Sant Jordi book sales reach €25 million, up 6% from last year

The Guild of Booksellers of Catalonia announced on Monday a turnover of €25.4 million during the week of Sant Jordi, an increase of 6% over last year.

During the week, nearly 2 million books were sold, representing more than 70,250 titles, a significant increase from the 60,000 sold last year. Of all the books sold, 52% were in Catalan and 48% in Spanish.

In Catalan, 'Història d'un piano' (The Story of a Piano) by Ramon Gener was the bestselling fiction book, while 'La grieta del silencio' (The Crack of Silence) by Javier Castillo was the bestselling novel in Spanish.

Carles Porta's 'Tor: Foc encès' (Tor: Ignited Fire) topped the list of Catalan non-fiction, while in Spanish, Marian Rojas Estapé's 'Recupera tu mente, reconquista tu vida' (Recover Your Mind, Reclaim Your Life) claimed the first spot. 

The bestselling genre was fiction, with 35% of sales, followed by children's and young adults' literature with 31%, non-fiction with 23% and comics with 11%. 

If you were unlucky enough to miss Sant Jordi, Catalonia's most romantic day of the year when Catalans exchange books and roses, listen to the latest episode of our podcast Filling the Sink.