Since early Sunday morning, Barcelona has seen its streets filled with human rivers in search of books and flowers, celebrating once again a somewhat alternative festival that turns writers into rock stars for whom it doesn't matter to queue for a long time to get an autograph and, if possible, a selfie. All expectations have been exceeded, no matter how high they already were, occupying more space than ever and with the highest number of stalls and signings in history.
No one remembered that not so long ago crowds like this were frightening, nor that an almost apocalyptic storm had spoiled the last April 23rd. More and more people had woken up in the morning and decided to dedicate Sunday to walking around the city, being able to start the route in Gran de Gràcia and go down the literary super-block of Passeig de Gràcia, where Jaume Plensa's impressive Flora has stolen the spotlight from the rose-filled facade of Casa Batlló in the photographs everyone wanted to upload to social media this year. And, continuing, one reached La Rambla, a recovered stop this Sant Jordi after years of absence.
No matter the time, there was a generalized desire to go out and show off roses and reading, with difficulties in moving forward, even having to queue to enter the subway when one was tired of so many people and wanted to go home. The saturation may have been the result of a mix of factors such as falling on a Sunday and the post-coronavirus impetus, added to the fact that it is an increasingly popular celebration ---if it hasn't always been---, even without having massively seduced tourists, some of whom had the bad idea of immersing themselves in the crowd in organized groups that had difficulty following their guides and their umbrellas. The only hope of the day was that the Barça match would reduce the flow of bibliophiles.
On a day that was both euphoric and crowded, authors once again met their readers, mixing veterans with newcomers, always surpassed by the most media-savvy who effortlessly achieve kilometer-long queues, such as TV personalities Sandra Barneda and Ángel Martín, but also by phenomena like Iria G. Parente and Selene M. Pascual, Inma Rubiales, Defreds and Alice Kellen. This year, after many comings and goings, writers have been able to see their readers without masks or umbrellas, with jackets being superfluous at all times and with problems getting from one signing to another.
For Rocío Quillahuaman, illustrator and author of Marrón (Blackie Books), this was her first Sant Jordi and she was surprised by all the people seen on the streets: "I thought it was going to be quieter." Quillahuaman, who accompanied her dedications with one of her drawings, was especially thrilled when a reader approached her wanting to take her book to the libraries of two high schools, thinking that her story could reach young people going through situations of discrimination like those she describes in her memoirs.
Another first-timer was Paco Cerdà with his 14 de abril (Libros del Asteroide), to whom a mother asked him to sign three copies for her three children, all of them interested in the intricacies of the Second Republic narrated by the Valencian author, winner of the II Libros del Asteroide Non-Fiction Prize. Not everything was easy, and he heard someone passing in front of his stand wonder who the hell this Paco Cerdà must be: "It reminds you of your place in the world." Luckily, he was accompanied by his partner, Purificació Mascarell. She also debuted this April 23rd with Mireia (Drasana) and did not expect so many people at a festival she defined as "a literary mascletá."
One who felt like a first-timer was Luis García Montero, who has been signing books for three Sant Jordi but had come more to accompany his wife, Almudena Grandes, who passed away at the end of 2021. "Almudena used to say that there is no more important prize than readers," he recalled, explaining that on days like this he shares the feelings of those who read him, with some approaching him to tell him that they recited his poems at their wedding or at farewells of loved ones. There was even a couple who confessed that they gave each other Completamente viernes (Tusquets) without knowing it last Christmas. "Almudena was right," he remarked, "whoever celebrates the book celebrates life in common."
On a day both euphoric and crowded, authors reconnected with their readers, mixing veterans with first-timers, always surpassed by the most media-savvy.More seasoned wasImma Monsó, with about 6 or 7 Sant Jordi in her history, but no more, since she doesn't like crowds too much. The Barcelona writer has indicated that it has been difficult for her to go from one point to another, even to meet people, so she considered it lucky that readers could approach her through all the crowd for her to dedicateher latest novel, The Teacher and the Beast (Anagrama), or other previous books, such as the recent reissues ofA man of his word (Anagram) andQuite a character (Anagram). Also seen comfortable wasMarta Orriols, who was hallucinating with so many people: "We all really wanted this." On his 23rd of April signing books, readers have cometo look for The possibility of calling it home (Proa), finding the community that has formed around her readings beautiful, especially the mothers and daughters who come together for the book and then pass it around.
Then there are the more experienced, like Rosa Montero, who for the second consecutive year has accompanied her dedications with brilli brilli. "I feel indebted to my readers," she acknowledged, pointing to the bag where she had more stickers and putting figures to that feeling. According to a study she cited, if a person reads one book a week, from eight years old to 80 years old, they will reach 3,000 books, which is why Montero finds it "a miracle" that they read her. "There have been half a dozen faces that I recognized from other years, you feel like buying them an apartment," she assured. And David Trueba, by mid-morning, had already met the reader who every year brings him Saber perder (Anagrama) for him to sign. Next year's reunion is in jeopardy; she recently moved to Girona and won't be able to come unless it's a holiday. She's not the only one who follows that tradition with the Madrid author; another brings him his first book, Abierto toda la noche (Anagrama), for him to sign year after year. Maybe they should be introduced.
There have even been those who have gone beyond the signing stage, like Eva Baltasar, daring to toast with cava after her selection as one of the six finalists for the 2023 Booker Prize for Boulder (Club Editor), becoming the first Catalan writer to achieve it. In this award, only writers like Juan Goytisolo, Enrique Vila-Matas, Javier Cercas, and Antonio Muñoz Molina had been previously shortlisted, with the latter being the only one to reach the final like Baltasar. A month before knowing the jury's decision, Baltasar indicated that she is spending the wait working on her new novel, about which she did not want to reveal details, and advanced that, just in case, she will prepare a small thank you because she does not speak English.
However, one of the big surprises was when the little ones saw that even Geronimo Stilton himself had come to Barcelona to dedicate books. Dressed in his elegant suit, perhaps a little warm for this sunny April 23rd, he kept stamping his dedication for the excited boys and girls who came to greet him and take photos with him.
Record-breaking day
According to the first estimates from the Cambra del Llibre de Catalunya, this Sant Jordi has been "the best in history," with an increase in sales exceeding 5% compared to the previous year. The Gremi de Floristes de Catalunya expressed a similar sentiment, estimating that more than six million roses were sold, the highest figure for all April 23rd celebrations that have fallen on a Sunday.
In Spanish, the best-selling fiction books have been: El ángel de la ciudad (Planeta) by Eva García Saenz d'Urturi, Cómo (no) escribí nuestra historia (Suma) by Elisabet Benavent, and El retrato de casada (Libros del Asteroide) by Maggie O'Farrell. In non-fiction: Cómo hacer que te pasen cosas buenas (Espasa) by Marian Rojas Estapé, Hábitos atómicos (Diana) by James Clear, and Encuentra tu persona vitamina (Espasa) by Marian Rojas Estapé.
In Catalan, the best-selling fiction books have been: Les nostres mares (Proa) by Gemma Ruiz, 32 de març (Univers) by Xavier Bosch, and El retrat de matrimoni (L'Altra) by Maggie O'Farrell. In non-fiction: Gran Enciclopèdia del Barça (Blackie Books) by La Sotana, Crims: Pecats capitals (La Campana) by Carles Porta, and De la sabana a Mart (Rosa dels Vents) by Xavier Sala i Martín.