Harry Potter Turns 21!

2018 marks 21 years since the first book in the Harry Potter series was published — and a literary phenomenon was born. This exhibit highlights the impact of the Harry Potter series in academic literature from a wide range of disciplines, including religious studies, education, philosophy, law, medicine, society and culture, and the arts.

On June 26, 1997, Bloomsbury Publishing in London published Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone by British author J. K. Rowling and a literary phenomenon was born. Millions of readers have followed Harry throughout the seven-book series, reveling in his adventures at the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry where he discovered his heritage, perfected his magical abilities, and examined important ethical topics such as the desire for knowledge, the effects of prejudice, and the responsibility that comes with power. Although he struggled with fear of becoming an evil wizard like Lord Voldemort, Harry is reminded by friends and mentors that his compassionate and unselfish use of magic sets the two apart. Time and again, Harry’s desire to do what is right helped him to defeat Lord Voldemort, keeping all that the young wizard loves safe from harm. This exhibit of selected English-language, non-fiction print and electronic access books, dissertations, articles, reviews, interviews, media ties-ins, and images highlight the impact of the Harry Potter series in academic literature. These titles are available at the UC Davis Library, as well as other academic and public libraries. The aforementioned works encompass a variety of disciplines including religious studies, education, philosophy, law, medicine, society and culture, and the arts.

Learn More

Interested in learning more? Download our online bibliography for the exhibit, which includes:

• Primary Sources
  • Fiction
  • Fiction (parodies, imitations, etc.)
  • Non-fiction
• Secondary Sources
  • Books
  • Conference papers and proceedings
  • Films
  • Documentaries/Biographical films
  • Comics/Graphic novels
  • Drama
  • Drama (parodies, imitations, etc.)
  • Performance reviews/Review essays
  • Peer-reviewed articles
  • Law review articles
  • Book chapters
  • Book reviews/Review essays
  • Film reviews/Review essays
  • Doctoral dissertations
  • Interviews
• Biographies/Bibliographies/Encyclopedias/Guides
  • Books
  • Articles
  • Reference entries
• Internet Resources
  • Official websites
  • Fan websites
• Associated research resources
  • Books
  • Peer-reviewed articles
• Forthcoming
  • Books
  • Book chapters
  • Films