comparethemeerkat.com’s Aleksandr Orlov a Hit in Russia – Simples!

comparethemeerkat sensation hits Russia as translation looms

PETERBOROUGH, England--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- The UK publishing sensation, A Simples Life by comparethemeerkat.com founder Aleksandr Orlov, looks set to hit the bookstores of Moscow as Russian publishers battle it out for the rights to a Russian translation.

The life story of the aristocratic Russian meerkat was published in the UK in late October and has already reached number one in The Sunday Times bestsellers chart, outselling all celebrity memoirs currently on release, including: Cheryl Cole, Michael MacIntyre, Keith Richards, Stephen Fry, Chris Evans and Katie Price. At launch, meerkat fans queued outside a pop-up shop in Regent Street to buy signed copies and bookmakers have already slashed the odds on it being the Christmas bestseller from 100/1 to just 7/1.

The launch of the book has attracted extensive TV and print media interest in Russia. The recent exposure, along with warm feedback from Russian expats living in the UK has now sparked interest among Russian publishers.

“We were always confident that A Simples Life would be a big Christmas seller in the UK," said Andrew Goodfellow of publishers Ebury. “But it looks like it could be a Christmas hit in Russia as well. Three publishers have shown serious interest in a Russian translation”.

Tatyana Danilchenko, a Russian expat, said. “The idea of a Russian meerkat seemed a bit strange at first. But he is very, very funny. A Russian translation would mean that people back in Russia that don’t speak English could enjoy his humour too.”

A Simples Life, My Life and Times, by Aleksandr Orlov tells the story of his family from their humble but tasteful origins in the Kalahari to the present day and the successful meerkat comparison business, comparethemeerkat.com, which Aleksandr runs from the small village of Meerkovo near Moscow. Aleksandr wrote his family history as part of his ongoing efforts to stop people from visiting his site by mistake when looking for car insurance at comparethemarket.com.

A Simples Life is published by Ebury Press (RRP £9.99) and available from www.amazon.co.uk and all leading book retailers.

Good RelationsAdrian Chitty+44 (0) 207 861 3190
[email protected]

Source: comparethemeerkat.com