Speaking to Lusa, José Eduardo Agualusa pointed out “a succession of strange events” that began when the number of books sent to Angola did not correspond to what had been requested from the publisher.
“I suggested 5000 and I still think that would have been the best number. I discover, when I arrive in Luanda, that they had only sent 500 copies, then 200 more appeared, 600 sold out on the same day [of launch, on 15th November] and another 100 Ondjaki had managed to set aside for the launch in Huambo, otherwise there wouldn’t even have been a launch in Huambo”, he added.
Agualusa also questioned the absence of representatives from the book's publisher in Angola (Plural, part of the Porto Editora group, as well as Quetzal) at the launch of the biography and other promotional events: “It's actually very strange, I've been at this for 34 years and I've never happened to me.”
According to the author, after contacting Plural again to find out how many more copies they would send, he received the answer that there would be 500 more.
“In other words, after having sold out 600 copies at the launch itself, they send another 500, which seems completely absurd to me (…) I have never heard of anything like this, how is it that there are readers who want the book and we are unable to have the book available? sale, it’s strange”, he highlighted.
Dissatisfied, the writer then decided to speak to Ondjaki, owner of the publishing house Cacimbo, to make an Angolan edition of the biography of Abel Chivukuvuku, former leader of the National Union for the Total Independence of Angola (UNITA) and the CASA-CE coalition, and who ran to the last elections by UNITA lists for not being able to legalize its new political project, PRA JÁ Servir Angola.
“But it is clear that this edition takes time to make and there are books that we will not sell due to this series of strange events”, he lamented, adding that he did not receive any explanation from Plural for not sending the books he had requested.
“They never spoke to me, I don’t know who they are. I don’t know what’s going on, no one explained it to me”, he stressed.
He also disputes the fact that the books are now being sold to Kiela (Ondjaki's bookstore) at the retail price in Portugal, instead of the usual bookseller discount being applied, reaching 20 euros, “an absurd price for Angola” .
The author points out that he had already made a “very difficult” agreement to be able to sell the books at a more affordable price for the Angolan market, giving up part of his revenue so that the books could reach more Angolan readers,
He also stated that the reception of the biography has been “very good”, declaring that there was no sense of “any attempt at silencing” and “total openness” in the promotional activities and interviews he has given in this context.
“For me, it is clear that if we had had more books, we would have sold more. Obviously, Angolan readers were harmed and I, personally, as a writer, am harmed”, he reiterated.
To Lusa, Ondjaki expressed satisfaction at publishing a book “that contributes to the social and political debate in Angola”. “We are happy to be writing this book, we are going to make an Angolan edition, with an Angolan cover, it will be a beautiful book (…) It seems to us right away that it is a sales success”, he said.
He added that “every effort” is being made to have the new edition available as soon as possible, but admits that it should only happen at the beginning of next year.
“Right now, given the exchange rate and our social reality, the book is very expensive. Still, there has been a lot of demand, but only people who have purchasing power are purchasing this book,” he said.
“I believe that we will be able to do much better than this price, this is our objective and our commitment”, declared the person responsible for Cacimbo, questioning “when will books be treated as a priority product in order to reach a more affordable cost and sales price”.
Lusa contacted Porto Editora, owner of Plural Editores Angola, who sent clarifications for later.
