J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone was published in the United Kingdom in 1997.
Bloomsbury released the first Harry Potter novel on 26 June 1997. It introduced Harry Potter, Hermione Granger and Ron Weasley, along with the wizarding world that became the basis for six further main-series novels.
The book was published as Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone in the United States. Scholastic changed “Philosopher’s Stone” to “Sorcerer’s Stone” for the American edition because the publisher believed the original title might be less immediately appealing to US readers. The story itself is substantially the same.
The 1997 publication date is distinct from the later film release. Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone reached cinemas in 2001, four years after the novel appeared.