Local libraries are still waiting for books by this years Nobel Prize winner, Mo Yan, according to a local librarian.
Mo Yan, 57, is the first Chinese winner of the Nobel Prize and has written The Republic of Wine and Life And Death Are Wearing Me Out.
“I’m afraid they won’t be here for a while. The problem is that some of them have gone out of print,” said Val O’ Sullivan at Bournemouth library.
On October 18th, Only a week after the announcement awarding Mo Yan the Nobel Prize Bournemouth library ordered three copies of his books, according to the library catalog.
Library sales manager Neil Barker of Bertrams, the book supplier for Bournemouth library, said: “We’ve got some of his books, but not many. They are currently in short hand.”
The library has not received any requests for Mo Yan’s book yet, “Anything that is in the paper, any recommendation, anything in book lists or book reviews, then it’s quite likely people would request. But for this one, not yet,” said Mrs Sullivan.
Librarian Belinda Gates at Winton library said: “The most popular ones are crime novels. Over a year, a really popular novel goes out more than twenty times.” According to library loan history, the two existing books written by Mo Yan in libraries in the Bournemouth area have gone out 22 times from 2005 to 2012 and 18 times from 2002 to 2009 respectively.
Winton bookshop do not have any books by Mo Yan and they are not going to buy one. “Sadly, people don’t read as much as past years. The majority just read popular ones instead of real literature” said Melvin Clark, the owner of Winton Bookshop.
Nevertheless, Sarah Humbly a member of Bournemouth Book Club said: “I read about Mo Yan on the Guardian. I’m sure members of our club would like to read his books. I can suggest it.”
Follow-up is needed to see whether Mo Yan’s books would receive a cold welcome in Bournemouth.
