Barcelona (EFE).- These are the twenty novels, essays, biographies and a few copies of poetry that eleven of the main Catalan political leaders recommend for the Sant Jordi Day this year.
PERE ARAGONÈS
The president of the Generalitat recommends “El país de l’altra riba”, by the Menorcan writer Maite Salord, a story about Menorcan migration in Algiers, in the context of the Algerian war of independence.
“A beautiful story that also makes us discover the reality of an exile, of a diaspora, the Minorcan in Algeria, which is unknown to many people,” the Catalan president and ERC national coordinator explained to EFE.
SALVADOR ILLA
The first secretary of the PSC and head of the opposition in Catalonia, Salvador Illa, suggests reading “Testimony: living history”, by the sociologist and former minister Manuel Castells.
This week, taking advantage of the plenary session of the Parliament, Illa has given a book to each of the parliamentary leaders, including Aragonès, to whom he has presented him with “El año del Búfalo”, by Javier Pérez Andújar; Albert Batet (JxCat) has received a biography of Francesc Cambó, in charge of Borja de Riquer, while Jéssica Albiach (En Comú Podem) has received “No callar”, by Javier Cercas.
MIQUEL ICETA
The Minister of Culture and Sports and president of the PSC has three recommendations for this Sant Jordi: the first is “Una curta hora”, a selection of poems by Jaume Subirana.
Miquel Iceta’s other suggestions, according to EFE, are two novels: “555”, by Hélène Gestern, and “The Young Man”, by Annie Ernaux.
ORIOL JUNQUERAS
The president of ERC recommends the collection of poems “Pres”, written by Raül Romeva -with whom he shared a prison sentence- and of which one of its verses stands out: “It is fear, the one that wants us locked up”.
Junqueras confesses that he has “learned a lot” from Romeva: “Through 70 poems, Raül wants to portray a reality experienced firsthand and, incidentally, offer a different and intelligent look that summarizes the sensations experienced in the almost four years of imprisonment in the prisons that both he and I have unjustly stepped on.”
LAURA BORRÁS
The triple election of the president of JxCat for this Sant Jordi’s Day goes, first of all, to “The pleasure of hating”, by William Hazlitt.
Borràs also invites you to read two other works: “Torturades”, by Gemma Pasqual, and “On Freedom”, by Maggie Nelson.
JORDI TURULL
“La democràcia mor al núvol”, by Josep Maria Ganyet, is the proposal of the general secretary of JxCat, because “it explains very well the opportunities but also the risks of the new technologies in today’s society, from artificial intelligence to cyber espionage” .
Ganyet addresses the case of spying on independentistas through the Pegasus program: “It is an optimistic and skeptical book,” Turull points out to EFE.
IGNACIO GARRIGA
The title chosen by the general secretary of Vox and president of his group in Parliament is “The resentment of the upper middle class and the end of an era”, by Esteban Hernández.
“Its pages contain a very interesting reflection on the political changes and social transformations of recent years,” says Garriga.
EULALIA REGUANT
The first of the literary proposals of the CUP spokeswoman in Parliament is “Els vincles audaços”, by Ivan Miró, a novel that reflects the tumultuous era of gun violence between 1917 and 1923.
He also advises “Florencio Pla «la Pastora». Stolen dignity”, by Elena Solanas, which investigates the story of a maquis about whom the Franco regime built a cruel myth.
JESSICA ALBIACH
The president of En Comú Podem in Parliament opts for “Apóstoles y asesinos”, by Antonio Soler, which narrates the life of Salvador Seguí, the Noi del Sucre, and the rise of anarchism in Barcelona in the first two decades of the 20th century .
The work revives the violence that takes over the streets of Barcelona, on the eve of the Primo de Rivera dictatorship.
CARLOS CARRIZOSA
The recommendation of the leader of Ciudadanos in Catalonia is a nod to a fellow party: “Letter to my pro-independence father”, by Anna Grau, candidate for mayor of Barcelona.
“It sincerely addresses the impact of the process on the author’s family. It is well written and provides sentiment, intelligence and political analysis”, argues Carrizosa.
ALEJANDRO FERNANDEZ
One of the two works recommended by the president of the PP of Catalonia also belongs to one of his co-religionists: “Liberaos!”, by Juan Milián, who will accompany Daniel Sirera in his candidacy for the municipal elections in Barcelona.
Fernández’s other proposal is “El Mag”, by Colm Tóibín.