By Sue Harrand

Sant Jordi, celebrated on the 23rd of April, is a magical day of love, roses and books. Yet when you’re standing in front of the busy bookstalls, choosing a book for someone special, or perhaps yourself, can feel overwhelming! We asked several of our readers to share their personal book recommendations and perhaps their choices might spark some inspiration.

Aston: “Without a doubt ‘As I walked out one Midsummer Morning’ by Laurie Lee. I loved it so much I read it twice! It is a beautifully written, slow moving portrayal of a rural, and now unrecognisable, Spain before the civil war. It follows the joys and travails of the author as he left his home in cold England with just a few coins and a violin to sustain him. This book actually changed my attitude to life, making me feel more comfortable about taking risks.”

Àngels: “My choice would be ‘Cathedral of the Sea’ by Barcelona author Ildefonso Falcones. This historical novel brings medieval Barcelona to life through the construction of Santa Maria del Mar cathedral, built stone by stone by ordinary citizens, strong port workers and sailors hauling rock from the nearby Montjuïc quarries. The cathedral became a symbol of their community and freedom. My own grandfather was a strong, hardworking stevedore and deep-sea sailor which makes the story feel especially personal and meaningful to me.”

Sue: “Elif Shafak’s ‘The Island of Missing Trees’ is a beautifully written novel moving between 1970s Cyprus and modern-day London. It follows two communities, Turkish Muslim and Greek Christian, whose lives are torn apart by civil war. Shafak’s poetic style tackles heavy themes such as conflict, migration, and inherited trauma, while also celebrating nature, love, and resilience. One of the book’s most unusual elements is that it is partly narrated by a fig-tree. This is a book to immerse yourself in and personally I learned a lot about the Cyprus conflict, something I previously knew nothing about.”

Helen: “Wild, a journey from lost to found by Cheryl Strayed would be my proposal. It’s an autobiography of a 22 year old woman, who after suffering a series of painful life events, impulsively decides to walk the Pacific Crest Trail in the USA, alone, with no experience. Wild is a story about physical challenges and deep personal reflection and written in a way that makes you laugh and cry. This book is special to me because it is filled with many great quotes that are inspiring, empowering and that I could relate to, especially when facing difficult times.”

Julia: ”My Sant Jordi book recommendation is ‘The Power of Now’ by Eckhart Tolle. This non-fiction book teaches us is that most human suffering comes from constantly thinking about the past or worrying about the future. Tolle emphasises that the only moment that truly exists in the present, and if you focus on that, you experience more calm and clarity. This book changed my approach to life and help me to be more present.”

Gaby: “I absolutely loved The Correspondent by Virginia Evans. The story unfolds through the daily letters and emails an elderly woman writes to the important people in her life, using them to reflect on her world and her past. It made me realise how, in our age of WhatsApps and instant replies, we’ve almost lost the art of thoughtful letter writing. It even inspired me to pick up a pen again and rediscover the simple joy of sending, and receiving, handwritten letters.”

Doina: “My Sant Jordi book recommendation would be Atomic Habits by James Clear. The author presents a proven system for building good habits and breaking bad ones, and that the key to building long lasting habits is to focus a creating a new identity first. It’s a philosophy that can be applied to different aspects of your life and personally I found it a book that was easy to read and helped me to find a way to make some life changes.”

Jude: “Mindset: how you can fulfil your potential by Dr Carol S Dweck. This book, first published in 2012, has always been a must-read for teachers, It is still the bedrock for the “growth mindset” approach, helping pupils to become achievers by promoting a change in attitude and behaviours. This book is relevant in all life situations, including parenting, and it’s one of those books that I like to go back and read certain chapters every now and again.”

Four Thousand Weeks by Oliver Burkeman. It’s one of those rare books that feels both thought-provoking and reassuring. Rather than pushing yet another system for doing more, it challenges our modern obsession with productivity and reminds us
that our time is limited, so our choices matter. It’s honest, wise and has a sense of humour, too. It helped me think less about “fitting everything in” and more about giving proper attention to the things you enjoy and to what really counts.”