April 23 is celebrated as a pivotal moment on the calendar, known globally as International Book Day. This day is dedicated to embracing reading, safeguarding copyrights, and elevating the visibility of the publishing world. It presents a rich opportunity to explore literature in its many forms across Spain, from traditional to contemporary voices, and to honor the universal love of books. It also marks the anniversary of the Cervantes Prize, named after the author who defined so much of Spanish literature, a prize recognized as the pinnacle of literary achievement in the Spanish-speaking world. Beyond buying or discounting favorite titles, the day invites readers to connect with authors, attend signings, and participate in events that libraries, museums, and cultural institutions often host. Expect roundtables, talks, guided tours, workshops for children, storytelling sessions, concerts, and public readings. In short, International Book Day offers a unique chance to experience literature in a vibrant, collective setting.
In 1995 UNESCO chose this symbolic date to connect the deaths of William Shakespeare, Miguel de Cervantes, and the Inca Garcilaso de la Vega with a promise to reveal the power of books and reading. The message was clear: understanding our present and imagining future worlds are built through access to literature. The idea remains that universal access to reading strengthens cultural bridges and fosters shared human understanding, inviting people everywhere to celebrate the written word without barriers.
Yet, as the beloved character Don Hilarión notes in his zarzuela La Verbena de la Paloma, the sciences remind us of the friction between nostalgia and progress. Some readers still hold firm to the ritual of a paper book as their preferred companion, while others are drawn to digital formats for convenience. The author named here admits a personal preference for physical books and a reluctance to abandon the feel of a printed page. This affection for tangible books is paired with an openness to new formats, recognizing that both paper and pixels have a rightful place in today’s literary landscape. The magic of a large-screen cinema cannot easily replace the immersive experience of a shared, dark-room cinema, just as the quiet act of turning a page in a beloved volume can be unmatched by a streaming release. Still, progress continues, and many readers will find value in digital options, audio books, and hybrid approaches that fit their lives.
As the past writings endure, preserved in engravings on papyrus, parchment, or wooden boards, modern technology has opened astonishing avenues for keeping these works accessible and distributing them to wider audiences. Even ardent traditionalists acknowledge the benefits of e-books, which include higher storage capacity, easier transport, and potential long-term cost savings. Nevertheless, the sensory pleasures of ink on paper remain compelling—the aroma, the texture of the pages, the feeling of placing a living document in one’s hands. The author confesses a reluctance to abandon printed books entirely, cherishing the practice of underlining passages, sketching in margins, and preserving keepsakes within the pages. The encouragement stands: read broadly, live vividly, and let reading enrich a thousand lives. May International Book Day inspire everyone to pick up a book and experience the world through written words.”