Romanians do not necessarily buy books published by their national author Mihai Eminescu to read them but rather because their children study his works in school. Even so, Mihai Eminescu is among the best sold Romanian authors, according to Mediafax newswire, which quotes local sources.

Eminescu's writings are mandatory to study in school and this helps sell around 60,000 volumes by the national author every year, while total sales volumes average some EUR 130,000, according to Lucian Pricop, literary critic and professor of Romanian culture history. If Mihai Eminescu still lived, he would have received royalties worth some EUR 800 per month today.

The national poet is however not the best sold author these days, Mircea Cartarescu is, said Mario De Mezzo, president of the Publishers' Union in Romania and general manager of the All publishing house. “If we were to take out ten of the best known poems from Eminescu's books, nobody would know who he is,” he explained. Romanians don't usually buy Eminescu's works, and those who buy, don't read them.

Romanians celebrated 163 years since the birth of Mihai Eminescu on January 15, which is also the National Culture Day in Romania.

editor@rolmania-insider.com

(photo source: sxc.hu)