Cultura

In the world of letters, on the fine line between literature and non-literature, and between reality and fiction, we add authors who, without having book writing as the center of their professional life, will also be at the stands signing books today. This is the case of Natza Farré, one of the attendees at La Vanguardia’s party, who assures that she feels equally strange “in the world of literati, as in the journalistic, as in the media, because I am not part of any group,” but thanks to all those worlds, she assures that she makes a living writing, something that many authors cannot say.

An old saying goes that “the eve tells the tale of the day,” and judging by how crowded the hall and garden of the Alma hotel were, the crystal ball predicted a magnificent Sant Jordi last night. Patrici Tixis, communications director of Grupo Planeta, predicted a “spectacular” Diada, giving voice to a unanimous premonition among the publishers, agents, and booksellers who attended La Vanguardia’s party, a “glorious” Book Day due to the convergence of two factors: a working day and benign weather.

It is the first time that the photo of authors illustrating the cover of La Vanguardia on Sant Jordi’s day features a Nobel Prize in Literature winner. And, logically, a place of honor is reserved for her, right on the first sofas that the Alma hotel has arranged on its rooftop. Han Kang arrives with time. She looks happy. She is visibly grateful to be meeting with barely thirty people, instead of the 700 who crowded the CCCB the day before, waiting to see her appear. She is a sensitive thinker. Crowds overwhelm her. But here, the views of the Sagrada Família in the background, with the cross already crowning the tower of Jesus, seem to have a calming effect. This, and the presence of Xavi Ayén, the man who whispered to the Nobels and who, since interviewing her a few days ago in London, seems to be her confidant.

A literary party. But not just any one. This is one of the big ones, La Vanguardia’s. There isn’t a writer signing at Sant Jordi who doesn’t stop by, even if just to say hello, at the Alma hotel on the eve of such a significant day. And not just writers. “It’s already a tradition,” assured Jordi Juan, director of the newspaper, in his welcome speech, in which there were no shortage of words of remembrance for journalists Lluís Permanyer, Joan de Sagarra, and Arturo San Agustín, who passed away in 2025 and were much loved in the newsroom.

Despite it being a literary night, there was no music for chameleons at the Sant Jordi party, nor could one dance to the music of time due to the large number of people gathered in the gardens of the Alma hotel. Instead, one could listen to the melodies performed by the Quintet de l’Alma, which, as on previous occasions, was in charge of providing the soundtrack for the event. Led by Edu Miralles on clarinet, the Barcelona-based group combined jazz standards with Italian lyrical songs, featuring Iñaki Rodríguez on drums, Jairo Ortega on piano, Brady Lynch on double bass, and the voice of crooner Stefano Riva, a familiar face from the Barcelona Jazz Festival who didn’t forget to sing Elvis’s Can’t Help Falling in Love, nor Fly Me to the Moon, so appropriate this year when Earth’s old companion has once again received a visit from humans.

“Books are so powerful because they enrage tyrants! Tyrants and demagogues hate all arts, because the arts are more powerful than they will ever be.” Scottish author Ali Smith is the Sant Jordi guest speaker and talks about her early love for books, how she was shaped by that love, her mother’s concern that she would become a “bookworm” (although when her mother died, she discovered a book at the back of the wardrobe, hidden among her shoes), that “when we open a book, we open ourselves” and that over the years (she is 63) she has come to the conclusion that, like everyone else, she is made of 75% water and suspects that she is at least another 75% books.”

Sant Jordi kicks off in Barcelona a day early with the traditional literary festival that La Vanguardia celebrates every year —for 13 years now— at the Alma hotel. Famous writers and personalities from the editorial, political, and business spheres attend today the preamble to the diada to warm up for tomorrow’s day, when many of the invited authors will be signing in the city’s streets.

The National Art Museum of Catalonia (MNAC) considers that some of the decisions adopted by the Huesca judge Rocío Pilar Vargas, as a member of the Judiciary, “are contrary to the mandate set out in article 46 of the Constitution, which places the obligation to guarantee the conservation and promotion” of Spanish historical, cultural and artistic heritage on all public authorities. This was communicated yesterday in an appeal for reconsideration that has the support of the Minister of Culture, Ernest Urtasun, who hours earlier stated in Congress that he abides by the Supreme Court’s final ruling, but that if any appeal was filed to protect this heritage asset, “it will always have the support of the Ministry of Culture, just as all the technical reports prepared by its board have had their support”.

For years we have been told that young people were not interested in books. However, data from the 2025 barometer of reading habits and book purchases in Spain indicate that almost 8 out of 10 young people in Spain read in their free time, above other age groups. A change that coincides with an obvious phenomenon: never before have books had such a presence on social media.

La Vanguardia is a newspaper written by wordsmiths. Many journalists and collaborators are publishing books this year and will be signing them for Sant Jordi’s Day, which is a good opportunity to meet those who are responsible for telling stories and delivering news daily.