Joanne K. Rowling (pronounced rolling) is the author of the Harry Potter series of books, which began with the 1997 tale Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone. (U.S. title: Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone.) The book told the story of Harry Potter, a seemingly ordinary boy who discovered that he was actually a wizard. The book was a sensational hit, and by the end of 1999 the top three slots on the New York Times list of bestsellers were taken by the first three books in the Harry Potter series. By the 2000 release of the fourth book in the series,