J.K. Rowling’s debut novel, Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone, was published in 1997.
Bloomsbury released the first edition in the United Kingdom on 26 June 1997. The novel was Rowling’s first published book and began the central story of Harry Potter’s education, friendships, and struggle against Voldemort.
Before publication, the manuscript was rejected by several publishers. Bloomsbury acquired it after its children’s publishing chairman, Barry Cunningham, read the submission. The book’s early success grew through reviews, awards, bookseller recommendations, and word of mouth.
The American edition appeared in 1998 under the title Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone. By then, the series had already attracted international attention. Six more main novels followed, with the final volume, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, published in 2007. The first book’s 1997 publication date therefore marks the beginning of one of modern children’s literature’s best-known series.