Bruno Blog

As a literary agent, I have learned that there are professions in which it is essential to have a vocation. In my case, I feel that moving around the publishing world is as beautiful as it is complicated, and that someone who is not motivated enough to work in this sector can quickly back out. It’s interesting to think that the worst thing that can happen in my job is for someone to make a mistake and cause us to lose money. However, when I think of another profession such as medicine, I realize that there it is essential to have a strong vocation. It is important to know how to manage emotions and tensions since the slightest mistake can cost you a life. From this interest in medicine was born LA DOCTORA (“The Doctor”), published by Ediciones B and signed by Sílvia Tarragó, author of EL TIEMPO DE LA LUZ (“The Time of Light”) o EL OBRADOR DE LOS PRODIGIOS (“The Workshop of Wonders”, a work that will soon be published in Germany by Heyne Verlang).

LA DOCTORA is a novel that manages to portray the 1950s, just when the first generation of women began to practice medicine. It was these pioneers who had the courage to want to be doctors in a hostile territory dominated by men. Inspired by the real-life testimonies of female doctors of the time, this novel shows their battle to overcome the misgivings of a society that, thanks to them, is beginning to change. Paloma, Almudena, Pilar and Victoria are the protagonists of this story and together they make up an exciting tale in which medicine is an essential element.

Thanks to the author’s meticulous research, LA DOCTORA manages to build an impeccable story that perfectly portrays the society of the time through some very real and close characters. Without a doubt, the name of Sílvia Tarragó is a guarantee of a good novel.

There are several reasons why I don’t like getting older. One of them is because I look around and realize that I don’t like the world as it is. That’s why I’m grateful that there are inspirational books that help our children build a better world. This week, I am lucky enough to be able to present one of these magnificent books: CUENTOS PARA NIÑAS Y NIÑOS FELICES (“Stories for happy kids”), by Àlex Rovira and Francesc Miralles.

After the success of CUENTOS PARA QUERERTE MEJOR (“Stories to love yourself more”), already translated into five languages, the authors start a new journey with CUENTOS PARA NIÑAS Y NIÑOS FELICES. In this book we find 35 stories that teach us that values are the compass of life. Thanks to them, we can overcome adversity, make better decisions and be happier. Responsibility, trust, humility and cooperation are just some of the values that children and adults must learn to cultivate. In summary, strong values are the key to a better life.

CUENTOS PARA NIÑAS Y NIÑOS FELICES is a family book, ideal for dialogue between parents and children and between teachers and students. For me, it is another great little treasure of these two authors who teach us how to build a better world. Thank you Àlex and Francesc for continuing to bet on a world of smiles and good people.

Hay varias razones por las que no me gusta hacerme mayor. Una de ellas es porque miro a mi alrededor y me doy cuenta de que el mundo en el que nos ha tocado vivir no es el que me gustaría. Por eso mismo, agradezco que existan libros inspiradores que sirvan de ayuda a nuestros hijos para que puedan construir un mundo mejor que el nuestro. Esta semana, tengo la suerte de poder presentar uno de estos magníficos libros: CUENTOS PARA NIÑAS Y NIÑOS FELICES (Destino), de Àlex Rovira y Francesc Miralles.

Tras el éxito de CUENTOS PARA QUERERTE MEJOR, ya traducido a cinco idiomas, los autores emprenden un nuevo viaje con CUENTOS PARA NIÑAS Y NIÑOS FELICES. En este libro nos encontraremos con 35 historias que nos enseñarán que los valores son la brújula de la vida. Gracias a estos, podemos ser capaces de hacer frente a las adversidades, tomar mejores decisiones y ser más felices. La responsabilidad, la confianza, la humildad y la cooperación son solo algunos de los valores que tanto niños como adultos debemos aprender a cultivar. En definitiva, tener unos valores sólidos son la clave para tener una vida mejor.

CUENTOS PARA NIÑAS Y NIÑOS FELICES es un libro familiar, ideal para poder dialogar entre padres e hijos y entre profesores y alumnos. Para mí, se trata de otro pequeño gran tesoro de estos dos autores que nos enseñan a sembrar las semillas para construir un mundo mejor. Gracias Àlex y Francesc por seguir apostando por un mundo de sonrisas y de gente buena.

In May 1940 Hitler and his soldiers occupied Paris. In a very short time, 100,000 French people died and more than 1.5 million were taken to prison. The roads quickly filled with refugees fleeing southward, and France was in complete shock.  This is how the so-called French resistance was created, a movement that fought against the Nazi occupation of France during World War II.

Xulio Ricardo Trigo has just returned to the publishing market with an excellent novel on this subject: LA NOIA DE LA RESISTÈNCIA (“The Girl of the Resistance”). It is a work that links two periods through two connected stories. The first of these takes place in the nineties, where we meet Meritxell, a successful writer who begins to reflect on the different works she has done throughout her life. She realizes that she knows everything about the stories she has written, but that she knows nothing about her own history, that of her origins. The second story places us in Nazi-occupied Paris in the 1940s. It is here that Anne-Marie, a girl who lives with her parents in a small boarding house, meets Armand, a boy who is trying to flee from the German invaders. Thus, begins a love story in a country at war in which two young people will discover the power of first love.

LA NOIA DE LA RESISTÈNCIA presents a story with some characters who embody the strength of ideals and fight against the monster of fascism. I believe that Trigo perfectly portrays a key period in our history and manages to make us think about our own family roots. Without a doubt, it is a wonderful novel that has been impeccably edited by Columna publishers. I really hope this work ends up occupying a space in the best-seller lists this spring, it deserves it.

I ended 2019 wishing this 2020 would be better. January is not an easy month: it’s cold, the Christmas lights go out and everything gets darker and sadder. Besides, if we come from negative inertia, it’s complicated that our attitude changes from one day to another. Despite this, we are lucky to have books in our agency that help us have more hope for what is to come. One of them is UN CORAZÓN LLENO DE ESTRELLAS (“A Heart Full of Stars”), by Àlex Rovira and Francesc Miralles, which, translated into nine languages and preceded by an excellent sales record, has been re-launched this month by Plataforma Editorial. Sometimes we think that these books have gone all the way and that everyone has already read them. However, experience has shown us that we were wrong and that there are still people who can discover these magnificent stories.

UN CORAZÓN LLENO DE ESTRELLAS (“A Heart Full of Stars”) offers us an endearing story full of hope and invites us to discover the unlimited power of love. The work takes us back to 1946, in Selonsville, a small village in the Alps. The harshness of a long winter refuses to leave the city that is recovering from the deep wounds of the war. From the roof of an orphanage, Michel and Eri, two inseparable friends, gaze at the night sky without knowing that the next morning Eri will no longer wake up. She is in a deep coma that the doctors are unable to reverse. Little Eri’s life is at risk, and the only one capable of helping her will be Michel, guided by the wise advice of an old woman. To achieve this, Michel will have to accomplish a mission: locate nine people and make a heart out of pieces of her clothing. During this adventure, the child will have to find out the secret of the unlimited love hidden inside him.

You don’t have to be in Michel’s situation to feel lost, it’s normal to feel that way in our daily lives. It is in these circumstances that a book, something that many do not value enough, can become an ideal tool. There are books as magical as this one that can help us. The authors of this book invite us to build a heart with pieces of people’s clothes that bring good things to our lives. My heart would be very big because I am lucky to be surrounded by good people, an extraordinary family and authors like Àlex and Francesc who guide us so that we can wake up every day with a smile. I thank Plataforma Editorial for recovering the backlist of these authors and not allowing these stories to fall into oblivion.