Poble Sec Books was born from a desire to take control of the creative process. It is a publishing initiative aimed at independent authors and businesses of all kinds. We offer print and e-book publication, as well as author services for writers who want help with publishing yet to retain an independent stake in their creative endeavours. See examples in our portfolio. As Escapade Press, we produce books for younger readers. Above all, we strive to publish quality.

Poble Sec [ᴘᴐblǝ sek], meaning “dry village” in Catalan, covers the slopes of Barcelona’s Montjuïc Mountain. This is where Poble Sec Books started out. Formerly working class, this barri (neighbourhood) has reinvented itself as a fun area thriving with cafés, shops, galleries and community projects that reflect its cultural diversity.

The story goes that this village became dry as a result of the cotton mills that brought Barcelona’s Raval district into being during the industrial revolution. Previously Poble Sec – scarcely a village – was watered by the abundant springs rising on Montjuïc Mountain. But the thirst of all those machines meant the mountain’s water was pumped directly down to the factories in the Raval, bypassing the village and causing its water sources to dry up.

The cat in our logo is a nod at the “font del gat”, a spring on Montjuïc where generations of Barcelona residents have been coming for rest and relaxation – more information here. And we think cats and readers go perfectly together.