Literary novelties with face masks

A review of the titles that will open with the publishing companies. Family histories and COVID-19 essays mark the final term of a confinement that will be effective until July.

After 51 days of closure due to the Corona virus confinement, Libreria Antonio Machado, a bookstore in Madrid, opened its doors on May 4th.

They say books are time machines.  Pandemics are too; so much so, that Corona virus has postponed the Sant Jordi day which is celebrated on July 23, to October 2nd as well as the Fair in Madrid.  The official government decree of March 14 and the imminent closing of bookstores, is not as dramatic for a stored product as for a fresh-fruit stand, but they both have something in common: books are like fruits in season.  Especially in a country like Spain, where a lot of book sales depend on the season, which consequently means some titles expire even faster than dairy products.  Book sales also has lows and highs and the Spring shut down has swallowed one of the great highs: the weeks that precedes Sant Jordi and those that go on with fairs all around Spain until mid June.

The Corona virus has forced many publishing houses to reorganize their schedules, take a step back in publishing risky titles, publish in July, which is traditionally reserved for summer titles - they hook us but we don't lose sleep over them.

Continue reading: Babelia

Sign up to our newsletter: