Latest Harry Potter Book Breaking Sales Records

Posted on July 12, 2000

Scholastic's Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, J.K. Rowling's fourth Harry Potter book, hit bookstores at midnight on July 8, 2000 and once again Harry Potter made history. Early reports estimate that Scholastic broke all publishing sales records, selling nearly 3 million copies in its first weekend on sale. Book retailers Amazon.com and Barnes and Noble, Inc. recently announced record pre-orders for the popular book.

With an unprecedented first print-run of 3.8 million, Scholastic is moving forward with its planned reprint of 2 million. Scholastic also announced they will go back to press for an additional 1 million copies. In addition, they announced that the paperback edition of Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets will go on sale on August l5, 2000 with an initial printing of 3.2 million.

``J.K. Rowling and Harry Potter have created publishing history with the extraordinary first printing and subsequent sales of Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire''' commented Barbara Marcus, President, Scholastic Books. ``It is extremely gratifying to publish a book which is being read and loved by so many children and adults.''

There are currently 20.9 million copies of the first three Harry Potter books in print including three hardcover novels and the paperback edition of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone. Each of the books has held the #1 position on The New York Times bestseller list and for 16 weeks the titles were #1, #2 and #3 on the hardcover list and #1 on the paperback list. As of July 16, 2000 all 4 books still remained on the list.