A Catalan critic opens traditional Catalan book fest
by editors@theworld.org (Gerry Hadden) from The World: Latest Stories on (#6WVJ0)
People in Spain's Catalonia region celebrate Sant Jordi, or Saint George's Day, by giving each other books and roses. It's about language and love, but this year, there's a bit of anger thrown in. It's because the opening author, Javier Cercas, lives in Catalonia but only writes in Spanish - a no-no for local language purists. Cercas is also a critic of Catalan independence. It's brought separatists into the street, although in low numbers, as The World's Gerry Hadden reports from Barcelona.