Alexievich books more expensive in Belarus than abroad

"It seems that the book was allowed to be sold, but it is one of the ways to make it sell worse, smiled the Nobel laureate during a meeting with readers in Minsk. - For me it is a mystery, why the prices are so high. My niece Natasha works in college and earns 220 euros. How can she get the book for 20 euros? And if she wants five books? Shw will have to pay half the salary!"

In the Minsk book stores, each book costs about 300 thousand rubles. Moreover, in Belarus you can buy only copies of one publishing house, and the prices in the stores differ by only 10-15 thousand rubles.

Vendors say that immediately after the Nobel award was announced, all books reserves of Alexievich were sold in just a few days. Now there is a small decline in demand.

"But people still buy them, even though not that actively, and there are no queues for them, says the administrator of Belkniga. - Of course, it would be nice to have lower prices, but what can you do, it is a Russian edition and their price. They had about the same price two years ago, with a difference of maybe a couple of rubles. So these prices do not indicate that they were raised after the award."

There are times when people come specifically for one of the books, but after looking at the price, they give up the idea. Usually, this happens with students who, for obvious reasons, are not able pay 300 thousand rubles just like that. At the same time, older people may complain but still buy the books. When asked if the sellers would purchase the works of Alexievich, they respond the same way: "If we had not read them before, we would probably buy them."

How much are books by Alexievich in other countries? For example, in Russia, one book of the same publishing house that is sold in our country will cost an average of 530 Russian rubles (about 160 thousand Belarusian rubles). There are also more expensive offers, but not more than 640 Russian rubles (193 thousand) for the book "Second-hand Time", which is still much cheaper than in Belarus.

In Kyiv "Zinc Boys" will cost 300 hryvnia (234 thousand Belarusian rubles) against 266,000 in center bookstore of Minsk. It can be found in the Ukrainian online stores at 200-250 hryvnia, but they sell fast.

"When Svetlana Alexievich became a Nobel laureate, her novels immediately appeared in the stores, says a resident of the German city of Mainz. - Moreover, there is a fairly large selection. Books are sold in paperback and hardcover, audio versions, electronic versions... Naturally, the paperbacks cost less. But if people are buying someone as a gift, they get a hardcover edition."

A paperback volume is from 10 to 12 euros (225K-270K rubles). The hardcover costs 20 euros (450 thousand) and higher, but it is a really beautiful gift edition. If we consider a regular hardcover book or one that is offered to Belarusians (hardcover jacket with color print), you pay the same 10 euros.

In Lithuania, there are also various printing options, and the prices are about the same -- comparable with the Belarusian ones.

"From time to time, when I am able to visit book fairs, people come to me to sign as many as five books, says Svetlana Alexievich. - I am impressed, I ask them: how were you able to buy all of them at such prices? And the man says: I am a teacher, I had to buy them. And you know, these are the best words of love for the writer."