Sant Jordi 2025: a selection of books you can’t go wrong with
At CC/magazine, reading is more than a passion, it’s a way of life. That’s why, from time to time, we love to share with you the books that inspire us, move us, or simply remind us of the pure pleasure of reading. Books to give, to recommend, or — why not — to gift ourselves.
And there’s no better time to do so than 23rd April: World Book Day and Sant Jordi, one of our favourite days of the year. It’s a magical celebration where the streets of Catalonia become a literary and emotional festival — filled with bookstalls, author signings, and roses blossoming in squares, corners, and shop windows.
It’s a day that celebrates love for literature… and love, plain and simple. So, we’ve put together this special selection of titles we hope you’ll enjoy, that will inspire you — and perhaps even spark the desire to share them with someone dear. Because giving a book (and a rose) is always an act of beauty.
Our recommended reads:
1. “Martyr!” by Kaveh Akbar
A lyrical and heart-wrenching debut novel about faith, grief, addiction, and the search for meaning. A New York Times Book of the Year and National Book Award finalist.
2. “The Happy Life” by David Foenkinos
A subtle and reflective novel about reinvention, modern dissatisfaction, and the pursuit of authentic happiness.
3. “The Spirit of Hope” by Byung Chul-Han
A contemplative essay that reimagines hope as a radical, collective force born from despair, offering a philosophical antidote to fear and passivity.
4. “Stolen focus” by Johann Hari
A powerful investigation into how modern life is stealing our attention — and what we can do to reclaim it.
5. “Street-Level Superstar”: A year with Lawrence by Will Hodgkinson
An intimate portrait of cult musician Lawrence, frontman of Felt and Denim — eccentric, brilliant and uncompromising.
6. “Faith, Hope and Carnage” by Nick Cave
A series of honest, moving conversations about grief, creativity and transformation with the legendary musician.
7.“Born a Crime” by Trevor Noah
Trevor Noah was born in Johannesburg, South Africa, in 1984 and became the first South African comedian to perform stand-up on The Tonight Show and The Late Show with David Letterman. He also starred in the documentary “You Laugh But It’s True”, toured internationally with his stand-up show “The Racist”, and is now widely known as the host of The Daily Show, personally chosen by Jon Stewart as his successor.
This brilliant memoir is an absolute must-read — you’ll devour it. It grabs you from the very first page and doesn’t let go.
Without giving too much away, we’ll simply say this: Trevor is the son of a Black Xhosa mother and a white European father, born during the height of apartheid. As such, his very existence was illegal — a child literally “born a crime”. His life was shaped from the beginning by hardship, fear, and the daily struggle to survive in a society built on segregation and injustice.
And yet, “Born a Crime” is anything but bleak. Noah shares powerful life lessons and, even in the most painful moments, reveals his warmest, most generous self — always with a keen sense of humour and an unshakable hope for the future.
“A book is proof that human beings are capable of magic.” Carl Sagan
8. “Foreskin’s Lament” by Shalom Auslander
Shalom Auslander was raised “like a calf” within an orthodox Jewish community. As a child — and well into his teenage years — he unquestioningly believed everything the adults around him said about an all-powerful, vengeful God.
But over time, he began to drift. First it was pornography, non-kosher food, marijuana, shoplifting, and compulsive masturbation. Later came what we might call a secular life — a complete departure from the world he was brought up in.
With sharp wit and dark humour, Auslander takes readers deep into the obsessive rituals of orthodox Jewish life, delivering a personal narrative that is as irreverent as it is insightful. This book doesn’t just entertain — it provokes, questions, and leaves a lasting impression.
9. “When the Going Was Good” by Graydon Carter
Graydon Carter — legendary editor of Spy, The New York Observer, and Vanity Fair — has been a style icon for decades. Not just for his personal flair, but for his expansive vision of creative work, shaped during the golden age of American magazine publishing.
In his new memoir, Carter takes us back to that vibrant era with a brisk, brilliant narrative — a cascade of sharply told, sharply observed anecdotes about celebrities, artists, and cultural power players within his orbit.
With his unmistakable New York tone — equal parts sophisticated and conspiratorial — he welcomes readers into the inner sanctum of the editorial and social elite, making us feel, at least for a moment, part of that world. And as he’s done throughout his career, he knows just when to turn the mirror back on himself.
“Somehow, in my case, between a fair share of blunders and a bit of good luck, things just worked out”, he writes. It’s the voice of a man who experienced the very best of the American century — and stepped away at just the right time, with his dignity and impeccable style intact.
10. “Girl in a Band” by Kim Gordon
In the early 1980s, Kim Gordon — alongside her future husband Thurston Moore and guitarist Lee Ranaldo — gave rise to one of the most innovative, influential and prolific bands in the American indie music scene: Sonic Youth.
“Girl in a Band” is her raw and riveting first-person account — a memoir from one of rock’s most iconic women. Like Patti Smith, Janis Joplin or Marianne Faithfull, Gordon carved out her place in a world often dominated by men and tainted by sexism, defying expectations with intelligence, resilience and unrelenting creativity.
In these deeply personal pages, she shares her life story: growing up in Los Angeles, her marriage and its unraveling after discovering Moore’s repeated infidelities, her artistic journey, her childhood, and her experience of motherhood.
More than just a memoir, “Girl in a Band” is a beautifully written reflection on music, identity and vulnerability — and an electrifying window into the raw energy of New York’s underground art and music scene.
11. “My year of rest and relaxation” by Ottesa Moshfegh
Dark, ironic and addictive. A scathing critique of consumerism and existential emptiness wrapped in hypnotic fiction.
12. “Catching the Big Fish” by David Lynch
A poetic and meditative glimpse into the filmmaker’s mind, creativity, and spiritual practice through Transcendental Meditation.
Full review.
You can find these and other literary recommendations in the CULTURE/Books section of CC/magazine.
Also, although we’ve sold out of The Unusual Travel Guides Barcelona in our online shop, you can still find the third editions of both Madrid and Barcelona at several selected stockists, including:
Lamarca Well (C/ Fernando VI, 10. Madrid), Veja Madrid (C/ Barquillo, 44. Madrid and in Paris at 16 Rue la Vieuville & 15 Rue la Poitou), Casa Bonay (C/ Gran Via de les Corts Catalanes, 700. Barcelona), Chandal (C/ Tantarantana, 16. Barcelona), Terranova (C/ Comte Borrell, 99. Barcelona), Llibreria Finestres (C/ Diputació, 249. Barcelona), Lynk & Co Club in Barcelona (Passeig de Gràcia, 44) and Madrid (Gran Vía, 1), Super by Dot (C/ Eugenio Sellés, 6. Madrid), or Despacio Concept Store (C/ Belén, 10. Madrid), among others.
(*) Cover photo: Pexels.
