One moment I look forward to each month is when the letterbox rattles and Vanity Fair lands on my hallway floor.
This last month feels like it has dragged by – I don’t know if it’s the grey winter, filled with good old-fashioned British liquid sunshine we’ve been having or the sadness of not indulging ourselves after Christmas due to our over-judgy sensibility – but in my mind the gap between Vanity Fair editions has felt huge.
With this in mind, I decided to get together five of my most loved books and share them with you. Partly because I need to fill some time until the beloved sound of glamour on doormat happens again, and partly because I can’t wait to see what books are recommended in each issue of Vanity Fair.
I know I always say I can never choose a favourite anything in any topic, but these five books fulfil something different in my multi-faceted, sometimes chaotic self.
The Alchemist ~ Paulo Coelho
I don’t know where to start with this! Paulo is such a talented author, I LOVE all his work, but this particular book was the first of his I read and go back to time and time again.
It’s the sort of book that has the ability to uncover our dreams and inspires us to live the life we have always imagined.
It tells the tale of Santiago, a shepherd boy who believes there is more to life than his humble beginnings. It follows his quest in the search for that certain ‘something more’ in life and shares the different life lessons in a short parable-type story that sparks my imagination into overdrive about the possibilities life holds.
I love it on so many levels and always recommend it to people looking for a book about something ‘more’.
Leaves of Grass ~ Walt Whitman
For a poetry fix, my (not really new) new love is Walt Whitman. I was introduced to him by a friend who reads his work nightly on Periscope. I wasn’t very familiar with his work until recently and am so glad to have added this classic to my collection. It can be picked up and adored in short moments of time whenever you fancy feeling a little more cultured.
At times shocking for his generation, Walt was one of the most important and influential poets of the twentieth century, winning a Pulitzer Prize in 1963 – also the year of his death.
His work is a commentary on America in his time, is full of wit and wisdom and metaphors flow from this book in the most wonderful way. It’s a new firm favourite of mine and I can’t get enough!
Humans of New York ~ Brandon Stanton
Oh. My. This book.
Humans of New York landed in my life on Valentines Day 2015. I’m pretty sure it wasn’t the exact perfect nature of the gift that makes me love it so much – I’m sure it’s the content of real life people living extraordinary lives, in an unassuming way that makes me gasp with delight every time I pick it up.
This book takes pride of place on my coffee table at home so anyone can pick it up and enjoy these beautiful pages any time they like.
Brandon Stanton is a photographer who sees the moments worth commenting on, that most people simply miss. He photographs people he sees throughout the day and takes whatever pops into their mind as the caption to go with their photo. He posts them all up on his Facebook Page of the same name and some of the best are captured in this gorgeous book.
If you need your soul enriched by the every day wonder of every day people, then this book should be in your life. It reveals the magic and excellence of the human nature. It restores my soul and makes me feel enriched.
(Need I say more? BUY IT)
Grace ~ Grace Coddington
Grace is the sort of book that transports me. It is bursting full of the memories, photographs and personal drawings of Grace Coddington, one of the fashion industry’s most respected and revered people of all time.
After being a hugely successful model in the 1960’s, she became in a fashion editor for Vogue in 1968 and has since earned the descriptions of “unquestionably the greatest living stylist” and “the Michelangelo to [Anna] Wintour’s Pope”.
Her dedication to ensuring the very best from her work is clear in this utterly enchanting book of her life. Any person wanting to excel at their career, whether in the fashion industry or not should take example from this gorgeously written book. Her determination, drive and unique viewpoint of the world is a shining example to the rest of us.
The Book of Awakening ~ Mark Nepo
Well, if Oprah recommends a book, then it’s surely something to pick up and enjoy!
The Book of Awakening is a daily dose of inspiration containing simple truths and stories for everyday life. It holds a years worth of diary style entries which are aimed at helping us to become more present and aware of ourselves and our lives. It opens your eyes, softens your heart and never fails to make me feel more grounded.
Cleverly put together, you can read in day-by-day order, or in this latest edition, you can search by topics that you feel drawn to. A relaxing read with short entries to restore your soul. Once you pick this lovely book up though, I’m not sure you’ll stop after reading just one day . . .
