High Quality Content by WIKIPEDIA articles! The Magical Worlds of Harry Potter: A Treasury of Myths, Legends, and Fascinating Facts is a guide to the fictional Harry Potter universe, written by David Colbert. It explores the references to history, legends, and literature in J.K. Rowling`s Harry Potter novels. Colbert conceived the idea for The Magical Worlds of Harry Potter while quizzing his nephew and nieces about the mythological references in the novels. He later wrote the book while teaching a seminar on self-publishing to graduate students at the University of North Carolina. The book was published in March 2001, without approval from Rowling, and has since received positive reviews from critics. An updated version of The Magical Worlds of Harry Potter was published in 2004 by Berkley Books.