There are places that invite you to read. In Poble Nou de Benitatxell, the shade of a carob tree, the silence of rural paths or the calm of a bench overlooking the Montgó can become the perfect setting to immerse yourself in a good book. The municipal library, welcoming and well-stocked, offers a selection of titles for all tastes and ages. But it also represents a cultural refuge, an open door to other worlds that perfectly complements the peaceful experience of visiting the municipality. This library has received the María Moliner award for seven consecutive years.
The titles we share below can be found at the Municipal Library of Poble Nou de Benitatxell. The vast majority of authors are local.
Fiction, Poetry and Essay
- Soldats de lleva – Josep Colomer. A human and moving portrait of a generation that grew up between wars, forced to leave their village far behind. The author sets his stories in an imaginary village called Benià, which is, at its heart, Poble Nou de Benitatxell.
- El roig humit de les cireres – Empar Ferrer. A poetry collection with which the author won the Cavall de Laguar prize.
- Les espines del peix and Històries de la lluna vella – Josep Colomer. The author’s first two novels, both set in the imaginary village of Benià.
- Nits de tinta – Jake Abbott. A photography book that tells the story of the village men who climbed down to the fishing spots on the cliffs.
For Reading with Children or as a Family
- Bragat, el gat influencer del Puig Llorença – Empar Ferrer. A fun and relatable tale for the little ones, featuring a character linked to the village’s landscape.
- Els grumets del Cap Negre – Pepa Guardiola. Adventures across the Marina Alta; closeness to home and an explorer’s spirit.
- El Gegant Mitjafava – Empar Ferrer. A children’s story inspired by local themes, ideal for families visiting the village.
- El secret de les panses – Empar Ferrer. A children’s story that revives the memory of raisin production, so deeply rooted in the territory. (Also available in Spanish: El secreto de las pasas)
History and Memory of the Village
- Anar a Orà: l’emigració del Poble Nou de Benitatxell a l’Algèria francesa – Gabriel Gilabert Marqués and Antoni Pascual Bolufer. A chronicle of the emigration of villagers to Algeria, a little-known but fundamental chapter in local history.
- Repressió ideològica, administrativa i política – Wilson Ferrús. A study of the repression experienced in the municipality during the post-war period, recovering local historical memory.
- La llegenda de Manuel Garcia – Gabriel Gilabert Marqués. A narrative that recovers one of the most singular legends linked to the territory and its people.
- Autobiografia curiosa i diversa del vicari Joan Antoni – Josep Buigues Colomer. A personal testimony about life in the village that offers a very direct insight into local history.
Nature, Heritage and Landscape
- Nits i peixos a les pesqueres de cingle – Antoni Barber i Vallés, Ismael Guardiola i Mora and Miquel Almenara i Sebastià. A journey through the lives and work of the fishermen who descended the village’s cliffs in search of fish. An exceptional document about a nearly vanished tradition.
- Arquitectura tradicional de Benitatxell – Josep Buïgues Colomer and Jaume Buïgues Colomer. A study of the most characteristic architectural features of the municipality: riuraus, dry-stone cottages and rural constructions that are part of the landscape’s identity.
- Diània: terra nostra – Just I. Sellés. A photobook and love letter to the territory; perfect for reading before heading out for a walk.
Choosing a good book is also a form of conscious tourism. It is a gift of time, silence and words. In Poble Nou de Benitatxell, the municipal library is part of that quiet ecosystem that invites you to live at a different pace.
Stop by the library, ask for a recommendation and find your favourite spot: perhaps under a carob tree, perhaps gazing out to sea, perhaps beside a riurau.
Opening a book in this setting is so much more than reading. It is breathing the Mediterranean.