Book Week in Catalan begins

The 41st edition of La Setmana del Llibre en Català started on September 8 and the organizers hope to gather 55,000 people until September 17 at the Moll de Fusta in Barcelona. The Week presents a program that includes more than 300 activities for all audiences, including presentations, literary debates, concerts, workshops, poetry recitals, author signings, round tables or conversations, among others. Carlota Gurt, Sílvia Soler, Ferran Torrent, Karin Smirnoff, Han Kang or Sergi Pàmies will be some of the protagonists, along with Mercè Ibarz who will receive the Career Award.

In this year's Week there will be conversations and interviews with authors (Carlota Gurt, Sílvia Soler, Ferran Torrent or Sergi Pàmies). Classics and revivals will be discussed (Narcís Oller, Jaume Roig, Anaïs Nin, Joan-Lluís Lluís, Joyce Carol Oates or Italo Calvino). Books by authors who have been awarded a literary prize in 2023 will be presented (Marta Marín-Dòmine, Sònia Casas, Mar Bosch, Gemma Ruiz, Gemma Ventura or Andreu Claret).

They will also present novelties Roser Vernet, Iñaki Rubio, Maria Climent, Biel Mesquida, Juny Siva, Roser Ametlla, Oriol Molas, Llibert Ferri, Marta Sagarra, Quim Nadal, Ramon Vilaró, Salvador Vergés, Dolors Bramon, David Nel·lo, Judit Juanhuix, Iolanda Batallé, Carme Ripoll, Roger de Gràcia, Andreu Martin, Carlota Benet, Miquel Esteve, Berta Jardí, Laura Calçada, Daniel Rius or Ester Invernon, among others.

Bonart magazine will be present at the fair in the APPEC stand in the Espai de Revistes. The APPEC space will be more than ever a point of reading and conversation about magazines. In this edition of La Setmana we are reinventing the association tent with the inauguration of the Red Sofa of the Magazines.

International authors

The Week will also feature four international authors. One of them will be the Swedish writer Karin Smirnoff, chosen to continue the novels of the Millenium series by Stieg Larsson. From the hand of the CCCB, the Korean author Han Kang will arrive, who will talk about her new book 'The Greek class'. Non-fiction will also be represented with the presence of the British Roger Griffin, an expert on fascism, and the Dutch Rob Riemenn, with his new book 'The art of becoming human. Four studies'.

Poetry will play an important role as every year with recitals by such different poets as Albert Roig, Jordi Cussà, Jaume Vidal Alcover or Vic Moliner. The evening of poetry will feature Lluís Calvo, Enric Casasses and Juana Dolores. And a space will be dedicated to talk about poetry translations by authors such as Charles Bukowski, Hilda Doolittle, Adriane Rich or Kavafis. Rector of Vallfogona and Josep Vallverdú

There will be a space dedicated to the two authors commemorated this 2023: the Rector of Vallfogona and Josep Vallverdú.

The Institució de les Lletres Catalanes presents a poeticomusical slam in which 31 FAM and Bounce Twice, two current urban music groups, will improvise original lines to a selection of poems from both. Vallverdú will also be honored in an event led by Vallverdú's curator of the year, Carme Vidal, where there will be a review of his work for young people, poetry and narrative for adults.

Activities grouped into various thematic blocks have also been programmed: translations, comics and manga, fantastic literature, journalism, science, language, love, theatre, popular culture or the great black novel marathon.

There will also be a musical space with concerts by Joan Isaac, Freddi Jazz Band and Roger Mas, who will receive the Diffusion Award.

Family activities

La Setmana has prepared two days with activities designed especially for young people and families will also have their own space at the fair, which will have its own guiding principle, 'Laughter', which will be present at all the activities for children under 12 years In total there will be 83 activities for the family audience, starring names such as the Elèctrica Dharma group, El Pot Petit, Pilarin Bayés, Míriam Tirado, Anna Llenas, Cinta Arasa, Joan Turu, Màrius Serra, Jaume Copons and Liliana Fortuny, Elisenda Roca or Martí Gironell. In addition, there will be a meeting of giants about the new book by El Cep i la Nansa, and a castle exhibition by the Castellers de Sants, as part of the presentation of the new titles from the publishing houses Comanegra and Mediterrània.