What do Miguel de Cervantes, William Shakespeare and Inca Garcilaso de la Vega have in common?

Miguel de Cervantes,
author of Don Quijote

They were all writers that had an effect on the whole world. And they all died on April 23, which is also the date of birth or death of other prominent authors such as Maurice Druon, K.Laxness, Vladimir Nabokov, Josep Pla and Manuel Mejía Vallejo.This is why it is World Book and Copyright Day. It is also St. George's Day and Saint Jordi's, too. So all in all, it is quite a Day, wouldn't you say? In Spanish schools it is celebrated as Día del Libro. This year it falls on Monday next, and many schools have organized weekend activities and events that involve reading. The idea for this celebration originated in Catalonia (Spain) where it has become a tradition to give a rose as a gift for each book purchased. (Read more on the UNESCO website.)