Upon learning that Harry Potter and the Sorcererâs Stone was known in its homeland by a different name, many young readers in the U.S. mightâve just chalked it up to another quirk between American and British English. (See entry for âjumper.â)
But the real reason that Harry Potter and the Philosopherâs Stone, published 20 years ago Monday, took on more of a Mickey Mouse vibe across the pond had everything to do with marketing. Simply put, J.K. Rowlingâs U.S. publisher didnât think the first âHarry Potterâ book sounded magical enough with her original U.K. title â even though it references the stuff of actual legend.
In his 2015 Rowling biography, Philip W. Errington documented how Arthur A. Levine, who helms the Scholastic imprint that publishes âHarry Potter,â suggested the change when adapting the story for U.S. fantasy lovers.
âLevine noted that he needed a title that said âmagicâ more overtly to American readers,â Errington writes.
âHe [Levine] continued, âI certainly did not mind Harry Potter and the Philosopherâs Stone but I can see, if you forget now what happened after, ... why a book that is titled Philosopherâs Stone might seem more arcane or something. So the title that I had suggested to me and which I then turned to Jo was Harry Potter and the School of Magic. Jo very thoughtfully said, No â that doesnât feel right to me ... there are objects that I would like. What if we called it the Sorcererâs Stone?ââ
And that was that.
âSorcererâs stoneâ doesnât have the same history behind it as the philosopherâs stone, which was thought by alchemists in centuries past to turn ordinary metals into precious ones and prolong the userâs life, but it is a bit more straightforward.
Harry, A History author Melissa Anelli noted that Levine had thought the U.K. title might actually be misleading.
âIf you think about marketing a book, it is possible that someone hears âPhilosopherâs Stoneâ and thinks itâs a book about philosophy,â Levine told the author in 2006.
Weâd like to point out that British readers apparently did not have that problem, considering the book became a best-selling phenomenon in that country and quickly took over the world. But weâre still thankful for Levine â without him, âHarry Potterâ mightâve taken a little bit longer to reach our shores, and that would have been the real mistake.
From June 1 to 30, HuffPost is celebrating the 20th anniversary of the very first âHarry Potterâ book by reminiscing about all things Hogwarts. Accio childhood memories.