Petina Gappah Criticizes Harare Bookshop for Overpricing Her Novel

In 2016, Petina Gappah reached a deal with her UK publisher Faber & Faber to make her books, the story collection Rotten Row and the novel The Book of Memory, available in Zimbabwe—in Harare, Bulawayo, Gweru, Masvingo, Mutare, and Victoria Falls—at half the typical price. It was an extension of artistic responsibility and commitment, not to mention financial risk, that was cited in Brittle Paper‘s naming of her as the African Literary Person of the Year 2016. Gappah herself thought of it as an experiment that might hopefully become the springboard for a sustainable book distribution model.

This ethical investment may be why, this year, Gappah is calling out a Harare-based bookshop, Innov8, for overpricing her new novel Out of Darkness, Shining Light. She made a post on Twitter asking readers to not buy the novel at Innov8’s $50 price and to wait for a $20 arrangement with her UK publisher once the book is out there in February.

“I take great exception to this pricing because my books are not subject to the 40% book tax that I have been fighting against,” she wrote. “They are covered by Zim’s EU tariff, so there is no duty to pay. There is no justification for selling it in Zim at almost 3 times the normal price.”

See her tweets below.

I’m told that my most recent book is being sold at Innov8 bookshop in Harare. I’d normally be very happy but it is retailing for USD50. As it is not a hardcover, a picture book or printed on glossy paper, this is unjustifiable. Please spend your money wisely. Don’t buy it.

— Petina Gappah (@VascoDaGappah) January 4, 2020

I take great exception to this pricing because my books are not subject to the 40% book tax that I have been fighting against. They are covered by Zim’s EU tariff, so there is no duty to pay. There is this no justification for selling it in Zim at almost 3 times the normal price.

— Petina Gappah (@VascoDaGappah) January 4, 2020

I’ve agreed with my publisher that any books sold in Zimbabwe will not count towards my royalties. I don’t want my books sold in Zimbabwe to make money: I want them to be read. I am happy for them to make money for bookshops and other distributors. But kwete kutsvaga mari nedemo.

— Petina Gappah (@VascoDaGappah) January 4, 2020

Innov8 director Milton Kamwendo replied:

Thanks very much for bringing this to our attention. Grateful that Petina will be sharing with us some critical information that will affect how we source the book, the pricing and terms. Can wait for next week!

— Milton Kamwendo (@MiltonKamwendo) January 4, 2020

Follow the conversation on Gappah’s Twitter.