TEHRAN, Nov 17: An Iranian government decision to forbid the second printing of a Persian translation of Colombian writer Gabriel Garcia Marquez has spurred interest in the book, booksellers said on Saturday.

The novel by the famed Latin American writer was translated into Persian and had an initial press run of 5,000 copies. It was only banned after the Ministry of Culture received complaints from conservatives who believed the novel was promoting prostitution.

The ban has only provoked greater interest in the novel and on Saturday, copies of the book were being sold for more than twice their list price.

Ahmad Abbasi, 28, had to pay $3.70to buy the novel on the black market, compared to a price tag of only 15,000 rials.

“I don’t know what the book is about. But when the government bans a book, there is something interesting in it. So, I’m buying the book out of curiosity,” he said while counting out his money for book dealer in central Tehran.

The novel, known as “Memories of My Melancholy Whores” in the West, was translated into Persian as “Memories of My Melancholy Sweethearts”.

—AP