Harry, a History is Melissa Anelli’s retelling of the Harry Potter phenomenon from the beginning to the present. Released November 4, 2008, it quickly hit the New York Times bestseller list, and is still going strong.

Melissa is one of the key people behind The Leaky Cauldron and PotterCast, two of the biggest parts of the online Harry Potter world. Journalist, webmaster, and podcaster, she has been reporting on, and discussing, Harry Potter for years.

The book is Ms. Anelli’s first-hand account of it all, complete with exclusive interview material and forword from J. K. Rowling. How did Harry Potter come to be? Why would people hang out on Harry Potter websites and listen to Potter podcasts? What is “Wizard Rock?” Why is a series of books such a big deal worldwide? It’s all in Harry, a History.

I liked the insights into the publishing industry, and the humorous bits spread all through the text. The commentary is good, and consistent throughout.

Melissa’s book is very enjoyable, and written well. It could have been a little longer, and went into more detail in some places, but overall it’s excellent.