Only one copy of “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows”—the seventh and final book in JK Rowling’s fantasy series—remained for sale in all of Cambodia on Monday afternoon, according to Monument Books staffers.
Out of the 190 copies that Monument’s operations manager Men Sambo ordered directly from Britain, the only one still on the shelves Monday was at the Siem Reap branch, said staffer Pheng Phareth, 29. Despite torrential downpours Saturday morning, one Harry Potter fan stood outside Monument Books in Phnom Penh waiting for the store to open before 6 am, shop manager Long Sokaanthey said.
Though the 190 copies in Phnom Penh and Siem Reap were all but snapped up within three days of the book’s Saturday debut, their numbers are dwarfed by the 8.3 million that sold within the first 24 hours in the US. Booksellers said they had been expecting a comparably modest showing due to the fact that the new book has not been translated into Khmer and its high price of $35.95.
“I have never seen any title sell as quickly,” said Men Sambo. He said he is scrambling to find more copies in the coming days. “I have contacted my distributor in Thailand and asked for 30 more copies,” he said Monday afternoon.
