Harry Potter: 7 Novels

Harry Potter is a series of seven fantasy novels written by the British author J. K. Rowling. The books chronicle the adventures of the adolescent wizard Harry Potter and his best friends Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger, all of whom are students at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. The main story arc concerns Harrys quandary involving the evil wizard Lord Voldemort, who killed Harrys parents in his quest to conquer the wizarding world and subjugate nonmagical people (Muggles).

Since the June 30, 1997 release of the first novel Harry Potter and the Philosophers Stone, (retitled Harry Potter and the Sorcerers Stone in the United States) the books have gained immense popularity, critical acclaim and commercial success worldwide.[1] The series has also had some share of criticism, including concern for the increasingly dark tone. As of June 2008, the book series has sold more than 400 million copies and has been translated into 67 languages,[2][3] and the last four books have consecutively set records as the fastestselling books in history.

A series of many genres, including fantasy and coming of age, it has many cultural meanings and references.[4][5][6][7] According to Rowling, the main theme is death,[8] although it is primarily considered to be a work of childrens literature. There are also many other themes in the series, such as love and prejudice.[9]

Englishlanguage 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. Through 2010, the first six books have been made into films by Warner Brothers; it is the highest grossing film series of all time. The seventh book is being made into two movies which are currently scheduled to be released nearly eight months apart: Part I on November 19, 2010 and the series finale on July 15, 2011.[10] The series also originated much tiein merchandise, making the Harry Potter brand worth $24 billion.