SOURCE: “Dame Enid Wows the Yanks,” in New Statesman, Vol. 128, No. 4460, November 1, 1999, p. 24.

In the following review, Stephen traces the rising success of J. K. Rowling and her books about Harry Potter, and comments on the growing “Americanisation” of the British series.

Yes, I was right when I said last week you never know who you'll meet next in Washington. Last week I found myself lunching on successive days in the company of J K Rowling (currently the most successful novelist in the world), the Right Honourable Chris Smith (Minister for Culture and Sundry Other Things Too) and Sir Christopher Meyer (the cleverest British ambassador here for decades). It would be nice to report that bodyguards had to hold back the baying American masses from the latter two: what is true, though, is that security men did have to control huge crowds from overwhelming Joanne Rowling.

Over lunch...