Twenty years ago on Sept. 1, 1998, American readers were introduced to Harry Potter with the first American publication of “Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone” and author J.K. Rowling is celebrating the milestone.
In a post to Twitter, Rowling wrote “Harry Potter was first published in the US 20 years ago today, so I’m sending lots of love to American Potterheads, who’ve given me some of the most memorable moments of my Potter-related life!”
The book quickly became a phenomenon, leading to six sequels and eight films. Harry Potter remains the best-selling book series in history with more than 500 million copies sold.
“Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone” as it’s titled in the UK, was published by Bloomsbury, the publisher of all Harry Potter books in the United Kingdom, on June 26, 1997.
The Harry Potter world has also grown beyond the original series, with “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them” becoming its own popular film series. There is even a second installment — “Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald” — which is set to come out in November. The stage play “Harry Potter and the Cursed Child” has also found immense success.
Even to the fans, Harry Potter remains a deeply significant and influential work of literature even two decades on. They keep Pottermore — the digital heart of the Wizarding World — alive and thriving. They also express how much the books meant to them and the ways it’s changed their lives.
By: Maytinee Kramer
