The passion for publishing in Catalan
- Books
- Culture Folder
- Oct 24
- 8 mins
“If you ask people on the street what an editor does, they’re not quite sure; they often think you’re a printer or a bookseller. It’s not a widely known profession.” Maria Muntaner’s response to Lourdes Toledo, author of L’aventura del llibre català [The Adventure of the Catalan Book] and editor at Lleonard Muntaner Editor, was likely one reason why the Valencian journalist set out to interview nineteen editors from across the Catalan Countries.
It’s common for readers to buy a book based on its title, cover, a recommendation from a friend or after reading a review, without knowing which publisher put it on the bookshop shelves. This is even more true now, with the fortunate rise in the number of publishers. Whether people read regularly or not, the role of editors is more significant than it might seem. Their decisions and judgement largely shape the cultural conversation of a society.
Cover of L’aventura del llibre català.In the introduction to her book, Toledo references Joan Fuster’s L’aventura del llibre català [The Adventure of the Catalan Book], published in 1972, as a key influence. However, it reminded me of Les nostres editores [Our Publishers] by Magda Gregori (Editorial Fonoll, “La Mira”, 2023). While Toledo interviews nineteen editors, Gregori interviewed twenty-six, three of whom appear in both books: Laura Huerga (Raig Verd Editorial), Núria Iceta (L’Avenç) and Rosa Rey (Angle Editorial). That two books on the world of publishing have been published recently suggests that there is growing interest in the subject. Events like the Setmana del Llibre en Català (Week of the Book in Catalan) and the presence of publishers on social media likely give them more visibility nowadays.
Lourdes Toledo has worked as a journalist for various media outlets and has published books such as Amèrica endins, which won the Mancomunitat de la Ribera Alta Essay Prize, and La inquietud [Restlessness], which won the Josep Vallverdú Essay Prize. In L’aventura del llibre català, she poses numerous questions that highlight both the challenges and the joys of working in this profession. Many editors are also cultural activists, particularly those who started during the Franco dictatorship, like Eliseu Climent, when there were no institutions and Catalan was banned. This includes the publishing house Tres i Quatre, the Octubre Prizes, Acció Cultural pel País Valencià, and many other initiatives.
L’aventura del llibre català poses numerous questions that highlight both the challenges and the joys of working in this profession
From the series of interviews, a number of difficulties and their solutions emerge: the woefully inadequate distribution of books across all Catalan-speaking territories, the ease of finding books written in Spanish in bookshops in Barcelona, Valencia and Palma, and the lack of visibility for Valencian, Andorran or Balearic publications on those same shelves.
The Mallorcan editor Maria Muntaner mentions that they often co-publish with the Valencian editor Vicent Olmos from Afers to gain visibility in each of the territories. This challenge of mutual distribution among Catalan-speaking regions is one of the major issues our editors face: how to increase the number of readers and boost sales.
In addition to those already mentioned, Toledo also interviews Josep Cots from 1984; Guillem Frontera and Miquel Campaner from Ensiola; Joan Carles Girbés from Ara Llibres; Josep Gregori from Bromera; Josep Lluch from Proa; Àngel Madrià from Grup Gavarres; Josep Maria Muñoz from L’Avenç; Eulàlia Pagès from Pagès Editors; Aniol Rafel from Periscopi; Jordi Raventós, from Adesiara; Joan Sala from Comanegra; and Luis Zendrera from Joventut. There is a diversity in both the types and sizes of these companies. The book also explores how such a passionately driven profession is handed down.
L’aventura del llibre català is an accesible book that examines and explains the developments in the Catalan publishing world over the past few decades, highlighting its strengths and weaknesses. To further elevate it from mere anecdote to comprehensive analysis, it would have been valuable to include general data such as reading rates in each region, the availability of Catalan books in bookshops and sales figures across different languages. This would pinpoint where efforts are needed to ensure that the promotion of language and culture remains largely in the hands of editors, writers and activists who are committed to this cause, particularly is it in Valencia and the Balearic Islands, among others.
L’aventura del llibre català:
Converses sobre edició entre dos segles.
Lourdes Toledo.
Editorial Comanegra, 2024.
272 pages
The newsletter
Subscribe to our newsletter to keep up to date with Barcelona Metròpolis' new developments