International Book Day | Why is Book Day celebrated?

If you are an inveterate reader, surely the definition of a book that the dictionary gives us does not mean anything to you . A book is not just a "scientific, literary or any other work of sufficient length to form volume, which may appear printed or on another medium", is much more than that. How can you read among these wonderful Books phrases , says a Hindu proverb that ... "An open book is a talking brain; closed, a friend who waits; forgotten, a soul that forgives; destroyed, a heart that cries. "So ... What less to dedicate a day? Join us in Supercurious to know What is International Book Day and why is Book Day celebrated? .

If on April 23, the day of the book, and also the festival of Sant Jordi (San Jorge), you are in Catalonia, you can enjoy one of the most incredible parties you can imagine if you are a lover of reading. In fact, between Curiosities of Barcelona highlights this celebration, as its streets are filled with citizens who carry in their hands books and roses to give to their loved ones, and the most famous authors sign copies of their works to readers who request it. As you will see below, due to its undeniable importance, the UNESCO took into consideration the Catalan celebration to fix the date of International Book Day .

International Book Day: all about this holiday

International Book Day

No one can deny that the habit of reading is very important to develop skills such as creativity, verbal ability, imagination, intelligence, critical thinking or attention. International Book Day or "World Book and Copyright Day" is a worldwide celebration that aims to promote reading and, indirectly, the publishing industry, while protecting intellectual property or "Copyright" through copyright.

It was instituted by UNESCO in 1995, and since 1996 there has been an increase in the number of countries that have joined the celebration. . UNESCO considers it their duty "to redouble efforts to promote the book, the pen, the computer and all forms of reading and writing, in order to fight against illiteracy and poverty, build sustainable societies and strengthen the foundations of the peace".

1. Why is Book Day celebrated?

International Book Day 1

To know the origin of why Book Day is celebrated we must go back to the year 1926. The Valencian publisher based in Barcelona, Vicente Clavel Andrés, proposed to the Official Chamber of the Book of Barcelona that on October 7, the day of the birth of Cervantes , a commemorative party to promote the sale of books and reading. On February 6, the proposal was signed by King Alfonso XIII through a Royal Decree that established the "Spanish Book Festival". But nevertheless, in 1930 the celebration was moved to April 23, date of the death of the famous writer in 1616 , considering that, in the spring, citizens were more inclined to walk and buy books.

International Book Day 2

On April 23, in Catalonia, coincided with the celebration of Sant Jordi, so in a short time joined the gift of the rose, the book. The Catalan celebration was one of the arguments used in UNESCO, in 1995, so that April 23 was International Book Day. However, he was not the only one. On April 23, in addition to considering the date of Cervantes' death, it was also the day he died Shakespeare . To these two obituaries must be added others such as Inca Garcilaso de la Vega or Josep Pla and birthdays of other famous writers such as Maurice Druon, Vladimir Nabokov, Manuel Mejia Vallejo, Halldor Laxness or William Wordsworth.

As a curiosity, you will be interested to know that Cervantes did not die on April 23, but on the 22nd , the 23rd was the day he was buried and William Shakespeare did die on April 23, but of the Julian calendar, not the Gregorian one, since Great Britain did not adopt it until 1752. In the Julian calendar that date really corresponds to May 3 . In addition, it is also worth knowing that in some Spanish-speaking countries, in addition to celebrating the day of the book, on April 23 there are two festivities: the day of the book and the language.

2. Books to give to the most special people

International Book Day 3

The International Book Day, to encourage the sale of copies, in Spain, for example, it is allowed to make a discount of 10% on the marked sale price. This encourages buyers and many people are looking for books to give to those they consider most important around them. Therefore, we suggest that, if you are short of ideas, take a look at these compilations that contain the great classics . Good luck in your choice!

But if what you want is not so much to discover the best books by topic, but to go deeper into some of the best writers in the history of literature , then we discover some that you can not miss on the bookshelf of any reading lover:

  • Books by Virginia Woolf : a key figure in the sensibility of the feminine avant-garde and an authentic revolution in the literature of its time.
  • Books by George Orwell : the voice of a generation, and author of classics like 1984 Y Rebelion on the farm.
  • Books by Agatha Christie : the authentic master of detective novels, creator of titles like Murder in the Orient Express. Ideal for lovers of intrigue!
  • Books by Haruki Murakami : Japanese prose capable of turning melancholy into words. Indispensable their recognized works, as Tokyo Blues or After Dark .

UNESCO considers that " Books are the path to freedom of expression and the free flow of information , fundamental for all societies today. "After having explained why Book Day is celebrated and have given you some recommendations, tell us. How do you plan to celebrate International Book Day? What book would you like to be given and what will you give to yourself? Share your proposals with us!


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