（YMさん） These days in bookstores in Mexico you see more books on things oriental such as feng shui, zen. yoga and the like than you have ever seen before. That means that the novel market is giving way to these books. It is only translations of American mystery novel writers such as Dun Brown and Cornwell, or works of South American best selling novelists including Garcia Marques and Paolo Coelho that are laterally piled up in quantity over there. Compared with ten years ago when Mexican literary works were spectacularly arrayed on the shelf, the country's current situation concerning the literary world is a nightmare.
According to a leading publishing company Editorial Diana, the minimum number of copies to be published for a book title is 3,000 and 1,000 by big and small publishers respectively. Even then, it is next to impossible to sell out the first editions. Sometimes, they make massive cuts by as much as 60% at bookstores but some remain unsold. The company used to publish twenty titles of Mexican novels a year until the beginning of 90's but now the number has dwindled to three or less. Do you know why? They simply wouldn't sell.
The lifestyle in Mexico has undergone great changes during ten years following the conclusion of NAFTA. Young people in their twenties are eager to follow a lifestyle a l'americaine and do not care to read newspapers, still less books.
（NNさん） Recently, many bookstores in Mexico widely treat eastern cultural books such as fengshui, Zen and yoga. Meanwhile, the literature books decline to read except mystery novels which are translation of English authors', Dan Brown and Patricia Cornwell, or the South American best sellers', Garc´ia M´arquez,Gabriel and Paulo Coelho. Actually almost ten years ago, many Mexican books occupied the book shelves, but now it is said that the Maxican literature industry plunges into the bottom.
Accoding to one of the major publishers, Editrial Diana, novelists can publish more than three-thousand books at the big publishers and one-thousand at the small one in book form in Mexico. However despite the small number it is very difficult to clear off the first edition. In fact the books can't be bought perfectly even if the price cut by sixty percent. The Editrial Diana published twenty Mexican literatures until early ninties, but at present the company does less three books per year. Anyhow the books can't be bought.
Mexico signed NAFTA ten years ago or so, the Mexican lifestyle have changed largely. The Mexican twenties who are eager to follow Ameriacan lifestyle don't only read books but also read newspapers.
（MMさん） In Mexican bookstores Asian culture books has caught the public eyes like Fengshui, Zen or Yoga these days. Proportionately novels are on the decline and books displayed horizontally are only American detective story translators like Dan Brown or Cornwell or South American best sellers like Garcia Marches or Paulo Cheerio. Thinking book Shelves used to be filled many with Mexican literal works 10 years ago, I am convinced that the literature in this country is almost dying.
According to Diana which is one of the largest publishing companies, anyone can publish their own book . With a large publishing company the minimum small size copies can be printed is 3000. Whereas with a small company the minimum can be 1000. But it is almost impossible to sell out the first printings and even at a 60 % discount some goes unsold. Until the early 90's this company had published no less than 20 works a year written by Mexican authors but these days less than 3 a year are published. At any rate due to unpopularity.
In past more than a decade since the conclusion of NAFTA (stands for North American Free Trade Agreement) the life styles of Mexican people have been dramatically changed. 20's young Mexican people following the trends and life styles of America become to be no longer interested in the local novels or newspapers.
(本多) Recently, books on Orientalism such as feng shui, Zen or yoga stand out at bookstores in Mexico. Instead, novels have become rare and what we see on flat display at bookstores are only books of American mystery writers such as Dan Brown and Patricia Cornwell or best-selling writers in South America such as Gabriel Garcia Marques and Paulo Coelho. There were many Mexican novels at bookstores 10 years ago. That indicates that situation of novel in this country is in the depths.
According to Editorial Diana, major publisher, in Mexico, 3000 is minimum number of copies for major publisher to publish and 1000 for small one. But it is so difficult for publishers to sell out copies of the first edition for such a small circulation that some are unsold even by 60% off. Editorial Diana had been publishing 20 Mexican novels a year until early 90's but now less than 3. At any rate, the reason is it dose not sell.
It has passed around 10 years since NAFTA was concluded and the life style of Mexican people has changed a lot. The twenties are so eager to imitate the life style of America that they haven't read newspapers, let alone books.
"6月号のWriters' Workshop"
まだコメントがありません。 -