Jo Rowling's Rise to Success

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Joanne Rowling is a 34-year-old single mother, and currently the world's most successful author. She had few friends and fewer prospects and ended up on welfare to make sure she had enough money for her four-month-old baby. As its success grew, Rowling's own life started to become part of the story. Her agent says that Rowling, barely five years away from welfare, could end up making one hundred million dollars.

Host Megan Phelps-Roper writes a letter to J.K. Rowling—and receives a surprising invitation in reply: the opportunity for an intimate conversation in Rowling’s Scottish home.

Produced by Andy Mills, Matthew Boll, and Megan Phelps-Roper, with special thanks to Candace Mittel Kahn and Emily Yoffe.

This show is proudly sponsored by the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression. FIRE believes free speech makes free people. Learn more at thefire.org.