J. K. Rowling Quote

It is impossible to live without failing at something, unless you live so cautiously that you might as well not have lived at all—in which case, you fail by default.

- J. K. Rowling

About J. K. Rowling

J.K. Rowling, author and philanthropist. She created the seven-volume British fantasy children's series Harry Potter, published from 1997 to 2007. The novel has sold over 500 million, has been translated into 70 languages, and spawned a global media franchise including movies and video games.

Rowling's Medal She has won many accolades. She was certified as a working badge of the British Empire and a member of the Medal of Honor for her service to literature and philanthropy. Harry Potter brought wealth and recognition, which she used to advance these charitable and political causes.

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Early life and family

Joanne Rowling was born on July 31, 1965, in Yate, Gloucestershire, at Cottage Hospital. Her parents, Anne (née Volant) and Peter ("Pete") James Rowling, had traveled together by train the year before to their respective naval stations in Arbroath, Scotland. Pete was in the Royal Navy, and Anne was a Wren. They both came from middle-class families; Pete's father set machine tools before opening a grocery store. They got married on March 14, 1965, when they were both 19. They abandoned the navy life and looked for a rural place to raise the child they were expecting.

Publishing Harry Potter

In June 1995, Rowling finished writing Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone. The first version had a drawing of Harry in front of a fireplace with a scar on his forehead resembling lightning. An early reader's positive review prompted Christopher Little Literary Agency to accept Rowling's representation. Twelve publishers received her manuscript, but they all rejected it. After Nigel Newton, the then-head of Bloomsbury Publishing, saw his eight-year-old daughter finish one chapter and want to continue reading, Barry Cunningham, who oversaw the children's literature division, purchased it.

Reception

As an author, Rowling has seen tremendous financial success. Her Harry Potter series topped bestseller lists, gave rise to an international media phenomenon that included movies and video games, and by 2018, it had been translated into at least 70 different languages. For more than a year, the first three Harry Potter books held the top three slots on The New York Times bestselling list before being relocated to a brand-new children's list.