Harry Potter is a series of fantasy novels written by British author J. K. Rowling.
The
novels chronicle the life of a young wizard, Harry Potter, and his friends Hermione
Granger and Ron Weasley, all of whom are students at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and
Wizardry. The main story arc concerns Harry's struggle against Lord Voldemort, a dark
wizard who intends to become immortal, overthrow the wizard governing body known as
the Ministry of Magic, and subjugate all wizards and Muggles.
Since the release of the first novel, Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, on 26 June
1997, the books have found immense popularity, critical acclaim and commercial success
worldwide. The series has now been translated into multiple languages including Irish,
Spanish, French, German and Swedish to name a few. They have attracted a wide adult
audience as well as younger readers, and are often considered cornerstones of modern
young adult literature.[3] The series has also had its share of criticism, including concern
about the increasingly dark tone as the series progressed, as well as the often gruesome
and graphic violence it depicts. As of May 2013, the books have sold more than 500 million
copies worldwide, making them the best-selling book series in history, and have
been translated into seventy-three languages.[4][5] The last four books consecutively set
records as the fastest-selling books in history, with the final instalment selling roughly
eleven million copies in the United States within twenty-four hours of its release.
The series was originally published in English by two major publishers, Bloomsbury in the
United Kingdom and Scholastic Press in the United States. A play, Harry Potter and the
Cursed Child, based on a story by Rowling, premiered in London on 30 July 2016 at
the Palace Theatre, and its script was published by Little, Brown as the eighth book in the
series.[6] The original seven books were adapted into an eight-part film series by Warner
Bros. Pictures, which has become the second highest-grossing film series of all time as of
August 2015. The franchise has also generated much tie-in merchandise, making the Harry
Potter brand worth in excess of $25 billion.[7]
A series of many genres, including fantasy, drama, coming of age and the British school
story (which includes elements of mystery, thriller, adventure, horror and romance), the
world of Harry Potter explores numerous themes and includes many cultural meanings and
references.[8] According to Rowling, the main theme is death.[9]Other major themes in the
series include prejudice, corruption, and madness.[10]
The success of the books and films has ensured that the Harry Potter franchise continues
to expand, with numerous derivative works, a travelling exhibition that premiered in
Chicago in 2009, a studio tour in London that opened in 2012, a digital platform on which
J.K. Rowling updates the series with new information and insight, and a pentalogy of spinoff films premiering in November 2016, among many other developments. Most recently,
themed attractions, collectively known as The Wizarding World of Harry Potter, have been
built at several Universal Parks & Resorts amusement parks around the world.
Contents
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1Plot
o 1.1Early years
o 1.2Voldemort returns
2Supplementary works
o 2.1Harry Potter and the Cursed Child
o 2.2In-universe books
o 2.3Pottermore website
3Structure and genre
4Themes
5Origins
6Publishing history
o 6.1Translations
o 6.2Completion of the series
o 6.3Cover art
7Achievements
o 7.1Cultural impact
o 7.2Commercial success
o 7.3Awards, honours, and recognition
8Reception
o 8.1Literary criticism
o 8.2Social impact
o 8.3Controversies
9Adaptations
o 9.1Films
o 9.2Games
o 9.3Audiobooks
o 9.4Stage production
10Attractions
o 10.1The Wizarding World of Harry Potter
o 10.2United Kingdom
11References
12Further reading
13External links
