Harry Potter is one of the most famous characters in the world. He is the main character of a series of books that have become a worldwide success. He is an English boy who has magical powers and discovers them when he goes to a special school for wizards. There are seven novels in the series, and the seventh in J. K. Rowling’s Potter series was published on July 20th, 2007. Some 3,500 fans queued for half a mile outside Waterstone’s flagship branch in central London on the night of July 20th, with an expected waiting time of four hours.

Parents and teachers are very happy about the books because children are spending more time reading than playing video games or watching television. It is incredible to see children waiting outside bookstores at night with their parents to buy the books. Some of the books are heavy and thick, but children don’t seem to mind. They rush inside the store when it opens and grab one or more copies. The books are sold out immediately, and parents sometimes fight with each other to buy the last one.

This has never happened to a book before. In the past, we saw kids or their parents running into a store to grab the latest popular toy like Cabbage Patch Kids. Harry Potter books have outsold these dolls, and they have set a world record as the best and fastest selling books in history. Large parts of the books are about Harry trying to understand his new identity and making the choices that come along with it, Harry Potter’s choices and problems are common problems that all young people have as they grow up.

Four books that will inspire you to travel the world

There's truly nothing like travel when it comes to gaining perspectives and exposing yourself to other cultures. To get you in the adventuring mood, we asked Amazon Senior Editor Chris Schlep to help you come up with a list of books that transport readers to another time and place. Below, see his list of four books that will inspire you to travel the world.

ITALY: Beautiful Ruins by Jess Walter

This book by the popular author Jess Walter is a love story that begins on the Italian Coast in the early 60s and eventually concludes in contemporary Hollywood's screen. As the settings shift from Italy to Edinburgh and Los Angeles, you will find yourself longing to go as well. Buy it on Amazon. Price: $28.90

SEATTLE: Where'd You Go, Bernadette by Maria Semple

Maria Semple's first novel is not exactly a love story in Seattle, but if you read it, you just might want to come here to see if people are really as self­involved as the characters in her book. What really shines through is the strange storytelling and the laughs. Buy it on Amazon. Price: $26.60

ENGLAND: Wolf Hall by Hilary Mantel

You can't travel to Thomas Cromwell's England without a time machine, but reading Mantel's prize­winning novel is the next best thing. It will make you long to see the ancient buildings and green grass of the English countryside, most of which are still there. Buy it on Amazon. Price: $25.10

NANTUCKET: Here's to Us by Elin Hilderbrand

Elin Hilderbrand has built a writing career out of writing about her hometown island of Nantucket. Her latest book is Here's to Us, which, perhaps not surprisingly, is a great beach book. Buy it on Amazon. Price: $30.80