What are Catalan politicians, journalists, writers, and musicians reading for Sant Jordi?
List of recommendations includes classics, contemporary literature, and translations
Sant Jordi is unquestionably one of the most - if not the most - important days of the year in Catalonia.
Every year on April 23, as tradition has it, friends and loved ones exchange gifts of roses and, of course, books - Sant Jordi does fall on World Book Day after all.
Because of this, the streets of Barcelona and other cities and towns across Catalonia will soon be packed with people and lined with rose and book stalls to mark the Catalan day of romance.
As Catalonia gears up to celebrate this major holiday, we've asked dozens of personalities, from president Pere Aragonès to celebrity chef Ferran Adrià and more, for their favorite literary works:
Catalan politicians
Pere Aragonès, Catalan president: 'El país de l'altra riba' by Maite Salord
Oriol Junqueras, Esquerra Republicana: 'Solitud' by Caterina Albert-Víctor Català
Salvador Illa, Catalan Socialists: 'Testimonio: Viviendo historia' by Manuel Castells
Laura Borràs, Junts per Catalunya: 'El plaer d'odiar' by William Hazlitt, 'Torturades' by Gemma Pasqual, and 'Sobre la llibertat' by Maggie Nelson
Ignacio Garriga, Vox: 'Patria' by Fernando Aramburu
Dolors Sabater, CUP: 'Les nostres mares' by Gemma Ruiz
Jéssica Albiach, En Comú Podem: 'L'estiu que la mare va tenir els ulls verds' by Tatiana Tîbuleac
Carlos Carrizosa, Ciudadanos: 'Carta a mi padre independentista' by Anna Grau
Alejandro Fernández, People's Party: '¡Liberaos!' by Juan Milián
Mayors
Ada Colau, Barcelona mayor: 'Les nostres mares' by Gemma Ruiz and 'Marrón' by Rocío Quillahuaman
Miquel Pueyo, Lleida mayor: 'A la recerca de l'obra perduda. Històries sobre el patrimoni artístic' by Albert Velasco
Marta Madrenas, Girona mayor: 'La plaça del diamant' by Mercè Rodoreda
Pau Ricomà, Tarragona mayor: 'La bèstia i el caçador' by Lurdes Malgrat
Culture journalists
Anna Abella, El Periódico: 'Per culpa d'una flor' by María Medem
Irene Dalmases, EFE: 'La meva lluita' by Karl Ove Knausgård
Lluís Llort, El Punt Avui: 'Lady Puffin' by Gemma Sardà
Benito Anglade, Europa Press: 'Materials de construcció' by Eider Rodríguez
Ignasi Gaya, TV3: 'Els detalls' by Ia Genberg
Maria Cusó, RAC1: 'Aterratge' by Eva Piquer
Montse Camps, Catalunya Ràdio: 'Miràbilis' by Eva Espinosa
Montserrat Serra, Vilaweb: 'Profecia' by Raül Garrigasait
Writers and translators
Andreu Claret, writer: 'La vida secreta de la Sylvia Nolan' by Núria Pradas
Albert Sánchez Piñol, writer: 'Annals' by Corneli Tàcit
Valèria Gallart, translator: 'Una llebre amb ulls d’ambre' by Edmund de Waal
Josefina Caball, translator: 'La mesura dels nostres dies' by Charlotte Delbo
Musicians
Dani Alegret, Amics de les Arts band member: 'Mamut' by Eva Baltasar
Guillem Solé, Buhos band member: 'Els pecats de la xona: i tot allò que la Moreneta ens perdona' by Laura Fa i Marta Pontnou
Judit Neddermann, singer: 'Pensamiento monógamo, terror poliamoroso' by Brigitte Vasallo
Valèria N. Saurí, Ven'nus singer: 'La nostra atenció ha estat raptada. Autodefensa i supervivència a l'era de la distracció' by Na Pai
Culture world
Joan Oller, Palau de la Música director general: 'War and Peace' by Lev Tolstoi
Judith Colell, Catalan Cinema Academy president: 'L'esdeveniment' by Annie Ernaux
Elvira Dyangani Osé, MACBA director: 'Art emergent. La collita i el viatge' by David Armengol
Montse Aguer, Dalí Museum director. 'París érem nosaltres' by Àngel Quintana
Chefs
Raül Balam, chef: 'Cos a terra' by Toni Aira
Lluc Crusellas, best chocolatier in the world: 'El mètode Espaisucre' by Jordi Butrón
Ferran Adrià, chef: 'El perfum' by Patrick Süskind
Joan Roca, Celler de Can Roca chef: 'El fabricant de records' by Martí Gironell
Business world
Mike Blackman, ISE managing director: 'Origins' by Dan Brown
Antoni Cañete, PIMEC president: 'Management humanista' by Xavier Marcet
Mònica Roca, Barcelona Chamber of Commerce president. 'Roses de foc de Barcelona' by Andreu Farràs
José Ignacio Goirigolzarri, CaixaBank president: 'La Historia de Rusia' by Orlando Figes
Josep Oliu, Banc Sabadell president: 'Cambó, el último retrato' by Borja de Riquer