The Reading List
A theme of awakening runs through our summer bookshelf, from relationships to self-compassion; the joys of nature to the delights of design on your terms. Now is the time to open our minds and embrace new ideas
By Design: The World’s Best Contemporary Interior Designers by Phaidon
The power of our interior spaces is the key to helping us feel comfortable and happy in our own surroundings. This gorgeous book is a timely, comprehensive showcase of the most exceptional, innovative and groundbreaking interior designers who inspire us to put a personal stamp on the spaces we inhabit by breaking boundaries and experimenting with new, original ideas. This is one to get your creative juices flowing.
Connections: A Story of Human Feeling by Karl Deisseroth
World-renowned psychiatrist and neuroscientist Karl Deisseroth explores the origins of human emotion, and examines what mental illnesses reveal about all of us and how the broken can illuminate the unbroken. Why do we feel what we feel? And why is poor mental health one of the greatest causes of human suffering? Using gripping case studies and breakthrough scientific discoveries, Deisseroth helps transform the way we understand the brain, and ourselves.
The Awakened Brain by Lisa Miller
Whether it’s an uplifting walk in nature, meditation or prayer, there are many ways to experience heightened awareness and escape the relentless demands of modern life. Lisa Miller has spent decades researching the effects of spirituality on the brain and in this book she draws on her clinical experience and research to show how an active spiritual life can transform our physical and psychological wellbeing.
Fierce Self-Compassion by Dr Kristin Neff
A followup to the bestselling Self-Compassion, this book shows why it is more urgent than ever that women acknowledge their areas of suffering, celebrate their inner voice and challenge the male-orientated status quo. Exploring issues such as gender differences, why women aren’t more compassionate to themselves, and what women do for love, this book is full of expert research and insights, as well as mindful practices, aiming to empower and educate.
Lift Your Vibe by Richie Norton
After an injury led to the end of his professional rugby career, rather than give up Richie Norton turned to wellness practices, discovering the peace, contentment and joy of breathwork, yoga, nutrition and meditation. In this book he shares his expertise to help you unlock and develop your full physical and mental potential, with simple-to-follow daily rituals that fit into even the busiest schedule.
The Light Ages: A Medieval Journey of Discovery by Seb Falk
The Middle Ages were a time of incredible discovery. From the first universities to the first mechanical clocks, medieval thinkers sought hard to understand the world around them. In his book, author Seb Falk introduces us to a fourteenth-century monk, inventor, astrologer and crusader named John of Westwyk – who was educated in England’s grandest monastery and exiled to a clifftop priory. Following the traces of his life, we learn to see the natural world through John’s eyes.
Conversations on Love by Natasha Lunn
A celebration of love in all its forms, featuring conversations with authors, Lunn examines the complexities of how we find love, how we sustain it and how we survive when we lose it. From real-life love stories that will leave you feeling hopeful, to insights from experts that will change the way you think about your relationships, this book is a sparkly reminder that love is fragile, sturdy, mundane, beautiful; a thing always worth fighting for.
