Harry Potter

After reading the USA Today newspaper on my first flight today I sat down in my sit on the second flight where I noticed the gentleman -- in his late 40's/nearly 50 years old -- sitting next to me was reading the latest book in the Harry Potter series. This was a bit coincidental since I had just read the "Snapshot" in the Life section of USA Today which contain a bar graph (of course!!) depicting the "initial US print runs for the seven books in the Potter series. These print run quantities included:

• Sorcerer's Stone in 1998 -- 50,000
• Chamber of Secrets in 1999 -- 250,000
• Prisoner of Azkaban in 1999 -- 500,000
• Goblet of Fire in 2000 -- 3.8 million
• Order of the Phoenix in 2003 -- 8.5 million
• Half-Blood Prince in 2005 -- 10.8 million
• Deathly Hallows in July 2007 -- 12 million

The growth rate of the print runs is slowing but still very impressive growth having gone from 50,000 to 12 million copies in only 9 years!! If only my blog readership would grow at such a rate :-)

Since I am 41 myself I really was struck by the sight of this older guy reading a Harry Potter book but perhaps I have missed the multi-generational appeal this book has for all kinds of readers.

Congratulations go to the author of the Potter series, Ms. Rowling, who has not only generated vast wealth for herself but she has probably inspired millions of children (and 50 year olds!) to be avid readers which always helps better our world.

Good luck Harry,

Todd