On January 20, 19h, the Saltamartí bookstore in Badalona will host the presentation of Aquell any a Xangxun, the work awarded the XXXI "Valldaura-Memorial Pere Calders" Novel Prize 2025, published by the UAB (Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona) Publishing Service.
The book, written by Francesc Cabiró Gómez (Badalona, 1956), was selected as the winner by the jury composed of Núria Balagué Mola, Joan Francesc Mañas López, Arià Paco, Miquel Ribas Figueras, and David Vidal Castell during the deliberation held on May 8, 2025, in Bellaterra. The prize is part of the UAB–Cerdanyola del Vallès Literary Awards, co-organized annually by the UAB and the City Council of Cerdanyola.
The book was officially presented for the first time at the Institut Gorgs in Cerdanyola del Vallès, during the institutional ceremony for presenting the winning works of the 2025 Awards, where the author introduced Aquell any a Xangxun along with the other awardees.
An emotional thriller set in 1990s China
Set in Xangxun, northern China, the novel places the reader in 1996. Fidel Santolaria, a Catalan engineer who has been temporarily working in the city for almost three months, tries to disconnect from a complicated work period when, suddenly, he is kidnapped while walking along an avenue. Disoriented and confined in a dark hideout, he soon discovers that Sun-Lin, an interpreter at the factory and the young woman he is attracted to, is complicit in the kidnapping.
The story delves into the protagonist’s internal conflicts, torn between fascination with an unexpected affair and feelings of betrayal toward his family —his wife and children waiting for him in Barcelona. The novel explores the physical and emotional captivity of a man caught between desire, duty, and fear.
About the author
Francesc Cabiró has combined his technical profession with photography and writing. Since 2007, he has maintained a space on VilaWeb, from which emerged the visual diary Finestra Fotogràfica, 10 anys de bloc (2017). He has published the poetry collections Arnús-Solei, o els capricis de la llum (2019) and Vapor d’alè (LinX, 2025), and is the author of the novel La noia del parc (Neopàtria, 2022). Founder of the BDN Escriu Association, he currently lives in Tortosa, where he participates in various cultural initiatives. Aquell any a Xangxun is his second novel.
Public event
The presentation at Saltamartí bookstore is open to the public and will feature the participation of the author and members of the Awards organization.
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