New JK Rowling Book Hits Bookstores Around the World

JK Rowling is in the midst of her historical run as the world's best-selling author. Her Harry Potter series sold over 400 million copies in 67 languages around the world. The Harry Potter franchise has now moved well beyond books, into film and merchandise, all of which combine to make Rowling one of the richest people in the world and, perhaps, the most wealthy fiction author in history. At least, that is likely to be the case when all is said and done. Harry Potter books are still being sold and there are movies still to be made. The total impact of Harry Potter on global culture - especially among children - is nearly impossible to fathom.

Now, in an attempt to reach some personal closure with the beloved world of Harry Potter that she lovingly crafted over nearly two decades, Rowling is offering The Tales of Beetle the Bard. The book is a collection of short stories and deals with many of the themes that were explored throughout the Harry Potter series. Rowling has described the book as a "distillation of the themes found in the Harry Potter books," calling it her goodbye to a world she lived in for 17 years.

The book itself plays a pivotal role in the final Harry Potter installment - The Deathly Hallows - with Harry and his friends using the book to ultimately defeat Lord Voldemort.

The Tales of Beetle the Bard was released nationwide with an initial print run of 8 million copies in 20 countries. While this is a staggering launch for most authors, it is a mere glimmer of the fanfare that accompanied Rowling's Harry Potter launches.