'The Plague' by Albert Camus selling out fast in Japan after Coronavirus outbreak

As the deadly novel Coronavirus continues to spread, countries are upping their defences and stepping up healthcare and prevention measures to curb the spread. Meanwhile, scientists and researchers are rushing to find the origin and a vaccine for the virus. 

There have been many theories and ideas that the people are putting forward as an explanation of what is happening. People have also pointed out at some novels and works of fiction that talk about a similar kind of disease that will spread and destroy humanity in their dystopian world. A recent addition to this Albert Camus' The Plague.

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The Plague flying off shelves

According to an article by a Japanese news agency, copies of Albert Camus' novel The Plague are in high demand in Japan. The article talks about how there is a high demand for the translation of the novel at Japanese bookstores. The article also says that bookstores are struggling to provide people with the book as it vanishes from the shelves as soon as they are in stock. 

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The Plague was published in the year 1947. The book traces the story of a group of people who live in a city that is sealed off from the other world. The citizens are struggling due to the outbreak of a pathogen. There are many scenes in the book where the politicians take various measures to limit or curb any further spread of the disease. Japanese readers keep finding parallels from the novel with the current situation in the world. 

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Albert Camus used to write during World War II. The Plague is set in Oran, which is in northwest Algeria currently. The story has a lethal infectious disease that breaks out and the city is in lockdown. It beautifully portrays how people are facing the invisible enemy. 

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The book's Japanese publisher Shinchosha was quoted saying that the orders of the book started coming as the news of Coronavirus along with the virus itself started spreading in February. These orders have increased to seven to eight times. They also revealed that they have decided to print an additional 4,000 copies to try to meet demand.

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