'Best Sant Jordi in history' for Catalonia's booksellers, publishers, and distributors

Gemma Ruiz, Xavier Bosch, Maggie O'Farrell, Eva García Saenz d'Urturi, and Elisabet Benavent were the top-selling authors this Sunday on what has proven to be the best Sant Jordi on record for booksellers, publishers, and distributors. 

"Citizens from all over the country have taken to the streets to buy books since the early hours of the morning in a year that, according to first estimates, is the best in history," the Catalan Book Chamber said in a statement, explaining that sales had increased by over 5%. 

Exact figures will be made public once the global sales amount is calculated, but the Catalan Book Chamber has already said that this year, the first with no restrictions since 2019, saw "the most sales in history."

Although sales began days earlier before "culminating" on Sunday, the book sector association believes the fact that the holiday fell on that day of the week made it easier for people to go out and enjoy the festivities - and buy books. 

More book stalls this year

In Barcelona, there were 320 book stalls across the city, including its pedestrianized 'super blocks', 11.5% more than last year. There were also 25% more book signings this year.

Sant Jordi was also a hit in other major cities and towns, such as Girona, where residents flocked to la Copa park, or Vic, with stalls mostly in Plaça Major square. In Tarragona, book vendors were concentrated on Rambla Nova boulevard, while in Lleida they were on Rambla Ferran and Avinguda Francesc Macià avenue. 

Best-selling books

The Catalan Book Chamber ranked the top-selling books as follows:

Fiction in Catalan

1. 'Les nostres mares' by Gemma Ruiz Palà (Proa Editors)

2. '32 de març' by Xavier Bosch (Univers)

3. 'El retrat de matrimoni' by Maggie O’Farrell (L’Altra)

4. 'Les calces al sol' by Regina Rodríguez Sirvent (La Campana)

5. 'Demà, i demà, i demà' Gabrielle Zevin (Periscopi)

Non-fiction in Catalan

1. 'Gran Enciclopèdia del Barça' by La Sotana (Blackie Books)

2. 'Crims: Pecats capitals' by Carles Porta (La Campana)

3. 'De la sabana a Mart' by Xavier Sala i Martín (Rosa dels Vents)

4. 'Mitologia dels països catalans' by Daniel Rangil (Efadós)

5. 'Si la memòria no ens falla' Quim Monzó and Sergi Pàmies (La Vanguàrdia)

Fiction in Spanish

1. 'El ángel de la ciudad' by Eva García Saenz d’Urturi (Planeta)

2. 'Cómo (no) escribí nuestra historia' by Elisabet Benavent (Suma)

3. 'El retrato de casada' by Maggie O’Farrell (Libros del Asteroide)

4. 'El cuco de cristal' by Javier Castillo (Suma)

5. 'Hijos de la fábula' by Fernando Aramburu (Tusquets)

Non-fiction in Spanish

1. 'Cómo hacer que te pasen cosas buenas' by Marian Rojas Estapé (Espasa)

2. 'Hábitos atómicos' by James Clear (Diana)

3. 'Encuentra tu persona vitamnina' by Marián Rojas Estapé (Espasa)

4. 'El amor comienza por ti' by Curro Cañete (Planeta)

5. 'Una historia compartida' by Júlia Navarro (Plaza & Janés)

Over 6 million roses sold

Similarly, the day has also been a good one for flower vendors, who expect to sell over 6 million roses, slightly exceeding initial forecasts and making this the most successful Sant Jordi on a Sunday ever. 

"There has been a lot of business throughout the morning at all flower stands across Catalonia, both in Barcelona and in villages," Joan Guillén, the head of the Catalan Florists Guild, said to the Catalan News Agency (ACN), stating, however, that weekdays are usually better for his sector. 

Of the total amount of roses sold, about 40% were sold by professional florists, and the remaining 60% were sold by associations and charities for fundraising purposes or unlicensed individuals. 

Around 1,000 stands in Barcelona alone lacked the necessary license to sell roses but many continued to do so despite being warned not to by the police. Guillén estimates that unlicensed vendors failed to pay some €10m in taxes.