In 2008, j.k. Rowling delivered a deeply affecting commencement speech at harvard university. Now published for the first time in book form, very good lives presents j.k. Rowling's words of wisdom for anyone at a turning point in life. How can we embrace failure? and how can we use our imagination to better both ourselves and others? drawing from stories of her own post-graduate years, the world famous author addresses some of life's most important questions with acuity and emotional force. J.k. Rowling is the author of the bestselling harry potter series of seven books, published between 1997 and 2007, which have sold over 450 million copies worldwide, are distributed in more than 200 territories, have been translated into 73 languages, and have been turned into eight blockbuster films. As well as an order of the british empire for services to children's literature, j.k. Rowling is the recipient of numerous awards and honorary degrees, including the prince of asturias award for concord, france's légion d'honneur, and the hans christian andersen award, and she has been a commencement speaker at harvard university. She supports a wide range of causes and is the founder of lumos, which works to transform the lives of disadvantaged children.

J.K. Rowling is the author of the enduringly popular, era-defining Harry Potter seven-book series, as well as several stand-alone novels for adults and children, and the acclaimed Strike crime fiction series written under the pseudonym Robert Galbraith. Many of her books have been adapted for film and television, and she has collaborated on a play continuing Harry's story on stage, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, and a new series of films inspired by her series companion volume Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them.