The seventh and last book in J.K. Rowlings Harry Potter series,Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows,is scheduled to be released Saturday, July 21.

Publishers have announced a record-breaking 12 million copies for the first print run in the United States alone. The six books published to date have collectively sold more than 325 million copies and have been translated into more than 63 languages.

West Virginia University has faculty in the Department of English who can discuss Harry Potter, Rowling and the cultural significance of the Potter phenomenon.

They are:

  • Sandy Baldwin , associate professor and director of the Center for Literary Computing. Baldwin, who has read all the Harry Potter books and has seen the films, specializes in interrelations between literature and media technology, avant-garde writing, 20th century American literature and critical theory. He may be contacted at Charles.Baldwin@mail.wvu.edu .
  • Lisa Weihman , assistant professor. Weihman specializes in 19th and 20th century British and Irish literature and culture. She has taught two of the Harry Potter novels, both in undergrad and graduate classes, and has read all of the books. She also keeps a book of scholarly essays on the series and has been collecting calls for papers on the books. Weihman can be reached at 304-293-3107, ext. 33428 or lgweihman@mail.wvu.edu .
  • Kathy Thurber , lecturer. Thurber teaches classes in the Department of English. She has read all the Harry Potter books and can comment on them from a cultural and parental perspective. Thurber can be reached at 304-599-1272 or kthurb417@aol.com .