Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone Published
June 26, 1997 · 20th Century
The first novel in the Harry Potter series, written by British author J.K. Rowling, was published by Bloomsbury in the United Kingdom on June 26, 1997. The book introduced the world to Harry Potter, a young wizard who discovers his magical heritage. It became a worldwide publishing phenomenon and the beginning of one of the best-selling book series in history.
Key Figures
J.K. RowlingNigel Newton
Locations
Bloomsbury PublishingEdinburgh
Topics
britishliteraturenovelrowling
Connected Events — 4 Connections
Harry Potter's success demonstrated audience appetite for serialized fantasy content, influencing Netflix's strategy for original fantasy series Netflix Launches Watch Now Streaming Service
Lucas's merchandising revolution created the template for transmedia franchises that Rowling's publishers would adapt for Harry Potter Star Wars: A New Hope Released
Gutenberg's movable type technology enabled mass book production, making global publishing phenomena like Harry Potter economically viable Gutenberg Printing Press
Berners-Lee's web enabled online fan communities and viral marketing that amplified Harry Potter's global spread beyond traditional publishing The Birth of the World Wide Web
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