Today is La Diade de Sant Jordi in Catalan lands, a.k.a. St. George’s Day, a.k.a. UNESCO’s World Book Day, a.k.a. International Books & Roses Day. Traditionally, Saint Jordi’s is an old-fashioned sexist holiday (men give women roses; women give men books); not sure I like that division of labor. But nowadays Sant Jordi has been updated (books and blossoms for everyone!), and this coming Saturday April 26 it’ll be celebrated in NYC in perfect form by the Catalan Institute of America in partnership with four publishers/bookshops in Brooklyn’s DUMBO neighborhood that will be presenting an afternoon of micro-readings of translated literature, food, music and, yes, roses.So join the peregrinations, hear some great stories, and spend the afternoon walking around DUMBO – the weather forecast is good, should be a perfect day for it. There’ll even be a pre-event for kids at Jane’s Carousel (see map) in Brooklyn Bridge Park at high noon, featuring the story of Saint George and the Dragon told in both Catalan in English. I hear there’ll be an actual dragon.
And here’s the lineup for the afternoon:
Stop 1: 1:00-1:30pm Melville House Books—Alex Zucker reads Jachym Topol, Ross Ufberg reads Marek Hłasko
Stop 2: 1:45pm-2:15pm Berl’s Poetry Shop—Alina Gregorian reads from Armenian poets, Rowan Ricardo Phillips reads The Ground, with Catalan translations by Melcion Mateu.
Stop 3: 2:30pm-3pm P.S. Bookshop—Margaret B. Carson reads Sergio Chejpec, Eric Becker reads Mia Couto
Stop 4: 3:15pm-4pm powerHouse Arena—Rowan Ricardo Phillips reads Salvador Espriu, Mary Ann Newman reads Josep Carner, and a special guest will read Josep Pla’s The Gray Notebook. With musical accompaniment by Albert Marquès and Gianna Gagliardi, jazz duet.
See the poster for the map of all the venues, and contact Adina Levin if you have any questions. Happy Sant Jordi’s Day!