Five Books To Order In Right Now.

 

Books have always been an oasis of sorts for me. When the world is confusing and feels grey with uncertainty – I allow myself to get completely and utterly lost within the crisp pages of a new book, and I have to say that the WHSmith in St Pancras has become a bit of a terribly expensive stop when my trains are delayed, because I will almost always use it as an excuse to purchase yet another book. I suppose, more than anything – Now is an exceptionally good time to find your calmer selves within the warm embrace of a book, whether it be a self-help guide, some apt non-fiction, or some far away fictitious tales to take you to a place away from the present. Below are some of the books I have on my ‘currently reading shelf’ that you may enjoy.

Silence: In the Age of Noise by Erling Kagge

A book that my kind friend Domica borrowed me last year, that I think is truly perfect for these strange times. Considering we’re all spending an infinite amount of time in our houses, most probably with at least one other person, silence feels truly golden and I’ve personally found myself feeling more at peace early in the mornings when I am the sole person awake, and allowing myself to bask in the unfettered joy of pure silence. Kagge, a Norwegian explorer spent fifty days walking solo across Antarctica in absolute quiet, and in his book, he takes us on a gentle journey to unlock the power of silence and how we can find perfect silence in buzzing cacophony of our busy daily lives. 

Notes To Self by Emilie Pine

Oh, what a heartbreaker this book was. And yes – I said was and I devoured this book during my commute earlier this year. I read it so quickly that I felt like I didn’t allow myself to really absorb some of the heavier parts of the book. In a collection of six poignant essays, Emilie details her tumultuous teenage years, her parent’s relationship breakdown and her later infertility. This is one to read in bed with a tissue or two beside you because it’s a bit of a hard hitter in that it all feels a little too close for comfort, but a beautifully written piece nonetheless.

Natural Highs: 70 Instant Energizers for Body and Soul by Mary Lambert

Hands up who’s getting more and more into ‘wellness and health’ the deeper we sink into this lockdown. I’ve found myself rolling out my yoga mat in the garden in the evening and swigging apple cider vinegar lately – a sign that I both need to leave the house soon, and of growing older. Natural Highs is an extraordinarily simple but detailed book around all things wellness, energy, chakras, reflexology, food and more and gives simple tips on how to live better and more simply. 

Twenty Love Poems and a Song of Despair by Pablo Neruda

Like the hopeless romantic I am, it just wouldn’t have felt right for me to have not included some poetry, particularly the poetry of Chilean writer Pablo Neruda, one of the most prolific twentieth-century Latin American poets. Neruda’s words are like gold dust to me particularly ‘Tonight I Can Write’, and his ability to weave strong emotive feelings into just a few words feels magical. A beautiful small book filled with a man’s affections for (a) woman. 

The Insecure Girl’s Handbook by Liv Purvis

I just had to finish the list with my girl Liv’s delightful book. A smorgasbord of insightful interviews, tips and tricks on how to manage insecurity in all it’s various forms be it in careers, relationships, body image and more, and even a little library at the end of the book with great references and people to read about or follow that will help on your journey towards leaving the insecure girls club.

I hope you’ve found this little list helpful and it gives you an excuse to splash out on a new book. One thing I would urge you to do if at all possible, is to please support independent booksellers during this time as they need as much support as we can give them. 

Stay safe, and speak soon.