Print is not dead: Most popular book in the Philippines named

Scene from 1958 film 'The Naked and the Dead,' adapted from a book with the same name.
Paul Gregory Productions

MANILA, Philippines — What's your most favorite book?

According to the recent study by US-based financial institution NetCredit, "The Naked and the Dead" is the most popular book in The Philippines.

To mark the 25th anniversary of World Book Day on March 3, NetCredit collated a long list of 12,953 books set in different countries then ran them through an algorithm that analyzed their popularity scores on Goodreads. By using Goodreads user ratings, the company has identified the highest rated book set in almost every country around the world. 

"The Naked and the Dead" is a novel written by Norman Mailer. Published by Rinehart & Company in 1948, this was the author's debut novel.

It depicts the experiences of a platoon during World War II, based partially on Mailer's experiences as a cook with the 112th Cavalry Regiment during the Philippines Campaign in World War II.

The book quickly became a bestseller, paving the way for other Mailer's works such as "The Deer Park," "Advertisements for Myself," and "The Time of Our Time." He believed "The Naked and the Dead" to be his most renowned work. It was the first popular novel about the war and is considered one of the greatest English-language novels. It was later adapted into a film in 1958.

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