naughtiest Girl series, and Frank Richards Billy Bunter novels. Enid Mary Blyton ( August 11 1897 &ndash November 28 1968) was a British children's writer. Malory Towers is a fictional Cornish seaside Boarding school which features in a series of six Novels by British children's author Enid Blyton St Clare's is a series of six books written by British children's author Enid Blyton about a Boarding school of that name The Naughtiest Girl series of novels was written by Enid Blyton in the 1940s-50s Frank Richards may be Frank "Cannonball" Richards, a vaudeville performer whose act involved being shot in the gut with a cannonball the William George Bunter or Billy Bunter, the "Fat Owl of the Remove" is a fictional character created by Charles Hamilton (using the nom de plume of The stories are predominantly set in Hogwarts, a fictional British boarding school for wizards, where the curriculum includes the use of magic. In the Fictional Harry Potter series created by J K Rowling, magic is depicted as a natural force that can be used to override the usual In this sense they are "in a direct line of descent from Thomas Hughes's Tom Brown's School Days and other Victorian and Edwardian novels of British public school life". Thomas Hughes ( October 20, 1822 – March 22, 1896) was an English lawyer and author Tom Brown's Schooldays is a novel by Thomas Hughes first published in 1857 ^[37] They are also, in the words of Stephen King, "shrewd mystery tales",^[38] and each book is constructed in the manner of a Sherlock Holmes-style mystery adventure; the books leave a number of clues hidden in the narrative, while the characters pursue a number of suspects through various exotic locations, leading to a twist ending that often reverses what the characters had been led to believe. Stephen Edwin King (born September 21, 1947) is an American Author, Screenwriter, Musician, Columnist, Sherlock Holmes is a famous fictional detective of the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries who first appeared in Publication in 1887 The stories are told from a third person limited point of view; with very few exceptions (such as the opening chapters of Philosopher's Stone and Deathly Hallows and the first two chapters of Half-Blood Prince), the reader learns the secrets of the story when Harry does. The third-person narrative is a Narrative mode applying the third person. Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (published in the United States as Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone) is the first novel in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows is the seventh and final of the Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, released on 16 July 2005 is the sixth of seven novels in J The thoughts and plans of other characters, even central ones such as Hermione and Ron, are kept hidden until revealed to Harry.

The books tend to follow a very strict formula. Set over the course of consecutive school years, they each begin with Harry at home with his relatives the Dursleys in the Muggle world, enduring their ill treatment. For all uses of the terms "Muggle" and "Muggles" other than those related to "Harry Potter" see Muggle (disambiguation Subsequently, Harry goes to a specific magical location (Diagon Alley, the Weasleys' residence or Number Twelve, Grimmauld Place) for a short period before the new school year begins, which he commences by boarding the school train at Platform 9¾, Kings Cross Station. Within the fictional universe of Harry Potter, constructed in the writings of J Within the fictional universe of Harry Potter, constructed in the writings of J King's Cross station is a major railway terminus opened in 1852 Once at school, new or redefined characters are introduced, and Harry overcomes new everyday school issues, such as difficult essays, awkward crushes, and unsympathetic teachers. The stories reach their climax in the summer term, near or just after final exams, when Harry confronts either Voldemort or one of his followers, the Death Eaters. Lord Voldemort (ˈvoʊldəmɔrt or ˈvoʊldəmɔr is a Fictional character and the main antagonist in the Harry Potter novel series written Synopsis Pre-Harry Potter The Death Eaters existed some twenty years before the events of the series proper In the aftermath, he learns important lessons through exposition and discussions with headteacher and mentor Albus Dumbledore. MENTOR / The National Mentoring Partnership is an advocate and resource for Mentoring in the United States. Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore This formula was completely broken in the final novel, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, in which Harry and his friends spend most of their time away from Hogwarts, and only return there to face Voldemort at the dénouement. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows is the seventh and final of the

Themes

See also: Politics of Harry Potter

According to Rowling, a major theme in the series is the theme of death. There are many published theories about politics in the ''Harry Potter'' books by JK Rowling, which range from criticism of racism to anti-government sentiments Death is the termination of the biological functions that define living Organisms It refers both to a specific She says:^[39]

“

My books are largely about death. They open with the death of Harry's parents. There is Voldemort's obsession with conquering death and his quest for immortality at any price, the goal of anyone with magic. Immortality (or eternal life) is the concept of living in physical or spiritual form for an Infinite length of Time. I so understand why Voldemort wants to conquer death. We're all frightened of it.

”

Rowling has stated that the books comprise "a prolonged argument for tolerance, a prolonged plea for an end to bigotry" and that also pass on a message to "question authority and… not assume that the establishment or the press tells you all of the truth". A bigot is a person who is intolerant of opinions lifestyles or identities differing from his or her own and bigotry is the corresponding state of mind ^[40][41]

While the books could be said to comprise many other themes, such as power/abuse of power, love, prejudice, and free choice, they are, as J. Love is any of a number of Emotions and experiences related to a sense of strong Affection. The word prejudice refers to prejudgment making a decision before becoming aware of the relevant facts of a case or event K. Rowling states, "deeply entrenched in the whole plot"; the writer prefers to let themes "grow organically", rather than sitting down and consciously attempting to impart such ideas to her readers. ^[42] Along the same lines is the ever-present theme of adolescence, in whose depiction Rowling has been purposeful in acknowledging her characters' sexualities and not leaving Harry, as she put it, "stuck in a state of permanent pre-pubescence". ^[43]

Rowling said that, to her, the moral significance of the tales seems "blindingly obvious. " The key for her was the choice between what is right and what is easy, "because that, that is how tyranny is started, with people being apathetic and taking the easy route and suddenly finding themselves in deep trouble. In modern usage a tyrant is a single ruler holding absolute power over a State or within an Organization. "^[44]

Achievements

Cultural impact

For more details on this topic, see Harry Potter fandom. The Harry Potter Fandom is a large international and informal community drawn together by J

Since the publishing of The Philosopher's Stone, a number of societal trends have been attributed to the series.

The Harry Potter books have gained recognition for sparking an interest in reading among the young at a time when children were thought to be abandoning the book for the computer and the television,^[45] though the series' overall impact on children's reading habits has been questioned. US National Endowment for the Arts Chairman Dana Gioia said in 2007 "God bless Harry Potter, and please send us many more. The National Endowment for the Arts (NEA is a United States federally funded and donation assisted program that offers support and funding for projects exhibiting artistic excellence But one book or series of books is not strong enough to counterbalance the trends" of declining youth readership. ^[46] Charlie Griffiths, director of the UK's National Literacy Association, said "Anyone who can persuade children to read should be treasured and what Rowling has given us in Harry Potter is little short of miraculous,"^[47] and now-British Prime Minister Gordon Brown said as Chancellor "I think JK Rowling has done more for literacy around the world than any single human being. WikipediaManual of Style (biographies#Academic titles --> James Gordon Brown (born 20 February 1951 is "^[48]

The series has also garnered a large following of fans. Borders Group ( is an international bookseller based in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Delaware ( is a state located on the Atlantic Coast in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, released on 16 July 2005 is the sixth of seven novels in J So eager were these fans for the latest series release that bookstores around the world began holding events to coincide with the midnight release of the books, beginning with the 2000 publication of Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. The events, commonly featuring mock sorting, games, face painting, and other live entertainment have achieved popularity with Potter fans and have been incredibly successful at attracting fans and selling books with nearly nine million of the 10. 8 million initial print copies of Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince sold in the first 24 hours. ^[49][50] Among this large base of fans are a minority of "super-fans", similar to the Trekkies of the Star Trek fandom. Fans in Little Italyjpg|thumb|right|Fans in Little Italy Manhattan celebrating the victory of the Italian association football team after the 2006 FIFA World Cup]][[Image Wm-oly-de-cr Trekkie (or Trekker) is a term used to describe a fan of all or part of the Star Trek Fictional universe. Fandom (from the noun fan and the affix -dom, as in kingdom, dukedom, etc Besides meeting online through blogs, podcasts, and fansites, Harry Potter super-fans can also meet at Harry Potter symposia. A blog (a contraction of the term " Web log " is a Web site, usually maintained by an individual with regular entries of commentary descriptions of A podcast is a series of audio or Video digital-media files which is distributed over the Internet by syndicated Download A fansite or fan site (also named fanpage is a Website created and maintained by a fan (s or devotee(s interested in a Celebrity, thing or These events draw people from around the world to attend lectures, discussions and a host of other Potter themed activities.

The Harry Potter books have inspired the "wizard rock" movement, where a number of bands were formed whose names, image and song lyrics relate to the Harry Potter world. The Harry Potter Fandom is a large international and informal community drawn together by J Examples include Harry and the Potters and The Cruciatus Curse. Harry and the Potters are an Indie rock band and pioneers of wizard rock formed in Norwood Massachusetts in 2002 by brothers Joe and Paul DeGeorge ^[51]

Harry Potter has also brought changes in the publishing world, one of the most noted being the reformation of the New York Times Best Seller list. The New York Times Best Seller List is widely considered to be the preeminent list of best-selling books in the United States. The change came immediately preceding the release of Goblet of Fire in 2000 when publishers complained of the number of slots on the list being held by Harry Potter and other children's books. The Times subsequently created a separate children's list for Harry Potter and other children's literature. ^[52]

The word muggle has spread beyond its Harry Potter origins, used by many groups to indicate those who are not aware or are lacking in some skill. For all uses of the terms "Muggle" and "Muggles" other than those related to "Harry Potter" see Muggle (disambiguation In 2003, "muggle", entered the Oxford English Dictionary with that definition. The Oxford English Dictionary ( OED) published by the Oxford University Press (OUP is a comprehensive Dictionary of the English ^[53]

There is an accredited course at California State University, Bakersfield devoted to the literature of Harry Potter titled "The World of Harry Potter. California State University Bakersfield (often abbreviated CSUB or shortened to CSU Bakersfield or Cal State Bakersfield) is a Public university "^[54]

Awards and honours

J. K. Rowling and the Harry Potter series have been the recipients of a host of awards since the initial publication of Philosopher's Stone including four Whitaker Platinum Book Awards (all of which were awarded in 2001), three Nestlé Smarties Book Prizes (1997–1999), two Scottish Arts Council Book Awards (1999 and 2001), the inaugural Whitbread children's book of the year award, (1999), the WHSmith book of the year (2006), among others. The Nestlé Children's Book Prize, also known as the Nestlé Smarties Book Prize, was an annual award given to children's books written in the previous year by a The Scottish Arts Council ( Scottish Gaelic: Comhairle Ealain na h-Alba) is a public body that distributes funding from the Scottish Executive Education The Costa Book Awards are among the United Kingdom 's most prestigious literary awards The British Book Awards are given annually and promoted by the UK Publishing industry trade journal Publishing News. In 2000, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban was nominated for Best Novel in the Hugo Awards while in 2001, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire won said award. The Hugo Awards are given every year for the best Science fiction or Fantasy works and achievements of the previous year Honours include a commendation for the Carnegie Medal (1997), a short listing for the Guardian Children's Award (1998), and numerous listings on the notable books, editors' Choices, and best books lists of the American Library Association, New York Times, Chicago Public Library, and Publishers Weekly. The Carnegie Medal in Literature was established in the UK in 1936 in honour of Scottish Philanthropist Andrew Carnegie. The American Library Association ( ALA) is a group based in the United States that promotes libraries and library education internationally The Chicago Public Library consists of 79 branches throughout the city of Chicago Illinois, USA Publishers Weekly, aka PW, is an American weekly trade News magazine targeted at Publishers Librarians ^[55]

Commercial success

See also: List of best-selling books

In November 2007, the magazine Advertising Age estimated the total value of the Harry Potter brand at roughly $15 billion (£7 billion). This page provides lists of best-selling single-volume books book series authors, and children's books to date and in any language Advertising Age (or AdAge) is a Magazine, delivering news analysis and data on marketing and media ^[9] The popularity of the Harry Potter series has translated into substantial financial success for Rowling, her publishers, and other Harry Potter related license holders. This success has made Rowling the first and thus far only billionaire author. A billionaire is a person who has a Net worth of at least one billion units of currency such as United States dollars ( USD /US$ U ^[56] The books have sold over 375 million copies worldwide and have also given rise to the popular film adaptations produced by Warner Bros., all of which have been successful in their own right with the first, Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, ranking number four on the inflation-unadjusted list of all-time highest grossing films and the other four Harry Potter films each ranking in the top 20. Warner Bros Entertainment Inc (or Warner Bros, Warner Bros Pictures) is one of the world's largest producers of Film and The following is a non-definitive list of the all-time highest-grossing films. ^[57] The films have in turn spawned five video games and have in conjunction with them led to the licensing of over 400 additional Harry Potter products (including an iPod) that have, as of July 2005, made the Harry Potter brand worth an estimated 4 billion US dollars and J. iPod is a popular brand of Portable media players designed and marketed by Apple Inc Year 2005 ( MMV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. K. Rowling a US dollar billionaire,^[58] making her, by some reports, richer than Queen Elizabeth II, however, Rowling has stated that this is false. The United States dollar ( sign: $; code: USD) is the unit of Currency of the United States; it has also been A billionaire is a person who has a Net worth of at least one billion units of currency such as United States dollars ( USD /US$ U For the ship see RMS Queen Elizabeth 2 Elizabeth II (Elizabeth Alexandra Mary Context States headed by Elizabeth II ^[59][60]

On 12 April 2007, Barnes & Noble declared that Deathly Hallows has broken its pre-order record, with over 500,000 copies pre-ordered through its site. Events 467 - Anthemius is elevated to Emperor of the Western Roman Empire. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Barnes & Noble Inc is the largest book retailer in the United States, operating mainly through its Barnes & Noble Booksellers chain of Bookstores ^[61]

A Maine bookseller said she had to sign a legal form stating that she would not open the boxes of Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince until their official release date at midnight, and that she would cover the boxes with blankets in her back room so they would not be seen. The State of Maine ( is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America, bordering the Atlantic Ocean Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, released on 16 July 2005 is the sixth of seven novels in J ^[62] For the release of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, extra security was added by limiting the number of librarians who handle the book prior to its release. Those who failed to comply with the written agreement, which employees were required to sign, would jeopardise those libraries' access to "future embargoed titles. "^[63] Prior to the release of Deathly Hallows, the BBC reported that some booksellers and libraries may have been tempted to break the embargo for publicity, as there were no future Potter books to be banned from selling. ^[64]

For the release of Goblet of Fire, 9000 FedEx trucks were used with no other purpose than to deliver the book. FedEx Corporation ( is a Logistics services company based in the United States. ^[65] Together, Amazon. com and Barnes & Noble pre-sold more than 700,000 copies of the book. Barnes & Noble Inc is the largest book retailer in the United States, operating mainly through its Barnes & Noble Booksellers chain of Bookstores ^[65] In the United States, the book's initial printing run was 3. The United States of America —commonly referred to as the 8 million copies. ^[65] This record statistic was broken by Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, with 8. 5 million, which was then shattered by Half-Blood Prince with 10. 8 million copies. ^[66] 6. 9 million copies of Prince were sold in the U. S. within the first 24 hours of its release; in the United Kingdom more than two million copies were sold on the first day. The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located ^[67] The initial print run for Deathly Hallows was 12 million copies, and over a million were pre-ordered through Amazon and Barnes & Noble. ^[68][69]

Others have claimed that sales of the Harry Potter books have not been highly profitable for book retailers. Intense competition to offer the best price on the popular novels has whittled away expected revenue. The suggested retail for Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows was $35 but Amazon. com offered the book at a discounted price of $18, with other major chains following suit to remain competitive. Some hope that the frenzy associated with the book will create sales of other items when customers are drawn to bookstores. Other small, independent sellers have tried to protect revenues necessary to keep them in business by selling the book at the suggested cover price but offering other "add-on" items like Potter memorabilia or coupons towards other purchases. ^[70]

Criticism, praise, and controversy

Literary criticism

Early in its history, Harry Potter received overwhelmingly positive reviews, which helped the series to quickly grow a large readership. Upon its publication, the first volume, Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, was greatly praised by most of Britain's major newspapers: The Mail on Sunday rated it as "the most imaginative debut since Roald Dahl"; a view echoed by the Sunday Times ("comparisons to Dahl are, this time, justified"), while The Guardian called it "a richly textured novel given lift-off by an inventive wit" and The Scotsman said it had "all the makings of a classic". The Mail on Sunday is a British newspaper currently published in a tabloid format Roald Dahl ( 13 September 1916 – 23 November 1990) was a British Novelist Short story Writer The Sunday Times is a Sunday Broadsheet Newspaper distributed in the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland. The Guardian (until 1959 The Manchester Guardian) is a British Newspaper owned by the Guardian Media Group. The Scotsman is a Scottish national Newspaper, published in Edinburgh. ^[71]

By the time of the release of the fifth volume, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, the books began to receive strong criticism from a number of literary scholars. Yale professor, literary scholar and critic Harold Bloom raised pungent criticisms of the books' literary merits, saying, “Rowling's mind is so governed by clichés and dead metaphors that she has no other style of writing. The meaning of the word professor ( Latin: professor, person who professes to be an expert in some art or science teacher of highest rank) varies Literature is the Art of written works Literally translated the word means "acquaintance with letters" (from Latin littera letter Scholarly method &mdash or as it is more commonly called scholarship &mdash is the body of principles and practices used by scholars to make their claims about the world as The word critic comes from the Greek el κριτικός ( el-Latn kritikós) "able to discern" which in turn derives from the word Harold Bloom' (born July 11, 1930) is a Literary critic. Bloom defended 19th-century Romantic poets at a time when their reputations "^[72] A. S. Byatt authored a New York Times op-ed article calling Rowling's universe a “secondary world, made up of intelligently patchworked derivative motifs from all sorts of children's literature … written for people whose imaginative lives are confined to TV cartoons, and the exaggerated (more exciting, not threatening) mirror-worlds of soaps, reality TV and celebrity gossip". Dame Antonia Susan Duffy DBE (born Antonia Susan Drabble 24 August 1936 Sheffield, England) is a Postmodern Novelist A fictional universe is a self-consistent fictional setting with unique background elements such as an imaginary history or geography and possibly fantasy or science Children's literature is an age category of literature written for published for or marketed to Children roughly through age 12 ^[73]

The critic Anthony Holden wrote in The Observer on his experience of judging Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban for the 1999 Whitbread Awards. Anthony Holden (born 22 May 1947) is a British journalist broadcaster and writer particularly known as a biographer of the British Royal family and of The Observer is a British Newspaper published on Sundays In about the same place on the political spectrum as its daily sister paper The Book of the Year Seamus Heaney, Beowulf Children's Book Winner J His overall view of the series was very negative—"the Potter saga was essentially patronising, very conservative, highly derivative, dispiritingly nostalgic for a bygone Britain," and he speaks of "pedestrian, ungrammatical prose style. ^[74]"

By contrast, author Fay Weldon, while admitting that the series is "not what the poets hoped for," nevertheless goes on to say, "but this is not poetry, it is readable, saleable, everyday, useful prose". Fay Weldon CBE (born 22 September 1931 is a British Novelist, Short story writer Playwright, and Essayist whose work ^[75] The literary critic A. N. Wilson praised the Harry Potter series in 'The Times', stating: "There are not many writers who have JK’s Dickensian ability to make us turn the pages, to weep – openly, with tears splashing – and a few pages later to laugh, at invariably good jokes…We have lived through a decade in which we have followed the publication of the liveliest, funniest, scariest and most moving children’s stories ever written. "^[76] Charles Taylor of Salon.com, who is primarily a movie critic,^[77] took issue with Byatt's criticisms in particular. Saloncom, part of Salon Media Group ( often just called Salon, is an online While he conceded that she may have "a valid cultural point—a teeny one—about the impulses that drive us to reassuring pop trash and away from the troubling complexities of art", he rejected her claims that the series is lacking in serious literary merit and that it owes its success merely to the childhood reassurances it offers. Taylor stressed the progressively darker tone of the books, shown by the murder of a classmate and close friend and the psychological wounds and social isolation each causes. Taylor also pointed out that Philosopher's Stone, said to be the most lighthearted of the seven published books, disrupts the childhood reassurances that Byatt claims spur the series' success: the book opens with news of a double murder, for example. ^[78]

Stephen King called the series "a feat of which only a superior imagination is capable," and declared "Rowling's punning, one-eyebrow-cocked sense of humor" to be "remarkable. Stephen Edwin King (born September 21, 1947) is an American Author, Screenwriter, Musician, Columnist, " However, he wrote that despite the story being "a good one," he is "a little tired of discovering Harry at home with his horrible aunt and uncle," the formulaic beginning of all seven books. ^[38] King has also joked that "Rowling's never met an adverb she did not like!" He does however predict that Harry Potter "will indeed stand time's test and wind up on a shelf where only the best are kept; I think Harry will take his place with Alice, Huck, Frodo, and Dorothy and this is one series not just for the decade, but for the ages. Alice is a Fictional character in the books Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and its Sequel Through the Looking-Glass, Mark Twain 's series of books featuring the Fictional characters Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn include The Adventures of Tom Dorothy Gale is a Fictional character, the Protagonist of many of the Oz novels by American author L "^[79] Orson Scott Card wrote a review of Deathly Hallows in which he said, "J. Orson Scott Card (born August 24, 1951) is a bestselling American Author, Critic, political writer and speaker. K. Rowling has created something that .  .  . deserves to last, to become a permanent classic of English literature, and not just as 'children's fiction. '"^[80] Tina Jordan of Entertainment Weekly called Deathly Hallows "stunningly beautiful" and predicted that "these books are going to be on my grandchildren's shelves, and my great-grandchildren's, and maybe even further down the line than that. Entertainment Weekly (sometimes abbreviated as EW) is a Magazine published by Time Inc "^[81] A Telegraph review of Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince and of the series as a whole, observed that Rowling's success was entirely self-made and not due to hype of her books by the publishing world, which has instead followed in her wake. For "The Daily Telegraph" in Australia see The Daily Telegraph (Australia. ^[82]

The books have also spawned studies investigating the saga's literary merit. One collaboration by a number of critics is The Ivory Tower and Harry Potter. In this volume, Amanda Cockrell concludes, "Harry Potter is not the lightweight imitation of such serious high fantasy as A Wizard of Earthsea or The Lord of the Rings, but a legitimate descendant of the darker and more complicated school story," and suggests that "we need to take a deeper look into Harry Potter, who is deeper than we think. "^[83] She points to Rudyard Kipling, C. S. Lewis, Jill Murphy, Anthony Horowitz, Diana Wynne Jones, Thomas Hughes, Roald Dahl, and others as legitimate literary predecessors to the Harry Potter saga. ^[84] Lana A. Whithead, editor of the book, notes that Rowling "appears to be very seriously attempting a literary achievement. "^[85] John Granger, a conservative Orthodox Christian and English Literature professor at Peninsula College, writes that the "Harry Potter books are classics—and not just 'kid-lit' but as classics of world literature," and believes the books carry a "mother-lode" of deeper literary and symbolic meaning than meets the eye. John Granger is a reader in the Greek Orthodox Church, and the author of several books analysing J The term Orthodox Christianity may refer to The Eastern Orthodox Church: the Eastern Christian churches of Byzantine ^[86]

Cultural criticism

Although Time magazine named Rowling as a runner-up for its 2007 Person of the Year award, noting the social, moral, and political inspiration she has given her fandom,^[87] cultural criticisms of the series have been mixed. Time (trademarked in capitals as TIME) is a weekly American Newsmagazine, similar to Newsweek and Person of the Year (formerly Man of the Year) is an annual issue of the United States Newsmagazine Time that features and profiles There are many published theories about politics in the ''Harry Potter'' books by JK Rowling, which range from criticism of racism to anti-government sentiments The Harry Potter Fandom is a large international and informal community drawn together by J

Washington Post book critic Ron Charles opined in July 2007 that the large numbers of adults reading the Potter series but few other books may represent a "bad case of cultural infantilism", and that the straightforward "good vs. The Washington Post is the largest and most circulated Newspaper in Washington D evil" theme of the series is "childish. " He also argued that "through no fault of Rowling's," the cultural and marketing "hysteria" marked by the publication of the later books "trains children and adults to expect the roar of the coliseum, a mass-media experience that no other novel can possibly provide. "^[88]

Jenny Sawyer wrote in the July 25, 2007 Christian Science Monitor that the books represent a "disturbing trend in commercial storytelling and Western society" in that stories "moral center have all but vanished from much of today's pop culture. Events 285 - Diocletian appoints Maximian as Caesar, co-ruler Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. The Christian Science Monitor (CSM is an international Newspaper published daily Monday through Friday . . . after 10 years, 4,195 pages, and over 375 million copies, J. K. Rowling's towering achievement lacks the cornerstone of almost all great children's literature: the hero's moral journey. " Harry Potter, Sawyer argues, neither faces a "moral struggle" nor undergoes any ethical growth, and is thus "no guide in circumstances in which right and wrong are anything less than black and white. "^[89]

Chris Suellentrop made a similar argument in a November 8, 2002 Slate Magazine article, likening Potter to a "a trust-fund kid whose success at school is largely attributable to the gifts his friends and relatives lavish upon him. Events 1519 - Hernán Cortés enters Tenochtitlán and Aztec ruler Moctezuma welcomes him with great a Celebration See also 2002 (disambiguation Year 2002 ( MMII) was a Common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar. Slate is an English-language online current affairs and culture Magazine created in 1996 by former New Republic editor Michael A school (from Greek σχολεῖον - scholeion) is an Institution designed to allow and encourage Students (or "pupils" " Noting that in Rowling's fiction, magical ability potential is "something you are born to, not something you can achieve", Suellentrop wrote that Dumbledore's maxim that "It is our choices that show what we truly are, far more than our abilities" is hypocritical, as "the school that Dumbledore runs values native gifts above all else. "^[90] In an August 12, 2007 New York Times review of The Deathly Hallows, however, Christopher Hitchens praised Rowling for "unmooring" her "English school story" from literary precedents "bound up with dreams of wealth and class and snobbery", arguing that she had instead created "a world of youthful democracy and diversity". Events 1099 - First Crusade: Battle of Ascalon - Crusaders under the command of Godfrey of Bouillon defeat Fatimid Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Christopher Eric Hitchens (born April 13, 1949) is a British Author, Journalist, Literary critic and American ^[91]

Controversies

Main articles: Legal disputes over Harry Potter, Religious debates over Harry Potter, and Politics of Harry Potter

The books have been the subject of a number of legal proceedings, largely stemming either from claims by American Christian groups that the magic in the books promotes witchcraft among children, or from various conflicts over copyright and trademark infringements. There are many published theories about politics in the ''Harry Potter'' books by JK Rowling, which range from criticism of racism to anti-government sentiments

The series' immense popularity and high market value has led Rowling, her publishers, and film distributor Warner Bros. to take legal measures to protect their copyright, which have included banning the sale of Harry Potter imitations, targeting the owners of websites over the "Harry Potter" domain name, and suing author Nancy Stouffer to counter her accusations that Rowling had plagiarised her work. Warner Bros Entertainment Inc (or Warner Bros, Warner Bros Pictures) is one of the world's largest producers of Film and ^[92][93][94]

Various religious conservatives have claimed that the books promote witchcraft and are therefore unsuitable for children,^[95] while a number of critics have criticised the books for promoting various political agendas. ^[96][97] Her revelation that the character Dumbledore was homosexual has increased the political controversies surrounding the series. ^[98]

Other media

Films

Main article: Harry Potter film series

In 1999, Rowling sold the film rights to the first four Harry Potter books to Warner Bros. for a reported £1 million (US$1,982,900). The Harry Potter films are a fantasy series Warner Bros Entertainment Inc (or Warner Bros, Warner Bros Pictures) is one of the world's largest producers of Film and The Pound Sterling ( symbol £; ISO code: GBP) subdivided into 100 pence (singular penny) is the Currency ^[99] A demand Rowling made was that the principal cast be kept strictly British, nonetheless allowing for the inclusion of many Irish actors such as the late Richard Harris as Dumbledore, and for casting of French and Eastern European actors in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire where characters from the book are specified as such. Richard St John Harris ( October 1 1930 - October 25 2002) was a two-time Academy Award -nominated and Grammy Award ^[100] After considering many directors such as Steven Spielberg, Terry Gilliam, Jonathan Demme, and Alan Parker, on March 28, 2000, Chris Columbus was appointed as director for Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (titled "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone" in the United States), with Warner Bros. Steven Allan Spielberg, KBE (Hon (born December 18 1946 is an American Film director, Screenwriter and producer. Terrence Vance Gilliam (born 22 November 1940) is an American -born British Writer, Filmmaker, Animator and member Robert Jonathan Demme (born February 22 1944) is an Academy Award -winning American Film director, producer and Sir Alan William Parker, CBE (born 14th February, 1944) is a British Film director, producer, Writer, and Events 37 - Roman Emperor Caligula accepts the titles of the Principate, entitled to him by the Senate. 2000 ( MM) was a Leap year that started on Saturday of the Common Era, in accordance with the Gregorian calendar. Christopher 'Chris' Columbus (born September 10 1958, Spangler Pennsylvania) is an American filmmaker Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (released in the United States as Harry citing his work on other family films such as Home Alone and Mrs. Doubtfire as influences for their decision. Home Alone is a popular movie series The term usually refers to the first film in the series, which by the end of its run was the third highest grossing film of all Mrs Doubtfire is a 1993 Comedy film based on the Novel Madame Doubtfire by Anne Fine. ^[101] After extensive casting,^[102] filming began in October 2000 at Leavesden Film Studios and in London itself, with production ending in July 2001. Wikipedia_talkFeatured_lists#Proposed_change_to_all_featured_lists for an explanation of this and other inclusion tags below -->The list of Harry Potter Leavesden Film Studios is a Film and media complex constructed on the site of the former Rolls-Royce factory at Leavesden Aerodrome which was an important London ( ˈlʌndən is the capital and largest urban area in the United Kingdom. ^[103] Philosopher's Stone was released on November 16, 2001. Events 534 - A second and final revision of the Codex Justinianus is published Year 2001 ( MMI) was a Common year starting on Monday according to the Gregorian calendar.

Just three days after Philosopher's Stone's release, production for Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, also directed by Columbus, began, finishing in Summer 2002. Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets is a 2002 Fantasy Adventure Film, and the second film in the popular ''Harry Potter'' ^[104] The film was released on November 15, 2002. Events 655 - Battle of Winwaed: Penda of Mercia is defeated by Oswiu of Northumbria. See also 2002 (disambiguation Year 2002 ( MMII) was a Common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar.

Chris Columbus declined to direct Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, only acting as producer. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban is a 2004 Fantasy Adventure film based on the novel of the same name by J A film producer is a person who creates the conditions for making movies. Mexican director Alfonso Cuarón took over the job, and after shooting in 2003, the film was released on June 4, 2004. The United Mexican States ( or commonly Mexico (ˈmɛksɪkoʊ () is a federal constitutional Republic in North America. Alfonso Cuarón Orozco (b 28 November 1961 is an Academy Award -nominated Mexican Film director, Screenwriter and Film producer Events 781 BC - The first historic Solar eclipse is recorded in China. "MMIV" redirects here For the Modest Mouse album see " Baron von Bullshit Rides Again " Due to the fourth film beginning its production before the third's release, Mike Newell was chosen as the director for Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire,^[105] released on November 18, 2005. Michael Cormac Newell (born 28 March 1942 is an English director and producer of motion pictures for the screen and for Television. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire is a 2005 Fantasy Adventure Film, based on J Events 326 - The old St Peter's Basilica is consecrated 1302 - Pope Boniface VIII issues the Papal bull Year 2005 ( MMV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Newell declined to direct the next movie, and British TV director David Yates was chosen for Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, which began production on January 2006,^[106] and was released on July 11, 2007. David Yates (born 1963 is a BAFTA and Emmy Award -winning English Film and Television director, best known for his work on the most recent Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix is a 2007 fantasy adventure Film, based on the novel of the same name by Events 911 - Signing of the Treaty of Saint-Clair-sur-Epte between Charles the Simple and Rollo of Normandy. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Yates is confirmed to direct Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince,^[107] for release on November 21, 2008. Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince is an upcoming 2009 fantasy Adventure film, based on the novel by J Events 164 BC - Judas Maccabaeus, son of Mattathias of the Hasmonean family restores the Temple in Jerusalem. 2008 ( MMVIII) is the current year in accordance with the Gregorian calendar, a Leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common ^[8] In March 2008, Warner Bros. announced that the final instalment of the series, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, would be filmed in two segments, with part one released in November 2010 and part two released in May 2011. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows is the seventh and final of the Yates would again return to direct both films. ^[108] The Harry Potter films were huge box office hits, with all five on the 20 highest-grossing films worldwide. A box office is a place where tickets are sold to the public for Admission to a venue The following is a non-definitive list of the all-time highest-grossing films. ^[109]

Games

Electronic Arts has so far released seven video games movies based on the books and movies storylines, Philosopher's Stone,^[110] Chamber of Secrets,^[111] Prisoner of Azkaban,^[112] Goblet of Fire,^[113] and Order of the Phoenix^[114][115] Lego Creator: Harry Potter^[116] was another franchise EA had created, they however made only two games based on the first two books which were released to coincide with the release of the movies. A video game is a Game that involves interaction with a User interface to generate visual feedback on a video device. Harry Potter Philoso pher's Stone (known as Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's The video game Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets was released in 2002 Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban is a computer and Video game that was released in 2004, concurrently with the movie release of Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire is a computer and Video game that was released on 11 November 2005 a few days before the movie release of Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix is a computer and Video game that is based on the fifth instalment of the popular Harry Potter LEGO Creator Harry Potter is a series of Computer games based on the Harry Potter story series and the EA also produced a Quidditch simulation game, Harry Potter: Quidditch World Cup, released in 2003. Quidditch is a fictional sport developed by J K Rowling for the Harry Potter book series Harry Potter Quidditch World Cup is a Video game produced by EA Games that features the fictional sport of Quidditch from the

Theme park

On 31 May 2007 Warner Bros., Universal Studios and Leavesden Film Studios announced that a Harry Potter area will be built in Orlando, Florida at Universal Orlando's Islands of Adventure. Events 1279 BC - Rameses II (The Great (19th dynasty becomes pharaoh of Ancient Egypt. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Warner Bros Entertainment Inc (or Warner Bros, Warner Bros Pictures) is one of the world's largest producers of Film and Universal Studios (sometimes called Universal Pictures or Universal City Studios) a subsidiary of NBC Universal, is a major Global American Leavesden Film Studios is a Film and media complex constructed on the site of the former Rolls-Royce factory at Leavesden Aerodrome which was an important Orlando is a major City in central Florida, USA and is the County seat of Orange County Florida. Universal's Islands of Adventure is a Theme park located in Orlando, Florida. ^[117] The announcement described "The Wizarding World of Harry Potter" as "the world's first immersive Harry Potter themed environment. Universal's Islands of Adventure is a Theme park located in Orlando, Florida. " According to the Warner Bros. press release, the section is "Expected to open in late 2009. The new environment will feature immersive rides and interactive attractions, as well as experimental shops and restaurants;. "^[118] In an online announcement it was revealed that plans have been in place for over a year and a half; with contributions from J.K. Rowling and Stuart Craig. Joanne "Jo" Rowling OBE (born 31 July 1965 who writes under the Norman Stuart Craig OBE (born April 14, 1942) is a noted British Production designer. ^[117]

Theatre

A musical based on the series is currently being planned, tentatively scheduled for a 2008 run in London's West End. West End theatre is a popular term for mainstream professional theatre staged in the large theatres of London 's "Theatreland" The Sunday Mirror reports that producers are hoping to have a "big-name composer" write the music. The Daily Mirror, often referred to simply as The Mirror, is a British Tabloid daily Newspaper founded in 1903 It has not yet been decided whether the production will tell the entire story, or focus on one particular subplot, though they do hope to include "spectacular flying scenes, live Quidditch and big showdowns with Voldemort". ^[119]

See also

• Wizarding World of Harry Potter ~ A Theme park
• List of Harry Potter parodies

References

Harry Potter books

• Rowling, J. K. (1997). Joanne "Jo" Rowling OBE (born 31 July 1965 who writes under the Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (in English). Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (published in the United States as Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone) is the first novel in London: Bloomsbury/New York City: Scholastic, et al. London ( ˈlʌndən is the capital and largest urban area in the United Kingdom. Bloomsbury Publishing Plc is an independent London -based publishing house known for literary Novels It was named Publisher of the Year in 1999 and The City of New York The Scholastic Corporation (or sometimes referred to as Scholastic Press; in other cases Scholastic Inc UK ISBN 0747532699/U. S. ISBN 0590353403.
• Rowling, J. K. (1998). Joanne "Jo" Rowling OBE (born 31 July 1965 who writes under the Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (in English). London: Bloomsbury/New York City: Scholastic, et al. London ( ˈlʌndən is the capital and largest urban area in the United Kingdom. Bloomsbury Publishing Plc is an independent London -based publishing house known for literary Novels It was named Publisher of the Year in 1999 and The City of New York The Scholastic Corporation (or sometimes referred to as Scholastic Press; in other cases Scholastic Inc UK ISBN 0747538492/U. S. ISBN 0439064864.
• Rowling, J. K. (1999). Joanne "Jo" Rowling OBE (born 31 July 1965 who writes under the Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (in English). London: Bloomsbury/New York City: Scholastic, et al. London ( ˈlʌndən is the capital and largest urban area in the United Kingdom. Bloomsbury Publishing Plc is an independent London -based publishing house known for literary Novels It was named Publisher of the Year in 1999 and The City of New York The Scholastic Corporation (or sometimes referred to as Scholastic Press; in other cases Scholastic Inc UK ISBN 0747542155/U. S. ISBN 0439136350.
• Rowling, J. K. (2000). Joanne "Jo" Rowling OBE (born 31 July 1965 who writes under the Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (in English). London: Bloomsbury/New York City: Scholastic, et al. London ( ˈlʌndən is the capital and largest urban area in the United Kingdom. Bloomsbury Publishing Plc is an independent London -based publishing house known for literary Novels It was named Publisher of the Year in 1999 and The City of New York The Scholastic Corporation (or sometimes referred to as Scholastic Press; in other cases Scholastic Inc UK ISBN 074754624X/U. S. ISBN 0439139597.
• Rowling, J. K. (2003). Joanne "Jo" Rowling OBE (born 31 July 1965 who writes under the Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (in English). London: Bloomsbury/New York City: Scholastic, et al. London ( ˈlʌndən is the capital and largest urban area in the United Kingdom. Bloomsbury Publishing Plc is an independent London -based publishing house known for literary Novels It was named Publisher of the Year in 1999 and The City of New York The Scholastic Corporation (or sometimes referred to as Scholastic Press; in other cases Scholastic Inc UK ISBN 0747551006/U. S. ISBN 043935806X.
• Rowling, J. K. (2005). Joanne "Jo" Rowling OBE (born 31 July 1965 who writes under the Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (in English). Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, released on 16 July 2005 is the sixth of seven novels in J London: Bloomsbury/New York City: Scholastic, et al. London ( ˈlʌndən is the capital and largest urban area in the United Kingdom. Bloomsbury Publishing Plc is an independent London -based publishing house known for literary Novels It was named Publisher of the Year in 1999 and The City of New York The Scholastic Corporation (or sometimes referred to as Scholastic Press; in other cases Scholastic Inc UK ISBN 0747581088/U. S. ISBN 0439784549.
• Rowling, J. K. (2007). Joanne "Jo" Rowling OBE (born 31 July 1965 who writes under the Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (in English). Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows is the seventh and final of the London: Bloomsbury/New York City: Scholastic, et al. London ( ˈlʌndən is the capital and largest urban area in the United Kingdom. Bloomsbury Publishing Plc is an independent London -based publishing house known for literary Novels It was named Publisher of the Year in 1999 and The City of New York The Scholastic Corporation (or sometimes referred to as Scholastic Press; in other cases Scholastic Inc UK ISBN 1551929767/U. S. ISBN 0545010225.

External links

• J.K. Rowling's personal website
• Official Harry Potter movies website (Warner Bros.)
• Harry Potter on Bloomsbury.com (International publisher)
• Harry Potter on Scholastic.com (US publisher)
• Harry Potter on Raincoast.com (Canadian publisher)
• Harry Potter Wiki

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