Burmese Bestsellers in the Time of Covid
Covid 19 may have forced the bookshops in Yangon to close, but that hasnt stopped the publication of this years most anticipated book
The Guys of Rangoon 1930 by Khett Zaw has become an online phenomenon in Myanmar. Originally serialised in chunks on Facebook, the page soon garnered over 75,000 followers in a matter of weeks.
Following the life of a real gangster, Lanmadaw Pho Tote in 1930s Rangoon, early reviews on Goodreads and elsewhere have praised the book for its research, historical accuracy and the blend between crime fiction, historical fiction and thriller.
The publishing rights were later snapped up by NDSP with film rights secured for a solid 5 figures. Its 16,000 pre-orders have made it one of the best-selling books of the century before it had even been published.
Image Credit@ goodreads