The train barreled along, from Manchester to London, chock-full with passengers eager to reach their destination. Among the crowd sat Joanne, an aspiring writer on a commute that would change her life forever. In the following hours, Joanne Rowling conceived of one of the greatest literary adventures of our time: Harry Potter.
The idea came to Rowling in 1990 but wasn't fully fleshed out until 1995. As a single mother living on welfare, she put pen to paper in an effort to provide for her daughter, Jessica. Provide, as she would come to find out, was a gross understatement.
Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, the first of seven books in the series, was picked up by Bloomsbury Children's Books in London for about $4,000 and released in 1997. Future sales attracted a grant from the Scottish Arts Council, allowing her to write full time. Under the pseudonym J.K. Rowling, the initials of which were thought to bring in a male audience, she developed a franchise that not only told the endearing story of three friends in a magical world fraught with mystery but also made her a billionaire.
Authors dream of that one idea that will eventually sell a million copies. J.K. Rowling's sixth installment in the Potter series, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, sold nine million copies in the U.S. and UK in the first 24 hours of its 2005 release--that's 250,000 copies per hour in the U.S. Before this, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (book number four) became the fastest selling book in publishing history. Forbes estimates her fortune at a cool $1 billion, making her the first self-made, billion-dollar author.
Rowling's personal success has also spawned that of young Hollywood stars. In 1998, Warner Bros. acquired the film rights for the first two books for a seven-figure sum. Apart from leading to a seven-movie worldwide gross of $6.339 billion--which is incredible considering it only cost $1.115 billion to produce all seven films--the film adaptations launched the careers of Daniel Radcliff (Harry Potter), Emma Watson (Hermoine Granger), and Rupert Grint (Ron Weasley). Radcliffe, the star of the series and current broadway frontman, is now the richest British actor under 30, with a net worth over $60 million; Watson, valued at $32 million, is the new six-figure face of Burberry while juggling studies at Brown University; and Grint, currently worth $26 million, has received much acclaim for his supporting performances in the series.
The success of the Potter franchise was surely unfathomed at its conception aboard that crowded train from Manchester to London. Nevertheless, its success is news to no one--it has graced our culture for over 13 years. Instead, I'm writing this blog to remind us of our childhoods, because just as we all grow up, the Potter series must also come to an end. This week we say farewell. The final film installment, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2, comes out this Friday. While Harry's adventure ended in 2007 for readers, the films kept the spirit alive. Now that those are finished, we have only our memories and possessions to fall back on. I know my children will follow Harry through his years at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, but it's up to all the fans that grew up with these cherished tales to keep them in our hearts for generations to come.
So long, Harry, and thank you, J.K. Rowling, for playing such a pivotal role in my childhood.
--Chris
P.S. Look forward to October, as J.K. Rowling presents the mysterious Pottermore--"an exciting online experience around the reading of the Harry Potter books."
Photo taken from this photostream and used with permission of a Creative Commons license.
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