October 10, 2014

When Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone hit the bookshelves in June 1997, it quickly became a definite best-seller. Considering that it was the first novel ever written by British writer J. K. Rowling, it was decidedly a run-away hit.

Fans – some say “cult of followers” – awaited the release of each of the other six books of the seven-book series with intense excitement, catapulting the series to record sales world-wide. The harry potter audio books series was published in the English language by two of the foremost publishers in the world – Bloomsbury in the U.K. and Scholastic Press in the U.S.A. Prompted by the unprecedented commercial success, other publishers from all over the world followed suit, to their eventual immense satisfaction due to the unqualified global success of the books. The book has since been translated into over seventy languages in response to universal clamour.

The series is also available in digital formats, and can be downloaded from sites such as www.audiobooks.com/. People seem to immensely enjoy the audio book formats in particular – with Stephen Fry narrating for Harry Potter’s fans in the United Kingdom, and Jim Dale giving life to the series for fans in the United States.

Impelled by the enormous public interest in Harry Potter, Warner Bros. Pictures made eight-part film adaptations of the series – all blockbusters, out grossing all other films made before it bar none. Tie-in products were created to cross-promote the film series, generating greater visibility and supplementary revenues. The Harry Potter brand is said to have generated earnings of no less than $ 15 billion, catapulting the author to billionaire status from the said income.

Aside from the distinct commercial success, the series has also been awarded a rather extensive range of awards in recognition of its literary appeal and value. Many reputable critics have sung its praises, removing any doubt regarding the book’s significance and importance in the world of literature.