If you’re looking for some book inspo to level up your wellbeing here’s my round up of the best of the best. Whether you need tips to manage stress, make life changes or easy hacks to feel good, I’ve got you covered.
Thrive, Richard Sutton
This perfect book for anyone feeling stuck right now.
Richard has worked with some of the world’s top sports stars such as Martina Navratilova and Maria Sharapova on performance and unlocking their full potential. In this book he shares unique practical skills and tools that are easy to apply to help you develop and harness your resilience and to realise your fullest potential.
This is for anyone who needs to take back control of aspects of their life.
Reading this book is like having a chat over a cuppa with a wise best friend. Psychologist, Kelly Weekers who specialises in authenticity, shares her advice that not only will empower you, but remind you that you are allowed to put yourself first and are capable of living a life of greater fulfilment. However, in order to make the changes, you must first get clear on your true desires. Choosing Me is packed full of easy to digest tools and prompts to make the reader pause, reflect and self-enquire so they can move forward with clarity.
If you’ve fallen to the bottom of your ‘to-do-list’ you need this book.
Heidi Hauer is on a mission to help every woman realise that she has choices in her life and that everything she is seeking is already within her power to fulfil. Heidi’s book, “The Queendom Within – Rewrite Your Fairy Tale and Create Your Own Happily Ever After” is a practical and explorative guide for women to reclaim their energy, rediscover who they are, decide what they really want and take tangible steps towards it, with or without a romantic partner by their side. Practical, reassuring and truly inspiring, Heidi’s book encourages you to invest your time and energy in yourself.
Tips and advice from a therapist without getting on the couch.
Dr Lucy Maddox takes you through typical highs and lows of an average year, month by month introducing helpful ideas and tools to help you survive. Whether you struggle with change in January or find the summer holiday season stressful, she provides solutions to manage everyday dilemmas, spot repeating patterns and make shifts to help us feel better and improve situations.
If life is getting on top of you this will give you solutions.
Dr Alex walks you through developing eight habits for complete rest and wellbeing, based on science and personal experiences. Packed with simple activities, Calmism takes a fresh look at the essential habits for rest and offers a menu of easy-fit options to give you the variety that’s key to overall wellness. With just a few minutes’ attention each day, you can cultivate positive, daily habits that stick, to help you feel ultimately revitalised.
Many people are open to the idea of traveling. It’s more than changing locations, other key reasons play considerable roles in the endeavor. While some of us want to experience cultures, others use them for educational purposes.
This particular human activity has been around for a long time. For instance, the first tourists to the Maldives went in 1972, and the destination is still hot today. As a traveler, taking inspiration from sources regularly serves the same purpose as undertaking the journey. Our article has curated a list of the 10 best travel books available. It also includes discussing the benefits of reading.
Resources for Travelers that Could Serve as Alternatives to Book Reading
As stated, traveling serves as a major part of academic activities. Classes often include field trips for arts and life sciences students, where they study different cultures and make reports about them. Moreover, professors may also require a concise review of world travel books where scholars provide honest thoughts on a writer’s view. If this is your situation and there is a chance of combining it with other school requirements, there might be an alternative.
Several students often get help in preparing their book report outcomes. The use of expert writing assistance allows them to focus on other school activities with fast results. Such platforms get you aid if you need help, just request to “write a book report for me” and get your order done quickly. Besides, the immense benefits allow you to focus on enjoying the trip fully without glancing through the pages.
The Best 10 Books Every Traveler Should Read
Here are the top 10 inspiring travel books to consider, whether you are an aspiring or experienced explorer. The recommendations come from top experts, and each has received positive reviews. It could help shape views and inspire one to embark on a life-changing adventure.
W.G. Sebald’s “The Rings of Saturn”
Sebald requires no introduction as a prolific writer. The work moves through the miles of English county, finely blending the encounters of all the people he has met on his journey. As a traveler, “The Rings of Saturn” could serve as a philosophy collection for you to have an open mind when journeying. If you’re searching for a curious mindset to go on an adventure, grab a copy, which helps keep an open mental state.
Paulo Coelho’s “The Alchemist”
Such a philosophic piece, “The Alchemist’ is an inspiring novel that details the adventures of Santiago, a young boy shepherd on the streets of Spain. Anyone who needs a report on books that inspire travel enjoys it as it mirrors the importance of discovering self-purpose. It remains one of Coelho’s best travel writing books and motivates millions of travelers.
Lara Prior-Palmer’s “Catapult Rough Magic
Palmer’s memoir accurately describes her journey in enduring hardships in horse racing. She began her adventure at 19, discovering “the world’s longest, toughest horse race,” the Mongol Derby. If you’re searching for a motivational read to trigger your traveling adventure, let Prior-Palmer guide you. Catapult Rough Magic describes her move from being labeled as an underdog to becoming the first female champion.
Bill Bryson’s “A Walk in the Woods
Elizabeth Gilbert’s “Eat, Pray, Love”
The exceptional soul-searching memoir by Gilbert is an inspiration for journeying through Indonesia, India, and Italy. It describes the author’s adventure of a year in physical endurance, spirituality, and romance. If you’re searching for the right book that teaches balance between these elements, “Eat, Pray, Love” is an exceptional recommendation. You may begin to feel the need to find purpose in life.
Eric Weiner’s “The Geography of Bliss”
Finding the relationship between happiness and geography? Let Eric Weiner be your guide. Follow him as he journeys through the world to find the happiest places. It begins in Delhi and ends in the exciting Icelandic landscapes. Enjoy the historical, cultural, and philosophical views from all walks of life that determine happiness. You’ll love it as it encourages you, as a traveler, to check out destinations asides from those popularly mentioned.
Jack Kerouac’s “On the Road”
Jack Kerouac is the author of this refreshing and insightful travel guide. Enjoy the description of an adventurous, youthful spirit and how it encourages a search for life’s meaning. The book is a great report guide, inspiring travels as the author converses with his friend Dean Moriarty. Its unique prose inspires you to take a break from the daily stress and seek happiness on the road.
Alex Garland’s “The Beach”
Garland is sure to take you on a journey through a quiet Thai beach. The novel focuses on a young man, Richard, who travels searching for an exquisite paradise in its natural form. The book serves as a reminder of some travelers’ negative impacts on dying cultures and environments.
Bill Bryson’s “In a Sunburned Country”
Again, Bill Bryson graces our list with “In a Sunburned Country”. It’s a humorous description of his experience in Australia. His witty narration is not lost here, as he calmly details his vigor in exploring the wildlife the popular country is known for. If you need to write a paper on the beauty of Australia, “In a Sunburned Country” is one of the best traveling-the-world books to consider.
Meik Wiking’s “The Little Book of Hygge”
Although not fully a travel book, Wiking offers a chance to enjoy the description of finding happiness with a content mindset. The Danish researcher describes the concept of Hygge, which includes simple pleasures. The story would teach you how to enjoy traveling adventures without many resources and create beautiful memories.
Benefits of Books for Travelers
Several benefits are available from reading books about traveling the world, especially for documentation. Besides providing a glimpse of what lies ahead, it also encourages a healthy mindset. Here are some rich advantages it offers.
Cultural Appreciation. Book reading provides a good look into various cultures. Anyone who wants to understand different social norms and traditions will find enough resources between the pages.
Local Cuisine. Some world travel books often encourage travelers to try out new cuisines. It’s a great way to understand new traditions, as food plays a huge part in culture.
Social Connection. Traveling is a great way to start conversations with new friends. There are different options to show similar interests, and novels remain a top option.
Learning new languages. There are numerous titles the writer produces in a foreign language. It’s a good opportunity to boost your learning skills, promoting effective communication.
Ready to Embark on Your Next Adventure?
The best books about travel have become an almost obligatory ritual. There are many options to enjoy, but these 10 picks emphasize the purpose of journeys and adventure. Furthermore, students regularly depend on reading material to help strengthen their vocabulary and report-writing skills. You should always look out for different titles to read, especially as they are helpful in shaping your mind.
Among the benefits of reading travel literature, exposure takes the front seat. It’s a massive part of cultural orientation, which allows one to learn new customs and traditions. In addition, migration is part of human behavior, and only traveling helps one achieve this objective.
As busy college students, we pour ourselves into our overflowing course loads, yet aside from textbook requirements it is paramount to indulge in stories that go beyond a set syllabus – and there’s often nothing quite like the captivating power of literature! Books for students are capable of heightening our senses and offering us insights we may not even have realized were hidden inside. Reading these novels in English for students can drastically alter how one looks at life, impacting us on multiple levels. From this post onward, let’s explore some amazing works of literature designed to both entertain and educate. Come with us on this literary journey as we show you how these masterpieces can truly transform your outlook for good!
The Catcher in The Rye by J.D. Salinger
J.D. Salinger’s The Catcher in the Rye packs a punch with its evocative narrative that will haunt you well after finishing it up for good! From then onwards, characters within leap off each page carrying complex human emotions undertones lurking within us all as if an unsaid balm; waiting or just needing acknowledgment so we can draw comfort from its presence. All of this is strung together in this book for student quite masterfully amidst dreamy nostalgia-inducing imagery along with floods and spurts of hyperbolic lingo that follows suit wherever you turn.
School shouldn’t be done without reading J.D. Salinger’s iconic “The Catcher in the Rye”. It tells the story of Holden Caulfield, an overwhelmed teen grappling with his identity as he transitions from childhood to adulthood. With lines packed full of symbolism and loaded with literary elements, there’s no overlooking Salinger’s talent – this captivating tale encapsulates adolescence so well you’d swear it was written just for teens navigating today’s turmoil!
To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee
Every student should take some time to read Harper Lee’s timeless classic “To Kill a Mockingbird”. This powerful novel, based in rural Alabama during the 1930s, will open your eyes to what true prejudice means and how it affects morality. It’ll show you first-hand the harsh reality of racism and sexism filtered through her innocent perspective. Kids are often interested in such topics and that’s why professional research paper help might jump to assist since a lot of experts are capable of covering dozens of them that might provide pupils with educational pieces of data. Hence, you’d be hard-pressed not to feel moved by this important work!
Atticus Finch, Scout’s dad, took on an almost impossible task–defending Tom Robinson, a black man falsely accused of committing a horrible crime. He chose to stand up for justice no matter what– showing his kids mercy and compassion while risking everything he had in the process. He was focused on teaching important values such as understanding and moral fortitude. Even when it seemed like all hope was gone, Atticus stayed strong on principle until the end.
The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald
The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald is an American classic that is surely considered the best book to read for students by many, especially with its poetic imagery of lavish parties and timeless tragedy featuring the iconic Jay Gatsby. His sprawling estate was shrouded in mystery, a symbol of past dreams unfulfilled, so close to his heart yet forever out of reach. It has many famous quotes among which is: “It takes two to make an accident.”
Students must make the effort to grapple with F. Scott Fitzgerald’s “The Great Gatsby”. This riveting tale takes us on a unique journey through the Jazz Age and its perception of the American Dream during the roaring twenties. We encounter Jay Gatsby, an enigmatic yet wealthy character who uses his wealth to host lavish parties in hopes of reuniting with Daisy Buchanan, his one true love. Fitzgerald paints such mesmerizing imagery throughout this classic that can hardly be ignored. He narrates stories full of opulence and extravagance while still managing to explore deeper topics like love – both traditional and modern-day- as well as money, beauty, and how these often appear beguiling but hollow beneath their surface appeal!
Lord Of the Flies by William Golding
If you’re searching for famous books to read that are perfect for students, William Golding’s “Lord of the Flies” might just be your answer. It boasts a special charm to captivate readers like no other story out there. Follow these budding youngsters to see how they:
Crash-land on a deserted island.
Strive to carve out some kind of existence in their fragile environment.
Learning how morality intersects with the dark depths of human nature.
This age-old story is overflowing with sneak peeks of the future and plenty of meaningful symbolism. Not to mention, Golding’s gift for storytelling will have you glued to every page until the very last! His vivid scenes of these younguns’ transformation from civility to lawlessness truly capture civilization’s capacity for crumbling away if left unchecked. Each character – Ralph, Piggy, Jack, and Simon – represents an archetype that hints at how humans often default to our base instincts when in a situation where they can act out those tendencies without consequence. You’ll form an instant connection with each one as soon as you turn the first page!
Animal Farm by George Orwell
Oh boy, if there are books you should read in college, the one you must give a try is George Orwell’s “Animal Farm”. You’d better be careful when you appoint a leader because this 1945 classic is proof of what might happen! It’ll really get your neurons firing; a cautionary tale of the perils of having complete power. The pigs take over and make a paradise out of all living on the farm – sounds great, right? Little did they know pride would go before the fall, and their utopia soon dissolves into an oppressive regime. It’s true what they say: absolute power corrupts absolutely! So, stay alert – you never know how someone will turn out when given authority.
Delving deep into the struggles of humankind, Orwell takes it one step further and paints a vivid portrait of society’s issues using animals as characters. It’s not only an exploration of the Russian Revolution and totalitarianism; there are plenty more lessons to be found within its pages – thought-provoking debates on power dynamics, all too real warnings against sweeping authority figures and blind obedience, this highly acclaimed book serves up plenty for readers to chew over.
Conclusion
Nothing beats sneaking into the pages of classic literature for a chance to explore humanity. From To Kill a Mockingbird’s unwavering depiction of injustice, The Great Gatsby’s exploration of longings and fantasies, to Lord of the Flies showing raw human savagery – these timeless novels for students are still go-to reads for modern learners. As they dig through the powerhouses of coming-of-age stories and political comments, students can eventually discover something utterly unique – themselves! Reading about morals, motivations, emotions… heck there’s nothing quite like it that can spark our imagination and jumpstart personal growth. Whether you’re looking to learn empathy or hone analytical skills, hit those library shelves with confidence ’cause learning by page is just one fantastic journey!
Most authors can trace back the source of their writing passion to a very special moment or person from their youth, and according Dr. Bunmi Oyinsan, world-renowned author and African culture thought-leader, her impressive body of work was inspired by the female heroines of her maternal grandmother’s stories.
“My grandmother’s stories always depicted women as strong and valiant, and she also told stories about Dahomean women warriors,” Dr. Bunmi said. “Most of the literature I was made to read in school were by men and I found the women in these narratives were quite different from those in my grandmother told. So, I was eager to write stories that would celebrate the powerful and inspiring women from my grandmother’s tales.”
Trying to close the cognitive dissonance between the heroines of her grandmother’s tales to the often invisible women of the African literature she was surrounded with, Dr. Bunmi set out to write about real and inspiring African heroines. “Most of my works have developed in response not only to the flat, negative, and often invisible portrayal of African women in some novels but also as a result of the recognition that ours is still predominantly oral culture… In addition to being inspired by works of other women writers, I situate myself firmly within the traditions of women story tellers.”
We sat down with Dr. Bunmi Oyinsan to discuss her literary roots, the importance of placing women at the centre of story-telling, and her latest book ‘Three Women.’ Commenting on her latest novel, Dr. Bunmi says, “My novel Three Women has been about claiming a voice or voices for women as the case may be, by creating female characters from a woman’s perspective… I also believe that it is important to show women not only as victims, but as active determinants of the course of their lives as well as active elements in their communities.”
We also talk about her philanthropic work with ‘Lekki Affordable Schools’ in Nigeria, how the concept of ‘Sankofa’ informs her writing and why celebrating African voices amid the context of the Black Lives Matter movement, is more important than ever.
“It is as important now as it has always been for African stories to be told by African voices. If the global Black Lives Matter Movement has taught us anything, it is the fact that racism is a global pandemic,” Bunmi says. “At any given time, there seems to be only room for a few writers of colour and the big prizes and publishers who are not people of colour are the ones who determine whose voices get heard. We need to change this.”
Dr. Bunmi Oyinsan
Tell us a little bit about yourself and your background?
I was born in Lagos but spent my formative years in Port Harcourt. I started my post-secondary education in the UK and then studied for my masters and doctorate in Canada, where I now live. I started writing as a teenager. I was inspired by the stories that my maternal grandmother told me when I was growing up. Sometimes she told traditional stories, but she also made up her own stories to keep me entertained.
Her stories always depicted women as strong and valiant (her family had migrated to Lagos from Dahomey, now Republic of Benin) and she also told stories about Dahomean women warriors. Sometimes her stories were about real women, her contemporaries like Mrs. Funmilayo Ransome Kuti and Sisi Obasa (Mrs. Charlotte Obasa) to name a few. Unfortunately, most of the literature I was made to read in school were by men and I found the women in these narratives were quite different from the women in the stories my grandmother told me. So, I was eager to write stories that would celebrate the powerful and inspiring women from my grandmother’s stories.
What inspired you to seek out your current career path and eventually become a thought-leader for African culture?
I started the Sankofa Pan African Series because I’ve always loved history. I have many fond memories from my earliest history lessons about the great African civilizations and historical figures, like Mansa Musa, Emmanuel Aggreh, Jaja of Opobo, Nana of Itsekiri to mention just a few.
Although, I must confess that because my maternal grandmother who as I said earlier regaled me with stories about women, I quickly figured out that the history I was being taught at school was incomplete because there were hardly any women in them!
This foundation made me question, even more, the history I was taught in secondary school, which while purporting to be world history was mostly European history. My children’s generation was worse off because they were not taught African history in primary school like I was, despite the fact that they attended primary school in Nigeria. Another reason why I started the Sankofa Pan African Series is because it is, of course, important for the future of Africans and Africans in diaspora to have as many voices emphasizing the fact that civilization did not originate in European countries as most of the history books out there try to lead us to believe. Neither does civilization end in the countries that now represent the so-called developed world.
Tell us more about your latest book for adults ‘Three Women’ as well as your latest children’s books?
Three Women is my latest novel for adults. I have, since the release of Three Women, published four illustrated children’s story books. These children’s illustrated books come in two different series: The Legends of Africa Series, which introduces children to the stories of noteworthy Africans and people of African descent who have made a significant impact in the world. Currently, the series has two books: Mansa Musa: The Richest Man Who Ever Lived and Phillis Wheatley: The Girl Who Wrote Her Way to Freedom.
The Second Series is the Adventures of Anansi And Sewa. The first book in that series is Rainy Day and the second one is The Missing Black Panther. With the Anansi and Sewa Series, I am introducing the beloved trickster figure in many African and Caribbean stories, Anansi to children of this age who might not necessarily find a lot in common with the traditional folktales that my generation and others grew up with. So, the Anansi in my stories is a young Spider boy who sometimes gets into scraps with his sister Sewa. We see them as anthropomorphised creatures interacting with other members of the Spider family.
What is Three Women all about? How has your own personal history influenced your writing?
My work for adults, including my novel Three Women, is about claiming a voice or voices for women as the case may be, by creating female characters from a woman’s perspective. Most of my books, stage plays, and films have had female protagonists. I have found myself reacting to orature because of the role which story-telling played in my choice of vocation. In addition to being inspired by works of other women writers, I situate myself firmly within the traditions of women story tellers.
Most of my works have developed in response not only to the flat, negative, and often invisible portrayal of African women in some novels but also as a result of the recognition that ours is still predominantly oral culture. Although the temptation initially was to create only ‘perfect’ characters, I have tried to acknowledge — where a female character has flaws — that I focus on the causes of such flaws rather than to propagate the assumption that women are naturally weak, evil or devious. I also believe that it is important to show women not only as victims, but as active determinants of the course of their lives as well as active elements in their communities.
My interest in orature is also illustrated by the fact that when I sit down to write, I find myself responding to several stimuli. Sometimes it is the lyrics of a song, a particular proverb, the strands of a conversation I have heard somewhere, something I read or saw in a stage play or on the television which plays at the back of my mind. It was also in a bid to interact with the various elements with which I was determined to create a dialogue that I ventured into film-making.
Your prolific literary works have helped put African stories on a global stage. In your opinion, how important is it that African voices be heard in the context of 2021?
It is as important now as it has always been for African stories to be told by African voices. If the global Black Lives Matter Movement has taught us anything, it is the fact that racism is a global pandemic. Its manifestation might be different, but it is not restricted to the borders of individual countries. Racism is at the bottom of the way in which a continent as rich as Africa is, is also the poorest continent. Yes, most African leaders are corrupt, but corruption is not the only culprit responsible for the situation of Africa.
What is responsible for the warped global economic structure which ensures that African countries are not in control of their natural resources? African farmers can continue to slave from now till kingdom come and if they cannot determine the prices of their produce, they will remain poor. African voices must continue to be raised in any way Africans can to denounce the continued pillaging of the continent and the continued oppression of people of African descent all over the world.
Your written works are known to embrace the concept of ‘Sankofa’ could you tell us more about this?
The word Sankofa comes from Ghana. An Adinkra symbol for Sankofa represents it as a mythical bird flying forward with its head turned backwards. For many years, I used to wear a bronze bracelet with this symbol on it. The bird depicted in my bracelet had an egg in its mouth which I was told represents gems of knowledge available in the past. The bird on my bracelet held an egg in its beak and was poised as if ready to take flight forward. I know that there could be several interpretations for this, but my favourite is that the bird takes from the past useful knowledge which helps it to build a positive present thereby laying a solid foundation for future generations.
In the same vein, I believe that by knowing our history, we will know how we got to where we are today and be better positioned to structure our present and a future for generations of Africans in the diaspora. As such, the Sankofa Pan African Series explores African experiences and the realities of a global relationship from a variety of viewpoints. We look at transnational territories – and possible territory that might exist for a new generation of Africans and Africans in diaspora.
Outside of your work as an author, you have also dedicated your life to supporting a number of non-profit organisations with a special focus on those that support children’s rights, women’s rights and economic empowerment. Tell us more about your philanthropic work. Could you elaborate on what has been the most fulfilling milestone so far?
I am really pleased with the modest contribution that I have made towards Nigerian education through our schools. I co-founded Lekki Peninsula College in Lagos, after Maroko was demolished under a military government. I had no interest of running a school, but I saw too many teenagers who had dropped out of the system, who I knew would have a brighter future if only they had the opportunity to get a proper education. We set up the Lekki Peninsula Nursery and Primary School a sister school when we realised that we were doing too much remedial work with students that were going into the secondary school. We wanted to intervene earlier. Collectively, the two schools are known in the Lekki area as Lekki Affordable Schools. We also set up Equality Through Education Foundation (ETEF) to raise scholarships and other kinds of support for children and youths.
As a woman of colour, what has been the biggest challenge you’ve had to overcome in your career?
As a woman of colour and as an author, the greatest challenge has been contending with the issue of access to publication. Very few publishers and even literary agents are interested in taking on writers of colour especially women. The problem with accessing publication is no different to the challenges that actors and other artists of colour face. At any given time, there seems to be only room for a few writers of colour and the big prizes and publishers who are not people of colour are the ones who determine whose voices get heard. We need to change this.
A year of tier changes, lockdown, and a constant need to adapt has meant we have all had to create new routines. Like everyone else, my world today is very different to how it was 12 months ago and as a result I have had to be kind to myself, remember that I am not operating at the same level I was pre-COVID-19 and adjust my wellness routine to reflect this.
Making small changes to your daily routine can help boost your emotional wellbeing and support your mindset in tricky times. Here are my top five wellness routines to help get you through lockdown.
Slow Mornings
Gone are the days of dashing for the train to work and grabbing a coffee on the go. Make the most of being at home and create a slow morning routine that will set you up for the day and put you in a calm space. Wake up at the same time but instead of spending 90 minutes commuting, use that time for a workout or to make a tasty nutritious breakfast. Plan your day with a cup of tea in bed, write down your to-do-list and set your intentions for a dose of clarity and positivity.
Tune out
Tune out from all the negative news and instead get lost in a good book. Reading relieves stress as it diverts your attention and stops you from thinking too much. Try and take some time out over lunch to read a few chapters and relax.
Taste the World
While we currently cannot travel, experience new cultures through cuisine. Use your evenings to cook up delicious, dishes from around the globe. Recreate that amazing Paella from Seville or transport yourself to a bustling Jamaican beach bar with some home cooked Jerk Chicken. Cooking is also great way of being mindful as it requires you to focus and be present. Global cooking might even inspire you to book your next trip.
Exercise to Reflect your Mood
WFH can leave you sedentary so getting 30 mins of exercise a day is essential to boosting your wellbeing. Build your exercise around your mood and listen to your body. If you need to wind down after a busy day then try yoga or if you are feeling tense from back-to-back Zoom calls, lace up your trainers and hit the street for a run.
Night Walk
After dinner wrap up and take a brisk 45-minute walk. This is a great way to decompress and clear your head. Listen to a positive podcast, some of my favourites include On Purpose with Jay Shetty or Oprah’s SuperSoul Conversations. If you do not fancy a podcast use the walk to focus on all the things you are grateful for. A night walk will help you wind down and tire you before bed.
There isn’t much that pulls me out of the extreme malaise of an Instagram rabbit hole, but there is, however, one unfailing exemption. That is, the premise of spotting someone’s coffee table; with my thumb firmly pressed onto the screen to freeze frame their interior, my tapping frenzy is brought to a halt as I squint to decipher the spines of their colossal hardbacks. But, how has a cumbersome compilation of words and illustrations come to bear such cultural prominence?
No doubt they serve their purpose of curating an aesthetically pleasing home, but a coffee table book epitomises something greater. They’re a dinner-party conversation starter, a first date ice-breaker or – if we’re being honest – a very pricey place to rest your cuppa.
Whilst Douglas Sirk believed that the “homes that people live in exactly describe their lives”, the same could be said about their coffee-table companions when describing an individual. From architectural landscapes to vintage cocktail recipe guides, every cover is less an ornament and more a window into the soul of its owner.
This Christmas, should you find yourself trapped within the quandary of yuletide spending, gift someone the opportunity to live vicariously through one of House of Coco’s tabletop requisites. Just try not to spill on the pages.
Since the global galvanisation of Burkes #metoo movement in 2017 – which saw myriad accounts of sexual exploitation and abuse come to a head – there has been a widespread push to warrant that the impetus of the campaign is maintained.
With her first novel, Kate Elizabeth Russell’s fortitude to ensure that this momentum isn’t derailed is evident; ‘My Dark Vanessa’ is a cutting reflection of our current zeitgeist, where the reconsideration of boundaries and the collective attitude towards victims is urgently spotlighted and acknowledged.
The novel wastes no time in getting straight to the heart of the plot, with readers immediately introduced to 32-year-old Vanessa Wye – a hotel employee shackled to a routine fuelled by self-medication and a series of failed romantic relationships – who discovers that her college professor and long-term abuser, Jacob Strane, is at the centre of a new sexual violence allegation. Constructed through a narrative that runs over the course of two decades, each page unearths a new stratum of predatory abuse, highlighting how the power of manipulation and wordplay can tether individuals to their childhood experiences. The story pays particular attention to Vanessa’s present-day situation – where she is forced to recalibrate a life once built upon false promises and empty lies – after coming into contact with another of Strane’s past victims. A narrator struggling with her own inner contradictions, the story is laced with heart-rendering naivety that is undoubtedly painful to read.
My Dark Vanessa is an account that will force you to challenge your own inhibitions and moralities. Made seemingly evident through Russell’s astute power of language; Vanessa’s teenage recollections are shaped through the perception of a rose-tinted love story, making it tough to digest from the outside perspective of a reader looking in. An expression of desire built upon a brickwork of credulity and innocence, Vanessa’s infatuation with stories (think Nabokov’s, “Lolita”) result in her unable to extricate her own reality from the fiction that she is fixated on.
The novel is a fraught reflection of how privilege can permeate a culture of silence and denial; exposing the ambiguities of abusive relationships, the narrative holds up a mirror to a society in which too many claims are often overthrown for the sake of status and power. Kate Elizabeth Russell’s debut masterpiece proves how literature can be unpleasant, uncomfortable, and complex, but also compelling, eye-opening, and – at most – necessary.
With many of us still traversing newly-founded surges of free time post-lockdown, there is no better opportunity to start delving into the world of all things literature. Kickstarting House of Coco’s new thread of book reviews – to keep you occupied from the holiday reminiscences – we went transatlantic to discover life on the sidewalks of New York City, courtesy of Hanya Yanagihara’s, 2015 Booker Prize nominee, ‘A Little Life’.
I spent most of my lockdown with an emotional hangover; from the TV adaptation of Rooney’s ‘Normal People’ to Evaristo’s ‘Girl, Woman, Other’, there wasn’t often a morning where I woke up not cloaked by a quilt of melancholy, an aching chest full of nostalgia consequentially caused by my bout of excessive binge-watching / reading the evening before. But with Hanya Yanagihara’s ‘A Little Life’, the aftermath couldn’t be whittled down to a momentary morning slump. This wasn’t a 24-hour bug – the kind that grips you with its all-consuming clout then evaporates into an unpleasant memory – but more a chronic affliction that never departs. In other words, this book stuck with me. It welded itself to my heartstrings and cortex, in a bid to ensure that I’m never a few hours away from remembering a snippet of the text and reverting back to that ‘the-morning-after’ state of disconsolate disposition.
In overview, the storyline threads itself through the lives of four protagonists; a group of male aspirants desperately trying to navigate their existence from the apartment blocks of New York City after graduating from New England University. With an eclectic mix of career goals behind them, the personal nuances of each character are echoed through their private quirks, foibles, and life-choices; take the scene – for example – where we learn that JB, a hopeful artist, is sleeping on the floor of his studio following an entanglement with addiction, whilst his long-term companion Jude opts to spend his evening mulling over mathematical enigmas for fun.
The plot does an excellent job of transporting its audience to the concrete pavement of a fervent metropolis, buzzing with all-night-rendezvous’ and overpriced restaurants, but it soon becomes clear that this novel is less an account of a bunch of spritely twenty-somethings grappling with city living, and more-so an acumen to the subtleties and complexities of life.
The quaternate narratives are told through a series of idiosyncratic points of view, but readers are mostly cast into the realities of Jude, a gifted law graduate trying to come to terms with his unforgiving past, and Willem, an ambitious actor who is thrust into the spotlight and aims to juggle his attention between newfound fame and a tightknit social circle. There’s no denying that the novel is intimidating in size, but Yanagihara’s succession in packing decades of life’s gradations and turbulences makes the 700(-ish) pages feel transient. From altruistic levels of kindness to cataclysmic miscommunications, it would be an injustice to reduce these characters to a fragment of the imagination when – through their distinctions of behaviour and thought processes – they are an opportunity for us to look within. How can something be forgotten when it embodies such a myriad of authentic sentiment, eventually becoming an extension of ourselves?
A Little Life is less an acknowledgment of the peaks and troughs of living, but an account of how our past and the people we choose to surround ourselves with plays into every fragment of our being. Yes, the book is subversive and of its own, but it is also an example of how acts of unconditional love can ultimately carry us through the darkness and provide a light of solace when we – sometimes unknowingly – need it most.
If you are a travel junkie looking for inspiration or simply dreaming of leaving your house, let your imagination run wild by reading about your dream destination from home. Recommended by travel insiders such as hoteliers and destination specialists, these books have the power to transport you to beautiful locations beyond your front door.
Greece
Corfu: Recommended by Vassilis Dracopoulos, Owner of MarBella Collection
Transport yourself to Corfu with ‘My Family and Other Animals’ by Gerald Durrell
This wonderfully uplifting book will help you fight away the isolation blues and transport you to the Greek island of Corfu. Durrell’s exceptional book paints a vivid picture of the Greek landscape, so detailed you will feel as if you are experiencing them yourself. With thoughtfully portrayed characters and fascinating descriptions of the locals, nature and wildlife, this book will have every reader ready to visit Corfu.
Dive deep into Greece with Vassilis Dracopoulos’ additional book recommendations including ‘From the Holy Mountain’ by William Dalrymple, ‘Prospero’s Cell’ by Lawrence Durrell, ‘Captain Corelli’s Mandolin’ by Louis de Bernier, ‘Graves Mythology’ by Robert Graves, ‘The Peloponnesian War’ by Donal Kagan, ‘Pyrrhus of Epirus’ by Jeff Champion, ‘Memoirs of Hadrian by Margueritte Yourcenar and ‘Roumeli – Travels in Northern Greece’ by Patrick Leigh Fermor.
Crete: Recommended by Natasha Martsekis, Founder and CEO of Bright Blue Villas
Take a Virtual Trip to Crete with ‘The Island’ by Victoria Hislop
Set on the island of Spinalonga, off the coast of Crete where lepers were banished, this award-winning novel is filled with love, drama and secrets. Whilst the story may have you gripped, the author’s research into Cretan culture is evident, creating an inspiring vision of this popular Greek island. Readers will be taken on a fantastic adventure, whilst learning from an inspiring account of Cretan history.
Zagori: Recommended by Vasilis Iosifidis, Owner of Aristi Mountain Resort & Villas
Fantasy Travel to the Greek Mountains with ‘Walking and Trekking in the Zagori: Walking routes in Greece’s wild and beautiful northern Pindos mountains’by Aris-Dimitrios Leontaritis
In North West Greece, Zagori is a beautiful mountainous region that still remains relatively unknown amongst visitors. This detailed and visual guide showcases the best of its unspoilt trekking routes, from dramatic gorges to mystical forests, clear blue rivers and rugged alpine peaks. Whether you are an amateur hiker or an adrenaline junkie this is a destination worth dreaming about. Filled with pictures of the stunning Zagori landscape, this book will truly transport you into the Greek mountains.
Italy
Tuscany: Recommended by Jasmine Boni-Ball, Tuscany Now & More
Escape to the Italian Countryside with ‘Under the Tuscan Sun’ by Frances Mayes
This enchanting memoir perfectly portrays the sights, smells and sounds of Tuscany. Much like many properties in Tuscany, Frances Mayes finds herself in an abandoned villa which she carefully restores. Readers join Frances on her incredible journey through Tuscany’s vibrant local markets, beautiful landscapes and historic and cultural sites. Her recipes, cooked in her traditional kitchen will set you taste buds on fire whilst her story transports you to Italy’s magical destination. By the end of the book, we guarantee you’ll be as in love with Tuscany as we are.
To truly give you a sense of Tuscany, Jasmin Boni-Ball also recommends reading; ‘Every Day in Tuscany’ by Frances Mayes, ‘Vanilla Beans and Brodo’ by Isabella Dusi and ‘The Agony and The Ecstasy’ by Irving Stone.
Courmayeur: Recommended by Alessandra Borre, Courmayeur Monte Blanc
Keep Cool and Dream of the Slopes with ‘Courmayeur : A Mad Dog Ski Guide’ by Gaby De Pace
Already prepping for the 2021 ski season? Plan the perfect trip to impress your friends and family with this expert guide to Courmayeur. With clear maps and detailed descriptions of slopes, bars and restaurants, this guide will help you plan the ultimate ski trip for next year.
Want an extra opinion? Alessandra Borre also recommends ‘Courmayeur – Mont Blanc and the Aiguilles Rouges – a Guide for Skiers’ by Anselme Baud
Venice: Recommended by Chiara Zambianchi, General Manager at Grand Hotel dei Dogi, The Dedica Anthology
Live the glitz and glamour Venetian lifestyle with ‘Venetian Chic’ by Francesca Bortolotto Possati
This stunning coffee table book written by art connoisseur, interior designer, and hotelier Francesca Bortolotto Possati is filled with incredible photography by Robyn Lea. It will lead you on a magical journey through Venice. Perfect for armchair travellers, Francesca Bortolotto Possati guides readers through the city and its best kept secrets. Showcasing Venice’s premium artisan studios, iconic palazzos, markets and restaurants, the book is both beautiful and informative.
Rome: Recommended By Piero Magrino, General Manager at Palazzo Naiadi, The Dedica Anthology
Immerse yourself in the ancient city of Rome with ‘Angel and Demons’ by Dan Brown
The famous thriller is gripping and inspiring, taking the reader on a mysterious journey through the ancient city of Rome. Dan Brown imaginatively describes the city through the story of Robert Langdon who travels through Rome’s sealed crypts, dangerous catacombs, deserted cathedrals and the most secret vault in the world on his quest to defeat the Illuminati. Reading Angels and Demons, you feel as if you have visited the eternal city and once travel resumes you can retrace Langdon’s steps in person.
Turkey
Istanbul: Recommended by Sedat Nemli, General Manager at AJWA Hotel Sultanahmet
Explore Turkey’s most populous city with ‘Strolling Through Istanbul: The Classic Guide to the City’ by Hilary Summer-Boyd and John Freely
There is no better way to experience a city than by foot and this classic guide will take you on a fantasy stroll around Istanbul. Planning a trip to Istanbul? This book is perfect for an in-depth look into this captivating city. Written by true experts, the book provides vivid anecdotes, secret histories, hidden gems and details on all the best attractions to visit. Whilst guidebooks can be hard to follow whilst you are on the ground, this book will help you plan the future trip of a lifetime, ensuring you won’t miss a thing in the city.
To further inspire your virtual trip to Istanbul, Sedat Nemli also recommends; ‘Istanbul: Memories and the City’ by Orhan Pamuk, ‘The Ottoman Centuries’ by Lord Kinross and ‘The Fall of Constantinople, 1453’ by Steven Runciman
Hungary
Budapest: Recommended by Tamas Fazekas, General Manager of New York Palace, The Dedica Anthology
Experience Budapest through the beautiful imagery in Luxury Budapest 2020
This incredible coffee table book offers readers a perfect guide to the Hungarian capital. Filled with alluring pictures and well written articles, the reader is guided through the luxury Budapest lifestyle. This stylish book will help readers discover the elegance, beauty, history and culture of the city, taking you on a trip around Budapest’s finest restaurants and visiting the city’s most luxurious elements.
Saint Lucia
Saint Lucia: Recommended by Angela Torille, Windjammer Landing Villa Beach Resort
‘Sent Lisi: Poems and Art of Saint Lucia’ by Nobel Laureate Derek Walcott, Sir Dunstand St. Omer, Roderick Walcott, Harry Simmons, John Robert Lee and others
It was described at the launch as “an iconic collection”, which features the work of Nobel laureate Derek Walcott (his poems and art), Sir Dunstan St. Omer, the late Roderick Walcott and deceased icon Harry Simmons alongside the poems and art of younger St. Lucian writers and artists. Eighteen writers and seventeen artists are featured. Amongst them is John Robert Lee, a writer from St Lucia whose short stories and poems have appeared in international anthologies. This is a wonderful book which encompasses older and younger St. Lucians, all who have nurtured their artists, writers, musicians, dancers and actors.
Further recommendations include Growing Up in St. Lucia by Loverly Sheridan
UK
Northern Ireland: Recommended by Julie Hastings, Hastings Hotels
Snuggle up with a classic and dream of the Mourne Mountains with’ ‘The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe’ from C.S.Lewis
C.S Lewis, author of `The Chronicles of Narnia’ that began with `The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe’, was inspired by the Mourne landscape in County Down, Northern Ireland. He wrote of the scenery here “it made me feel that at any moment a giant might raise its head over the next ridge”. Lewis holidayed in the Mourne Mountains, near the village of Rostrevor. He loved the Celtic myths told to him in childhood, also inspiration for his Narnia stories.
If you are ever looking for me I’ll normally be nose deep in a good book, whether it’s a chick lit, thriller or self care guide I’m never far away from a decent read and despite being an owner of a Kindle you’ll still find paperbacks at the side of my bed, on my desk and next to the sofa. So, when I heard that Bagni di Pisa, a five-star spa hotel in Tuscany were running a ‘Tuscan Literary Weekend’ package for book worms and literary connoisseurs I got excited. Books, spa, sun and a luxury hotel sounds right up my street.
Located above natural hot springs in the picturesque Tuscan countryside, Bagni di Pisa is the former 18th century summer residence of the Grand Duke Francesco Stefano of Lorena and its ancient thermal pools have long been renowned for their soothing and healing properties. The package allows guests to delve into the 19th-century literary masterpieces written by Mary Shelley, author of Frankenstein, and uncover the life of one of Britain’s most revered novelists, all whilst experiencing Bagni di Pisa’s impressive spa, renowned thermal pools and world-class treatments.
Literary fanatics participating in the hotel’s exclusive three-night package will enjoy a theatrical performance by Mary Shelley herself and a 19th-century style private dinner. The dinner will be hosted in the Dei Lorena Restaurant or in the hotel’s infamous Bar Shelley, where Mary’s inspiration for Frankenstein is said to have bloomed during a visit to the former palace.
There’s an opportunity to enjoy an amazing journey back in time, exploring the hotel’s grounds and illustrious past through a 60-minute theatrical private performance with the famous author and her friend, doctor Andrea Vacca Berlinghieri.
Foodies will love the private evening dinner where exquisite 19th-century inspired Italian dishes will be served to the backdrop of music from this historic period. To complete the getaway, spa enthusiasts will have the opportunity to unwind in the natural thermal grotto and thermal spring bath, before receiving a 50-minute relaxing body massage performed with a mix of aromatic oils by Bagni di Pisa’s expert masseuses.
Guests booking the ‘Tuscan Literary Weekend’ package will be hosted in Bagni di Pisa’s impressive rooms and suites and will receive full access to the hotel’s thermal spa, thermal Bioaquam circuit, Etruscan circuit complete with sauna, hot plate and steam bath, fitness room and daily morning hikes with a local guide.
Nightly rates at Bagni di Pisa start from €155 (£136*) per person per night in a Comfort room on a B&B basis. Tailormade rates for the ‘Literary Weekend Package’ are provided upon request.
