Amazon buys J.K. Rowling book for nearly $4 million

A handwritten book of fairy tales by the creator of the "Harry Potter" series fetched nearly $4 million from Seattle-based Amazon.com in a Sotheby's auction Thursday.

Author J.K. Rowling created the work, "The Tales of Beedle the Bard," after finishing the seventh and final installment of the "Potter" books, which have sold nearly 400 million copies and been translated into 64 languages.

The book bought by Amazon is one of seven handmade copies, extensively illustrated by Rowling and bound in brown Moroccan leather. It was expected to sell for about $100,000.

Amazon spokesman Craig Berman said Amazon wants to take the book on tour to libraries and schools, though the company doesn't yet have detailed plans. Amazon representatives did not disclose where the book is being stored.

One of the book's five original stories, "The Tale of the Three Brothers" is told in the final "Harry Potter" novel, "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows."

" 'The Tales of Beedle the Bard' is really a distillation of the themes found in the 'Harry Potter' books, and writing it has been the most wonderful way to say goodbye to a world I have loved and lived in for 17 years," Rowling said in a prepared statement.

Rowling said the six other copies of the "Beedle" books have been given to people who were closely connected to the "Harry Potter" collection.

"Purchasing this book with the proceeds going to charity does, in a real tangible way, say thank you to J.K. Rowling for what she's done for readers around the world," Berman said.

Rowling said she'd donate the proceeds to The Children's Voice campaign, a charity she co-founded to help improve the lives of institutionalized children across Europe.

Amazon spokeswoman Patty Smith said "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows" is the company's all-time best-selling book. Smith did not disclose final sales figures, but she said Amazon received 2.2 million preorders, smashing the previous preorder record of 1.5 million set for the series' sixth book, "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince."

"The Amazon Web sites worldwide have sold more than 12 million of the 'Harry Potter' books," she said.

Thursday night, "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows" had an Amazon.com sales rank of 22 and was the site's top-selling children's book.

ONLINE

Amazon has posted editorial reviews of the five fairy tales and started an online discussion at amazon.com/beedlebard.