J. K Rowling fills her books with references to history, myths, legends and literature. The Magical Worlds of Harry Potter presents the stories behind the stories.

The enriching trip includes many other worlds, both real and imaginary, from ancient Egypt and Greece to India and Japan. It includes encounters with wizards like Circe and Merlin and real-life alchemists of the Middle Ages. It reveals the astonishing origins of magical creatures such as the phoenix and the hippogriff.

Adding to the experience are writers as noted and varied as William Shakespeare, Gustave Flaubert, Charles Dickens, Ovid, John Donne, J. R. R. Tolkien and Ursula K. Le Guin.

An indispensable companion, The Magical Worlds of Harry Potter illuminates the background of Harry's adventures in a manner sure to delight every fan.

Formerly a head writer of television's Who Want to Be a Millionaire? and an editorial director of HarperCollins, David Colbert has authored half a dozen collections of history and literature.

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