About us
Backstory is the story behind the story—where the protagonists have been, what they've experienced, why they are where they are. It’s the literary ingredient that thickens the plot and enlivens the narrative. It's how we get to know—and connect with—a book's characters.
But [backstory] isn't just for books.
Unearthing others' backstories is one of the best parts of living a life abroad: What brought you here? And maybe as importantly, what’s kept you here?
[backstory] bookshop is where you can get to know—and connect with—characters, both on and off the page. It's the inclusive, community-centered space where swerving paths, bold decisions, and happy accidents can intersect.
Find out more: https://www.backstorybookshop.com/
Upcoming events
59
Celebrating the Year of Gaudí: An Evening with author Gijs van Hensbergen
Backstory English Bookshop, C/ de Mallorca, 330, Barcelona, ESIn 2026, Barcelona marks the centenary of Antoni Gaudí's death — a year in which the city has also been designated World Capital of Architecture by UNESCO, placing it at the heart of a global conversation about one of history's most extraordinary creative minds.
To celebrate, we are welcoming one of the world's leading authorities on Gaudí and Barcelona's modernist architecture for an evening of conversation, stories and discovery.
Gijs van Hensbergen is a Dutch art historian, Hispanist and author whose work has brought Gaudí to readers around the world. Trained at the Courtauld Institute of Art, he wrote the first critical biography of Antoni Gaudí, widely praised as the definitive account of the man and his work. He has since written on Gaudí's Sagrada Família for Bloomsbury, appeared on CBS 60 Minutes, BBC Radio 4 and TV3, and lectured at institutions including the Museo del Prado, the National Gallery London and the Reina Sofía. His writing has appeared in The Guardian, The Times, the Wall Street Journal and El País, among many others.
This evening, in conversation with moderator Nick Lloyd, Gijs will take us behind the stones and spires — into the life, obsessions and genius of Gaudí, and what it means to be in Barcelona during this once-in-a-century year. Nick Lloyd is a writer, historian, and founder of Spanish Civil War Tours, a project dedicated to bringing the stories of the conflict to life through guided visits to key sites across Catalonia and Aragón. Over the years, his work has helped connect countless visitors with Spain’s complex past, weaving together the political, cultural, and personal dimensions of the war.
This event is made possible thanks to Seven Dreams of Gaudí, an ambitious concert project co-created and produced by Renée Cooke, premiering at the Palau de la Música Catalana as part of the Year of Gaudí celebrations. Find out more at sevendreamsofgaudi.com.
46 attendees
Backstory Talks: Monika Radojevic
Backstory English Bookshop, C/ de Mallorca, 330, Barcelona, ESJoin us for an evening with Monika Radojevic, one of the most exciting voices in contemporary British literature. Born in London to a Brazilian mother and a Montenegrin father, her writing has always been rooted in the questions that come with carrying multiple worlds inside you — identity, belonging, language and love.
An inaugural winner of the #Merky Books New Writers' Prize, Stormzy's Penguin Random House imprint dedicated to uplifting underrepresented voices, she has since published three books. Her debut poetry collection Teeth in the Back of My Neck (2021) established her as a fierce and urgent voice on womanhood and identity. Her short story collection A Beautiful Lack of Consequence (2025), awarded the Cosmopolitan Best Short Story Collection of 2025, weaves the surreal with the everyday across thirty tales about the ways the world bends and breaks women — and what happens when they snap back. Her debut novel Strangerland (2025) is her most personal work yet: a fictionalised retelling of how her own parents met, fell in love and built a life as immigrants in 1990s London. It has been listed as one of the must-read books of 2026 by Service 95, Dua Lipa's book club.
At this Backstory Talk, Monika will share the story behind her writing life, introduce her work and open the floor to your questions. Join us!
If this has sparked something in you, Monika will also be running a writing workshop the following day, 10th June.
More about the author
Monika Radojevic is a London-born Brazilian-Montenegrin poet, writing mentor and author, and the youngest-ever winner of the Merky Books New Writers' Prize. She spent years working in feminist politics before moving to Berlin in August 2025 to write full time. Her writing is a continuous exploration of the messiness of power dynamics. Her book, A Beautiful Lack of Consequence, was awarded the Cosmopolitan Best Short Story collection of 2025. Her debut novel, Strangerland captures the incredible true love story of two immigrants in London in the 90s and was listed as one of the must-read books for 2026 by Service 95, Dua Lipa's book club.
19 attendees
Past events
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