TOKYO -- A newly published Japanese translation of the seminal novel "One Hundred Years of Solitude" by Colombian writer Gabriel Garcia Marquez (1927-2014) is selling much better than expected at online and physical stores in Japan, and there are already plans for additional print runs.
The "bunko" pocket-size paperback edition of the book went on sale June 26, and has been selling remarkably well for a translated book in Japan. The 1967 novel tells the 100-year story of the rise and fall of the Buendia family, set in the fictional town of Macondo. It has been translated into 46 languages, selling over 50 million copies to become a global bestseller.
Since 1972, the translation by Tadashi Tsuzumi has sold about 300,000 copies across different bindings released by publisher Shinchosha Publishing Co. Despite being a globally renowned work, it had been considered one of the "great books that will never be published in paperback" among literary fans.
The impetus for the pocket edition to be released now, after over half a century, was the recent 10-year anniversary of Marquez's passing. Ryo Kikuchi, the publisher's editor in charge of the new edition, said, "It's the duty of publishers to make sure the works of authors continue to be read and live on even posthumously. Hopefully the hurdle will be lowered by making it available in paperback."
The new edition includes a foreword by novelist Yasutaka Tsutsui and a free reading support booklet supervised by novelist Natsuki Ikezawa, with the goal of making the book accessible to a wide audience.
Bookstore staff also surprised
The paperback edition has boosted sales at bookstores around the country. At the main branch of the Books Sanseido bookstore chain in the Jimbocho district of Tokyo, a special display has a panel showing Marquez and a family tree of the Buenda family above stacks of the paperbacks. A person in charge of the literature section said, "We've sold more than twice as many copies than we expected. We stocked more copies than usual, but at this pace we will sell out."
The book has already sold out at several online book outlets, and on June 27, the publisher decided on an additional print run. Kikuchi commented, "The book has sold exceptionally well, not only as a work of foreign literature, but as a printed book in general. It's beyond our expectations."
A 38-year-old worker who bought a copy on the day of its release said, "I tried (to read it) when I was a student, but failed halfway through. Now I really want to finish it."
(Japanese original by Shu Furukawa, Business News Department)