Five books that have helped this year – here are The Travelling Bookbinder’s Good Reads 2020. Our main motto is ‘Travel Through Books’ which couldn’t happen in reality when we were suddenly grounded, so this is a list of alternative possibilities…
- The Art of Travel – a classic, reminding us that we can travel in our imagination, from the comfort of an armchair. Philosopher Alain de Botton describes life in ways that show it differently, usefully. Published by Penguin.
2. The Sea Journal – voyage vicariously with seafarers of the world, from Vasco da Gama to Horatio Nelson in this elemental, visual treat. ‘The sea is a broad canvas for imagining,’ writes Huw Lewis-Jones, who shows us historic and contemporary pages of sea journeys. Published by Thames and Hudson.
3. This Too Shall Pass – dealing with change is hard enough without the extra implications of a global pandemic. Counsellor and physcotherapist Julia Samuel wrote this book before Covid-19 hit, and I’ve found it enormously reassuring in navigating the anxieties of recent months. As she says, it tells stories, ‘living losses – the endings and beginnings that make up the transitions of our life, throughout our life.’ Published by Penguin, reviewed by The Guardian.
4. Stop Reading The News – why it’s not good for us. The subtitle of Rolf Dobelli’s instantly convincing (and instantly relieving) book is ‘A manifesto for a happier, calmer and wiser life.’ Who hasn’t been doomscrolling their way though relentless reporting this year? Well it’s time to stop, which is less painless than you might expect. Published by Sceptre.
5. Creative Calling – the panacea, the purpose, the light! Photographer, director, artist, and entrepreneur, Chase Jarvis knows from experience that talking is not the same as doing. He explains how ‘Creativity isn’t a skill—it’s a habit, a mindset, and a practical lever that transforms our lives and delivers vitality to everything we do.” Published by Harper Business.
What good reads have helped you through 2020?
Wishing you uninterrupted time with a book or two over the next few weeks….
