The Philosopher’s Stone Turns 25
The play Harry Potter and the Cursed Child continues the story of Harry Potter, the hero of a series of novels by the British author J. K. Rowling. First performed in 2016, the play follows the boy wizard Harry into adulthood. Here, actors perform the play in New York City in 2018.
Credit: © Sara Krulwich, The New York Times/Redux Pictures
While the Philosopher’s stone gives immortality in the Harry Potter series, the first book Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone has already lived for 25 years. On second thought, the Philosopher’s Stone might not work on books. Someone ask Granger what she thinks! On June 26, 1997, Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone was published, and The Boy Who Lived shared his magical journey with the Muggle world.
British author J. K. Rowling came up with the idea for the Harry Potter characters while sitting on a train in London in 1990. She completed the first novel while she was an unemployed teacher in Edinburgh, Scotland. Rowling submitted the manuscript to several publishers before one saw the potential in the story of a young boy who finds out he is a wizard. That UK publisher, Bloomsbury, made a good call! The Harry Potter series is unique in publishing because of its widespread popularity among both adults and young people. In addition, both boys and girls enjoy the series, which is unusual in literature for children. Some literary critics proclaim the novels will be classics of children’s literature.
The magical “Harry Potter” series by J.K. Rowling
Credit: © Shutterstock
Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone is a gripping story of loss, friendship, hope, and, of course, magic! After the wicked sorcerer Lord Voldemort murders Harry Potter’s parents, the orphaned boy is raised by his nasty Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon Dursley. Harry turns 11 years old as the series begins. In an incident with a talking snake at the zoo and its habitat wall disappearing, he learns that he is a wizard. Potter is invited to attend the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry to study magic skills. Potter survives one danger after another, accompanied by his friends Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger. Potter and his friends finish their first year at Hogwarts, ready for six more years of adventure in the seven-volume series.
Daniel Radcliffe is a British motion-picture and stage actor. He is best known for his portrayal of the boy wizard Harry Potter in the “Harry Potter” series of motion pictures, shown .
Credit: Warner Brothers Corp.
The novel became an immediate best seller in both the United Kingdom and the United States, where it was published under the title Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone (1998) by Scholastic. Rowling continued the series with six more books, following Potter and his friends as they grow up and battle dark forces in the wizarding world. The motion-picture versions of the Harry Potter books were international box-office hits. In the motion pictures, Daniel Radcliffe plays Potter, Emma Watson plays Granger, and Rupert Grint plays Weasley. Additional books, prequel movies, and a play have been created, supplementing the original series.
The 25th anniversary of Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone is a great excuse to reread the series or pick it up if you have never read it before. Some people read it every year or share it with their children. Go meet the Gryffindors, learn the flighted game of Quidditch, and most importantly, figure out just what the Philosopher’s stone is and who is trying to get their hands on it!
