Jane or Joanne?...

It seems unoriginal to begin another awed tribute to the Hary Potter phenomenon, whose last installment has taken £104 million in its opening weekend in the US and Canada. Instead, across the Atlantic, another famous female British writer was proving that endurance of time is the real test.

Almost 194 years after her death, a rare Jane Austen manuscript has sold for £993, 250. 'The Watsons', an unfinished novel complete with revisions and crossings out, was originally owned privately, yet is now in the hands of the Bodleian Library, who beat off competition from New York's Morgan Library. Having secured money from the National Heritage Memorial Fund, the Bodleian say that they are 'delighted' to have bought 'such a valuable part of our literary heritage'.

Austen may be worth 105 times less than Potter today, but until Rowling influences 200 years' worth of readers, she won't hold the same place in literary hearts as the beloved Jane.

Magic turns digital...

J. K. Rowling's Harry Potter series has long been a well-thumbed favourite on book shelves across the globe. Yet the popular wizarding tales are now going to be available to a new audience. Rowling has announced that the seven novels will be launched as e-books in September, alongside digital audio books to ensure subsequent generations will continue to be captivated by the magical world of Hogwarts.

The release will coincide with the launch of Pottermore, a site dedicated to the boy wizard which will provide users with an immersive interactive experience. Fans will be able to, amongst others things, choose a wand in Diagon Alley, travel to school on the Hogwart's Express, and be sorted into houses. Yet perhaps most exciting for Harry Potter's loyal following, is the announcement that Rowling herself will be posting new material online that she has been 'hoarding for years'. 'This is such a great way to give something back to the fans who made Harry Potter such a huge success', said Rowling.

More of Potter?...

Bestselling 'Harry Potter' author J.K. Rowling, has hinted that more installments might be in the offing. Speaking to Oprah Winfrey, Rowling said that she 'could definitely' write more books as the characters were still all in her head. Also speaking about the disappointments she suffered whilst trying to get her first book published, Rowling finished the interview by stating, 'I'm not going to say I won't'.

Scotland's Chamber of Secrets...

The final book may have been published, but Hary Potter fans have been handed another exciting unveiling. Original handwritten manuscripts by author J.K. Rowling are going to be displayed to the public for the first time in Scotland this week. Donated by Rowling in 2005 to help fund a Scottish language dictionary, the two pages are  extracts from the series' second novel 'Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets' which didn't make it into final publication, including The Ballad of Nearly Headless Nick.

The works are being displayed as part of the Wigtown Book Festival, running form 24th September - 3rd October. This is a major scoop for a relatively small festival, and Potter fans must seize the opportunity, for as Gerrie Douglas-Scot, co-ordinator, said: 'this is a one-off exhibition and contrary to belief it is not on a world tour'.

On this day...

J. K. Rowling's 'Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone' was published in 1997. Rowling was on a train from Manchester to London in1990 when the idea just 'fell into her head' and details about 'this scrawny, black-haired, bespectacled boy who did not know he was a wizard became more and more real'. The story took a more tragic feel as events in Rowling's own life, including the death of her mother, began to reflect on the fictional Harry, and the novel was finally completed in 1995.

After several rejections from publishers, Rowling finally secured a deal with Bloomsbury for an advance of £2,500, with the added compromise that she would assume a pen name to try and attract male as well of female readers. Within two years, the novel had scooped nearly all major children's awards, sold over 300,000 copies, and had received high acclaim both in the U.S and U.K., where it was touted as having 'all the makings of a classic'. The rest of the Potter story needs little introduction. The 7 book phenomenon has been translated into 67 langugaes and built up an empire of films, adventure parks and other merchandise, all in all leading to J.K. Rowling becoming one of the most recognised and famous author of the age.  

End of decade spells the beginning for Rowling...

'Harry Potter' has yet again topped a nationwide poll, on this occasion winning the accolade of the book that people would most like to hand on to the next generation. Commissioned for World Book Day, more than 1,000 people from the ages of 16-64 were asked to cast a vote for a book in the last decade that they would give to young people. The full list was as follows:

1. The 'Harry Potter' series  -  J.K. Rowling
2. 'The Da Vinci Code' - Dan Brown
3. 'Why Don't Penguins' Feet Freeze' - The New Scientist
4. 'A Short History of Nearly Everything' - Bill Bryson
5. 'Twilight' - Stephenie Meyer
6. 'The Kite Runner' - Khaled Hosseini
7. '9/11 Commission Report' - National Commission on Terrorist Attacks upon the United States
8. 'You Are What You Eat' - Gillian McKeith
9. 'The God Delusion' - Richard Dawkins
10. 'Dreams From My Father' - Barack Obama

Is Potter just plagiarism?...

'Harry Potter' publishers Bloomsbury could face legal action over claims that J.K. Rowling stole her ideas for the best-selling series. Earlier this week, the estate of Adrian Jacobs, extended its claim, originally filed against Bloomsbury, to include the author herself. A spokesperson for the estate said, 'we believe that she personally plagiarised the Willy the Wizard book...all of Willy the Wizard is in "The Goblet of Fire"...we now have a case which is not just against Bloomsbury.'

Claims surround an episode in the Rowling novel, in which Harry is required to solve a task as part of a contest, which he achieves in a bathroom by the aid of clues. A similar episode is to be found in Jacob's 36-page work. Rowling challenged the suit, saying, 'I am saddened that yet another claim has been made that I have taken material from another source to write Harry. The fact is I had never heard of the author or the book before the first accusation by those connected to the author's estate in 2004; I have certainly never read the book'.

Jacqueline Wilson's library monopoly...

Dame Jacqueline Wilson has been revealed as the most borrowed author of the decade. Figures, from the Public Lending Right, has shown that Wilson's books have been taken out of libraries across the country more than 16 million times since the year 2000. Wilson's 'The Story of Tracy Beaker' has come in as the single most borrowed book of the decade, with other Wilson titles such as 'Double Act' and 'The Suitcase Kid' close behind. Danielle Steel, Catherine Cookson, Josephine Cox and James Patterson complete the top five, with the Harry Potter series borrowing figures steadily growing.

You have your mother's eyes...

Another, slightly more light hearted anniversary is celebrated today; Lilly Potter's birthday. Mother of the famous Harry, her birthday is given as January 30th 1960 on her tombstone in the seventh and final installment of the literary series, 'The Deathly Hallows'. Muggle-born Lilly Evans, sister of Aunt Petunia, is described as an exceptionally bright student, with an aptitude for Potions and became prefect in her fifth year, and head girl of Hogwarts, in her seventh. Despite possible romantic interest from Snape, Lily instead married James Potter, with Sirius Black the best man at their wedding. The pair became highly successful members of the Order of the Phoenix, yet both were tragically killed as Peter Pettigrew informed Lord Voldemort of their hiding place. Lily's lasting contribution to the novel, is that of love. Standing in between Harry and Voldemort, she created a bond which rendered Voldemort powerless for eleven years. And of course, while bearing a great resemblance to his father, Harry has his mother's eyes.

On this day...

The world's first commercial film screening took place in 1895. The Grand Cafe in Paris played host to ten 50 second movies, each created by brothers Auguste and Louis Lumiere. Since then, the film industry has grown exponentially and can often be credited with contributing to or reigniting interest in literary works. Of the top ten highest grossing films worldwide, five belong to arguably the two most influential literary series of all time. The Harry Potter and Lord of the Rings films, earning 5.41 billion and 2.92 billion respectively, have opened up the world of books for many who did not enjoy reading previously; the releases coinciding with a huge upturn in sales for both sets of books. However, it is debatable as to whether adaptations of literary works are positive, many criticising that they can either overshadow the original work, or actually change it beyond recognition.

A magical decade for J.K. Rowling..

The Harry Potter phenomenon has seen J.K. Rowling become the bestselling author of the decade. Beginning with the fourth installment in 2000, Rowling has seen sales of her books reach 29,084,999; generating an income of £225.9m. The incredible figure outstrips her nearest rival, Roger Hargreaves of Mr. Men fame, by 14,921,858 copies. Other popular modern writers to make it into the top ten, include Dan Brown and Jacqueline Wilson. There are also places in the top 50 for writers no longer alive; J.R.R. Tolkein and Roald Dahl both feature and Shakespeare squeezes in at 45 - amassing £17.8m worth of sales more than 390 years after his death.

McCarthy rules the naughties...

The Times, has published a list of the '100 Greatest Books of the Decade'. Including works from all genres, Carol Ann Duffy, Simon Armitage and Seamus Heaney are the ambassadors for poetry, with 'Rapture', 'Sir Gawain and the Green Knight' and 'District and Circle' respectively. Non- fiction works also feature; Obama's autobiography leads the list at number 2, and Dawkins, Bryson and grammatical work 'Eats, Shoots and Leaves' occupy a place in the top 100. Naturally the list is dominated by fiction novels, with household names, such as Ian McEwan and J.K. Rowling, as well as Man Booker Prize winners Yann Martel and Aravind Adiga. Cormac McCarthy's 'The Road', was voted as the greatest book of the decade. Running in conjunction, was the '5 Worst Books of the Decade'; a list including 'Being Jordan' by Katie Price. Author Dan Brown has the unusual accolade of being cited on both lists; perhaps testament to the success of his novels in both polarising opinion and raising publicity.