Discussion

I just finished of read the article. I'm agree with the author, piracy is the biggest problem for books industry in Peru but I'd would love to get something more about to the kind of succes that the fairs are having. The last 3 or 4 years people here in Peru is getting more interested about books and that's good anyway. In addition, there's something that wasn't told in the article and is if editorial houses must have some kind of own iniciatives to fight against pirates. Let me make an example. In the last fair Ricardo Palma in Lima i bought a copy (original) of Alarcon's "Guerra en la penumbra" edited by HarperCollins for 12 soles (the same price of a pirate copy). The same book edited by Alfaguara was 35 soles. After the fair, I saw the book on book shops, the HarperCollin's was 20 and Alfaguara's 35. There's a big difference in the price and both were original books.

I think there's a chance to fight against piracy but is a real hard work. People buy pirate books because they're cheaper but what happen if the difference is just a 20% or 15%?

That was a really interesting read and very unique look at book piracy. It happens here in my country India too, but certainly not on the scale you've talked about here.

Fascinating story, I would be keen to know if there are any tell-tale signs that a book is a pirated version. Do they have ISBN numbers for instance?

This story has brought tears to my eyes. It made me remember being a teenager and having to save my money to buy one or two books at 'La Feria del Libro'. Since my birthday is on July, sometimes I would go with friends and they will gift me original books (weeks later after my birthday). In a good year, I will have 3 or 4 new originals.
The rest of the year, I had to go to Amazon, as everyone else in my family and get my books there.
The part about the vendor of books being small too, is also so true, and so sad. It's the peruvian government's fault to be so careless, with both the authors, and with the unemployed people.
Now, as an adult, who lives in the US and can afford to buy books, I buy excessively too many of them. And every time I go back to Peru, without exception, I buy at Amazon as well as in the Feria del Libro.

I remember in the early 80s being a student at San Fernando, the medicine school of the University of San Marco, mentioned in this article, and located in Grau Avenue. I remember walking along the street looking for second hand books, all of them dirty, in not a very good shape , but at least affordable. If you were interested in books, this was the only possibility. Now, living in Europe I am glad that Grau Avenue contributed to some extent to allay my thirst for literature and at the same time to increase my curiosity for even more books.
I understand the majoritiy of Peruvians who have to look for other, very "creative" alternatives if they want to take part of world's literature

Pirates books had a long history.Even in developed countries booksellers are selling pirates books openly online.My own published book one bookseller selling in U.S. How can I stop him from India? I know in India this business is flourishing every town.It is very difficult to stop it.There are so many loophole in copyright act so people did not afraid.Singapore Taiwan are main center of pirates business.

I agree with Oliver's comment. "Fascinating story, I would be keen to know if there are any tell-tale signs that a book is a pirated version. Do they have ISBN numbers for instance?" I am interested in this too.

Such a unique story. I loved it!

living in Europe I am glad that Grau Avenue contributed to some extent to allay my thirst for literature and at the same time to increase my curiosity for even more books.
I understand the majority of Peruvians who have to look for other, very "creative" alternatives if they want to take part of world's literature

such a nice story.....

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