April 23 is featured as a very important event on the calendar as International Book Day is celebrated, a day specially named to promote and embrace reading, protect copyrights, and make the publishing industry visible. It represents a wonderful opportunity to promote and enjoy literature in Spain in its most diverse forms. It also stands as the date when the universal Miguel de Cervantes was specifically commemorated with the delivery of the prize bearing his name, the most important of the Spanish letters. In addition to distributing or purchasing desired copies at an interesting discount, it also becomes the perfect opportunity to meet our favorite writers and authors. Libraries, museums, and other cultural institutions often hold special events, roundtables, book signings, lectures, guided tours, children’s workshops, storytelling, concerts, and public readings. In short, it is an invitation to experience the field of literature in a different way.
In 1995, UNESCO chose this symbolic date to coincide with the death of William Shakespeare, the aforementioned Miguel de Cervantes, and the Inca Garcilaso de la Vega, and on this date “Uncovering the fascinating power of books and reading helps us both to know our present and to relate to our ancestors.” which serves us to build bridges and, in many cases, to imagine infinite future worlds”. Thus, while respecting works and authors, universality in access to reading is encouraged.
However, as the lovely Don Hilarión noted in his zarzuela “La Verbena de la Paloma”, today the sciences reckon it’s a disgrace, and the truth is that this fact is, moreover, indisputable for some stubborn nostalgics like it’s hard for me. to digest properly. I say this because I am a pathological fan of reading and there is no other book for me but a paper book. I know it’s a serious mistake to settle in such an inflexible position, but I’m not psychologically ready to switch to electronic format for now. It will come, but I’m in no hurry. The same thing happens to me in the Seventh Art. There are no more movies for me than those shown on the big screen. I know. It’s another mistake to settle into such an inflexible position, but for now I’m not psychologically prepared to do it without one of my greatest pleasures. The magic of the dark room, with the atmosphere created by the audience looking for new experiences, with its rows of seats, walls and floors covered with carpet, cannot be compared with a DVD or TV series projection corseted between the four walls of a movie theater. A small room There will be other advantages, I’m not saying no, but the fascination of large-scale image and sound is unrivaled.
While the writings of the past are preserved, whether in engravings on papyrus, parchment, or wooden boards, it does not hurt me to admit that new technologies have opened up unexpected space for their preservation and dissemination. Even the most staunch advocates of traditional books acknowledge the advantages that e-books offer, including storage capacity, ease of transport, and even economic savings in the long run. But where is the aroma of that newly printed ink, the touch of leaves as they pass by, the feeling of embracing a living thing in your lap? I still don’t want to do without it. not be able to. Even if they call me old, I have to underline sentences, mark the pages with my children’s drawings, and place those rose petals that were bestowed on me forever. Therefore, I encourage you to read and live, believing that to read is to live a thousand lives. Happy Book Day.