Whether you want to know more about the world we live in, the people you love or yourself, you’re looking for some indulgent fiction or a fresh take, we have some great suggestions for whatever mood you’re in!
How To Break Up With Fast Fashion - Lauren Bravo
As a journalist Lauren Bravo knows how to capture the Zeitgeist. We are here because we are aware of the terrifying numbers that go along with fast fashion, but can we really picture what all those mountains of synthetic garments look like? Lauren herself loves nothing more than fashion and though this book she shows us their is also no shame in that. Her passion is palpable and so this book proves a captivating way to fall back in love with your wardrobe, by learning ways about more sustainable ways wear. Whether through mending, reinventing or swapping, this book comes with plenty of honest advice.
Women Don’t Owe You Pretty - Florence Given
Florence may be only 21, but the world is evolving and this young activist has plenty to teach us, whether it’s about the male gaze or ourselves. This very 21st century take on feminism also acts as a self-help book, asking us to reflect and unpack our own experiences. Whether it’s insecurity, identity or dating, this could just change the way you see the world.
May We Be Forgiven - A.M Homes
Its fiction and it’s fun, but it’s also a masterful dissection of contemporary American life, with all its frivolous consumption and introspective egos. This story about two brothers on different ends of the spectrum are entwined in a family tragedy that somehow manages to be equal parts funny and frightening. Adultery, death and a maximum-security hospital, the constant quirks makes you question what’s real amongst the many recognisable relationships in this wonderful piece of family themed black comedy.
The Beauty Myth - Naomi Wolf
If you haven’t yet read this contemporary classic of feminist literature then you can now find a condensed and slightly updated version (Vintage Classics). But only if you’re short of time should you skip this full clarifying tale of truth. Like most great thinkers Naomi Wolf was scarily ahead of her time. Naomi writes about a movement that emerged as a backlash to the feminist uprising starting in the ’70s, yet her ability to pinpoint the covert forces at play, before the world knew what hit it, shines a light on her brilliant perception. Even more astounding when you realise these ideas were catapulted from a young 27-year-old.
Eating disorders were and are rising exponentially, meanwhile, cosmetic surgery becomes the worlds fastest-growing medical speciality. When women told researchers in America that they would rather lose ten to fifteen pounds than achieve any other goal, we can see clearly how the successful women of the West seem to be poisoned by some mix of self-hatred, physical obsession, fear of ageing and the dread of losing control. This book maps the controlling power of the beauty movement with detail and accuracy. For your more alert days.
Cradle to Cradle. Remaking the Way We Make Things - Michael Braungart and William McDonough
A great read for the design minded and engineers amongst us. This is where a chemist and architect come together to reframe the way we think about production. Their aim: to move us away from thinking around ‘efficiency’ and ‘improvements’ towards a more radical reinvention. Using examples from their own work, they paint a picture of potential for a new circular system, less about recycling and more about eliminating waste in the first place.
Flavoursome - Yotam Ottolenghi
Whether you’re looking to gift or help yourself, this is the type of inspiring kitchen guide which could make most fall in love with vegetables. The Israeli born chef, who may just be responsible for putting pomegranate molasses on our supermarket shelves, never fails to pack a punch with his meat free recipes. From miso butter onions to spicy mushroom lasagna and aubergine dumplings, this is the type of originality you want from cookbook.
