The Press and Journal (Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire)
Harry Potter celebrates 20 wizard years
Anniversary: JK Rowling’s thanks
Harry Potter author JK Rowling has thanked fans saying “it’s been wonderful” on yesterday’s anniversary which marked 20 years since the first book was published.
Harry Potter And The Philosopher’s Stone came out on June 26, 1997 and has since sold more than 450million copies worldwide in 79 languages.
Rowling wrote on Twitter: “20 years ago today a world that I had lived in alone was suddenly open to others. It’s been wonderful. Thank you.”
Another Harry Potter alumni, the actress Evanna Lynch, who played Luna Lovegood in the films, joined Rowling in marking the anniversary.
Lynch, who became a pen pal with Rowling before landing her role in the films, told how “empowering” she found the books as she battled an eating disorder. The actress wrote to Rowling because she suffered with her own insecurities and struggles.
She said: “To see that was OK, that was empowering, so I wrote to her and she wrote back and we became pen friends before I got the role.”
Lynch, who will soon be seen in the play Disco Pigs at London’s Trafalgar Studios, added that she has recovered from an eating disorder.Lynch is not alone in marking the 20th anniversary of the first book.
Good Morning Britain host Piers Morgan waved a wand but slammed the best-selling books as “badly written tosh”.
The Harry Potter books have led to a movie franchise, a sold-out theatre production and multiple theme parks, as well as a booming memorabilia market.
Author JK Rowling had the idea for the stories about a young wizard and his friends and teachers at a school for magic while on a train journey, and she wrote the first book in a cafe in Edinburgh.
The Elephant House has since become a tourist attraction for fans of the series.
Rowling’s follow-up to The Philosopher’s Stone, The Chamber of Secrets, was published the following year in 1998, while Harry Potter And The Prisoner of Azkaban was published in 1999.
They were followed by Harry Potter And The Goblet Of Fire, The Order Of The Phoenix, The HalfBlood Prince and The Deathly Hallows.
The first film, which propelled stars Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson and Rupert Grint to fame, was released in 2001 and the franchise wrapped up in 2011.