Biography
J. K. Rowling (born Joanne Rowling on 31 July 1965) is a British author, philanthropist, producer, and screenwriter. She is best known as the creator of the "Harry Potter" series, a seven-volume fantasy series that has sold more than 600 million copies worldwide and has been translated into dozens of languages. She also writes the "Cormoran Strike" crime fiction series under the pseudonym Robert Galbraith.
Rowling was born in Yate, Gloucestershire, England, to Anne Rowling (née Volant) and Peter James Rowling. She grew up in Gloucestershire alongside her younger sister, Dianne. From an early age, she showed an interest in reading and writing, producing her first stories as a child. She attended St Michael's Church of England Primary School and later Wyedean School and College. During her school years, she developed a strong interest in literature and writing.
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After completing secondary school, Rowling studied French and Classics at the University of Exeter, graduating with a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1987. She also spent a year studying in Paris. Following university, she worked in various jobs, including positions in London and for Amnesty International.
In 1990, while travelling by train from Manchester to London, Rowling conceived the idea for the "Harry Potter" series. During the following years, she experienced several significant personal events, including the death of her mother from multiple sclerosis, marriage, the birth of her first child, separation from her husband, and financial difficulties. She moved to Porto, Portugal, where she taught English as a foreign language and continued writing.
In Portugal, Rowling married Portuguese journalist Jorge Arantes in 1992. Their daughter, Jessica, was born in 1993. The couple later separated, and Rowling moved with her daughter to Edinburgh, Scotland. During this period, she completed much of the manuscript for "Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone". Rowling has stated that she experienced depression during the mid-1990s and sought professional treatment.
"Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone" was published by Bloomsbury in 1997 after being rejected by several publishers. The novel was followed by six sequels: "Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets" (1998), "Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban" (1999), "Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire" (2000), "Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix" (2003), "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince" (2005), and "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows" (2007). The series follows the life of Harry Potter and his experiences at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry alongside friends Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger.
The success of the books led to a major multimedia franchise. In 1999, Warner Bros. acquired film rights to the first novels. The film series began with "Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone" in 2001 and concluded with "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Part 2" in 2011. Rowling retained a degree of creative involvement in the adaptations.
Rowling later expanded the fictional universe through additional projects. The "Fantastic Beasts" film series began with "Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them" (2016), followed by "Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald" (2018) and "Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore" (2022). She also collaborated on the stage play "Harry Potter and the Cursed Child", which premiered in London in 2016. A television adaptation of the "Harry Potter" books was announced in 2023, with Rowling serving as an executive producer.
In 2012, Rowling published "The Casual Vacancy", her first novel for adults. The following year, she revealed that she was the author behind the pseudonym Robert Galbraith, under which she had published the detective novel "The Cuckoo's Calling". Subsequent novels in the "Cormoran Strike" series include "The Silkworm" (2014), "Career of Evil" (2015), "Lethal White" (2018), "Troubled Blood" (2020), "The Ink Black Heart" (2022), "The Running Grave" (2023), and "The Hallmarked Man" (2025). The novels were adapted into the television series "Strike".
Rowling has also written children's books outside the "Harry Potter" universe. These include "The Ickabog" (2020), which was initially released online during the COVID-19 pandemic, and "The Christmas Pig" (2021).
She married physician Neil Murray in 2001. The couple have two children together and reside in Scotland. Rowling has described herself as a Christian and has discussed the influence of religious themes on her writing.
Rowling has received numerous awards and honours for her literary work and charitable activities. She was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire and later became a Member of the Order of the Companions of Honour. She has donated substantial sums to charitable causes, including medical research, child welfare initiatives, and anti-poverty programmes.
Since 2019, Rowling's public comments on issues relating to sex and gender identity have attracted significant attention and controversy. She has expressed support for gender-critical views, including opposition to gender self-identification policies and concerns about the inclusion of transgender women in certain female-only spaces. Critics, including some fans, activists, and public figures, have described these views as trans-exclusionary, while supporters have argued that they represent legitimate concerns about sex-based rights. Rowling has also supported and donated to organisations and campaigns associated with gender-critical advocacy, including For Women Scotland.
Rowling is among the best-selling authors in history and one of the most commercially successful writers of the modern era. Her work has had a significant impact on children's literature, publishing, and popular culture worldwide.
Full Wikipedia article: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/J._K._Rowling
Biography text from Last.fm, available under CC BY-SA.