Harry Potter And The Sorcerer's Stone by J. K. Rowling

J.K. Rowling became the world's first billionaire author with the story of young Harry Potter and the magical wizarding world of Hogwarts. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone is Rowling's literary debut and the first of the seven novels which make up the original Harry Potter series. Translated into over 80 languages, the story of the boy wizard Harry and his fight against the Dark Lord Voldemort captured the world's attention. According to Scholastic, Harry Potter titles have sold over 400 million copies.

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone introduces readers to the series namesake, Harry, and the magical world of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Orphaned as an infant, Harry is raised by his cruel and indifferent aunt and uncle alongside his dopey cousin Dudley. On his eleventh birthday, he learns that he is a wizard and has been accepted to Hogwarts, where he will learn magic alongside other witches and wizards his age. Rowling's writing transformed ordinary locations like shopping districts, banks, and train stations into magical havens called Diagon Alley, Gringotts Wizarding Bank, and Platform 9 ¾. At Hogwarts, Harry meets the primary series characters, including Ron Weasley, Hermione Granger, Professor Snape, Professor Dumbledore, and Hagrid, the Hogwart's groundskeeper.

Rowling came up with the idea for the children's story that would eventually become Harry Potter during a long train ride to London. She wrote the book between 1990 and 1995 and initially struggled to find a publisher in part because it was such a long book – roughly 90,000 words. Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone eventually found a home at the publishing house Bloomsbury after the story caught the eye of British publisher Barry Cunningham. It was published in the United Kingdom on June 25th, 1997. Scholastic eventually acquired the book rights for the United States market and updated the title to Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone for American audiences.

Item Categories:

• Books