Pirated success

The pirated books market is often considered a more accurate indicator of what's really selling than the official publishers' and best-seller lists. Going by that yardstick, the English translation of Aam Aadmi Party founder Arvind Kejriwal's book Swaraj, which is essentially his political manifesto, can be considered a best-seller. Last week, the 151-page book made it to the pirate publishers and is freely available from roadside vendors in the National Capital Region. The HarperCollins original, which the pirated edition closely resembles, cost Rs 150. The pirated edition costs Rs 100, a slight premium over the Rs 92 that online booksellers are offering but for delivery in two or three days.