“Books and literature have become lifesavers” in the pandemic

“Books and literature have become lifesavers and the rope to hold on to during the pandemic ”, says Víctor Castillón, president of the Provincial Association of Libraries of Huesca and spokesperson for the sector. Acknowledges that the situation has contributed to increased sales for “readers at home” and that among the preferred authors are Javier Cercas, Luis Zueco and Irene Vallejo and that the fiction novel has been on the rise to the detriment of other books.

“In the first months there were bewilderment, hopelessness and much uncertainty with bookstores that remained closed because they were only dedicated to books while others with sale of stationery and press remained open “, he points out. “In a way they were an oasis of salvation for readers and many people who got hooked on reading to escape confinement at home, without going out to the street and breaking daily habits, ”he explains.

The situation later returned to normal, “with the opening of establishments it was found that literature and books have become lifesavers and Cape to hold on to enjoy thousands of stories and landscapes. In particular, we have been a point of salvation ”. In this way, “the increase in readers has led to the increase in sales and in the statistics the indices are faithfully reflected. Now we try not to decline when normality is complete, important efforts are made ”.

In general terms “The bookstores have not done badly for us because we have overcome the initial despair where most of the sectors were. The book has emerged as a necessity, essential. The rebound effect has been noticed ”.

Regarding the preferences of readers in the year of the pandemic, “in the top of the best-selling books there are a hundred that last a very long time. For example, Javier Cercas would never have imagined such a boom. In full pandemic the one by Luis Zueco was published And neither the author is believed to have been one of the best sellers. There he is, also, Juan Gómez-Jurado with Reina Roja with sixty editions, Black Wolf and White King.

Refers to the novel Infinity in a reed by the Aragonese author Irene Vallejo. “It has been among the ten best-selling books for a year and a half. Right now to achieve that in Spain you have to sell twice as much as a year ago ”. As for the Barcelona author Manuel Vilas, “we can say that it was not his year because it was not his turn, nor is it necessary to tear his clothes. Ordesa was published in a paperback edition, it is a essential book that is among the best sellers in Spain ”.

In your opinion, “Vilas has been a prepandemic author and in the summary of last year the novel Alegría, finalist of the Planet, is among the best sellers. The last of poetry, published in Visor, has had a greater impact than usual, but the great Aragonese phenomenon of the last year and a half is Irene Vallejo because she has broken all possible molds on readers ”.

“Books at home, revulsive”

Shipments and home deliveries have been a catalyst, “they are very consolidated, especially in the first months, we continue in the trend and they increase among readers in small towns where there are no bookstores. Now you pick up the phone to place an order and the results are noticeable because they are easy and affordable ”. Castillon has no news of the closure of bookstores in the province, “I do not know, at least related to the year of the pandemic. In fact, there have been bookstores that, during the summer, had a significant boom. I believe that books are a lifesaver for citizens in general. The benefit without being spectacular has been common for authors, publishers and booksellers ”.

In any case, “the sale of some books has plummeted, but the fictional novel pulls so much up that it helps a lot. Voluntary purchase books are on the rise, novels among them, while those with technical content decrease ”.

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