Books
Harry Potter Brews Record-Breaking Book Sales
By Daniel Kuo
Jul 25, 2007 - 3:40:05 PM

LOS ANGELES —For the seventh and final time, Harry Potter cast his irresistible magic on an entire country of readers.    J.K. Rowling’s concluding novel, "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows", sold a record-shattering 8.3 million copies – over 100 books per second – in its first 24 hours on U.S. bookshelves, according to the books publisher, Scholastic Inc.

       Released at 12:01 a.m. on Saturday, July 21, the book easily generated more revenue than this month’s opening of the movie “Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix”, and Warner Bros. studios even admitted that the novel probably cut into their potential ticket sales.  “[Fans] wanted to get that book Saturday, lock themselves in the house and read it, because they didn't want their other friends by Monday telling them who made it and who didn't,” said Dan Fellman, the head of distribution at Warner Bros.

       Scholastic prepared for the record-breaking night by printing 12 million copies of the book, but acknowledged that even so, many bookstores had already run out. 

      The previous record for most books sold on opening day was held by Rowling’s sixth work "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince", which sold almost 7 million copies.