A selection of essential works
With the day of Sant Jordi in sight, it is the ideal time to explore a selection of novels and collections of stories by Catalan authors. This list is perfect for both giving away and enjoying yourself a good book. Here are some of the most important proposals that deserve your attention.
Narratives that connect with emotions
‘We dreamed of an island’ by Roc Casagran
Roc Casagran has been awarded the Sant Jordi 2024 prize for his work ‘We dreamed of an island’. Anna Carreras i Aubets emphasizes that the novel presents eight stories that are woven in a unitary story, exploring the pain and losses through the intimate voice of the protagonist.
‘Game Theory’ by Arià Paco
Arià Paco, recently awarded with the Anagram Books Award, gives us an innovative look at the difficulties of his generation in ‘Theory of Game’, a novel that addresses themes from an unusual point of view: that of the heterosexual man.
Reflections on family and relationships
‘If a family’ by Alba Dalmau
At a time when the notion of the family is redefining, Alba Dalmau presents us with ‘if a family’, a vibrant and festive work, which, as Jordi Puntí mentions, does not avoid the conflicts and the complexity of family relationships.
‘The great family’ by Antonia Carré-Pons
Antònia Carré-Pons explores the differences between children that have grown in the same environment in ‘The Great Family’. Through her conversation with Joana Torruella, the author explores the many facets of family coexistence.
Stories that explore identity and existence
‘The self that does not die’ by Ferran Torrent
In ‘The Self who does not die’, Ferran Torrent transports us to Valencia in 1966, intertwining themes of forgery and espionage in a narrative that the publisher Glòria Gasch compares to a Valencian ‘Casablanca’.
‘In meat and bones’ by Núria Cadenes
Núria Cadenes offers us ‘in meat and bones’, a collection of stories that blurred the lines between reality and fiction, with stories that address intimate and complex human experiences.
Poetic and thoughtful narratives
‘So beautiful and tyrana’ and ‘Maripasoula’ by Blanca Light Vidal
Blanca Llum Vidal surprises with ‘So beautiful and tyrana’, a collection of poems that explores the complexities of love, and ‘Maripasoula’, who documents a trip to French Guiana, showing his versatility as an author.
‘The sweetness of living’ by Joan Todó
Joan Todó gives us ‘The sweetness of living’, a compendium of stories that capture the essence of various realities through a rich and evocative prose, as Francesca Castellví Llavina explains.
News you can’t miss
‘Lesos del Cor’ D’Albert Sánchez Piñol
In ‘The darkness of the choir’, Albert Sánchez Piñol deepens the fascination with the world of Pygmies, weaving a narrative that encompasses the experiences of these characters throughout history.
‘Elephants’ by Toni Güell
Toni Güell, with ‘Elephants’, wins the Mercè Rodoreda Award, presenting a collection of stories that explore relevant issues of today’s society through a vivid and penetrating language.
Prizes and recognitions
In 2023 it was marked by the award of the Documenta Award to Víctor Recort and Irene Zurrón, who have shared the recognition with their respective works, ‘The shouts’ and ‘A black cat in the garden’. This is a reflection of the diversity and quality of contemporary Catalan literature.
