We Are Reading
Indiscretion by Charles Dubow
I loved/hated this book…I found I couldn’t put it down, but got quite cross with the slightly unbelievable way characters were written, loved the pace of it and the setting in The Hamptons, but found the slightly formulaic descriptions (women… Read More
The Folio Society illustrated books
As we see ebook purchases overtake paper books (both in 2011 and 2012) there is a worry that the pile of soon-to-be-read books teetering dangerously on the bedside table will become a thing of the past. But really, this is… Read More
Lean In: Women Work & the Will to Lead by Sheryl Sandberg
Sheryl Sandberg joined Google when it was a start-up and went on to become COO at Facebook. Clearly a clever, ambitious, women, she also professes to be good negotiator and a strong networker. She also puts her success down to… Read More
Living the Good Life by Martha Stewart
Martha has written a book about ageing. Just launched, it tells us how to stay healthy and happy, Martha-style, by eating well, keeping fit and remembering that family and friends are more important than a stress-y job. I
It’s an… Read More
The Hand-stitched Home by Caroline Zoob
If you love those country-style floral embroideries you come across on vintage tea cosies and napkins, this book is for you. Caroline Zoob spent ten years living in Virginia and Leonard Wolf’s Monks House and the experience has influenced her… Read More
The Crow Road by Iain Banks
We are so very sad to hear about the far too early death of the writer Iain Banks at 59. For those of you who have never read any of Iain Bank’s books, can we suggest you start with The… Read More
Cake Design: 50 Fabulous Cakes by Cressida Bell
How much do I want this book? I saw it in the Saturday Telegraph magazine and there are a few more images on our Instagram page. The author Cressida Bell comes from a creative family, her great aunt was Virginia… Read More
Be Awesome, Modern Life for Modern Ladies by Hadley Freeman
REALLY looking forward to reading this. We love Hadley and it’s bound to be well written, so enough said. Anyone read it yet? Let us know what you think
Be Awesome by Hadley Freeman… Read More
Modern Art Desserts by Caitlin Williams Freeman
There’s nothing like a bit of cakespiration for a Monday morning. I love this video about pastry chef pastry chef Caitlin Williams Freeman and the work she is doing at The Blue Bottom Cafe, at San Francisco’s Museum of Modern… Read More
Sugar & Spice by Gaitri Pagrach-Chandra
I am indebted to The Foodie Bugle for pointing out Gaitri Pagrach-Chandra’s wonderfully written, cultural mash-up baking books. Born in India, brought up in Guyana, educated in the US, now married to a Dutchman and living in Holland, Gaitri is… Read More
The Loveliest Chocolate Shop in Paris by Jenny Colgan
Blimey, what is it with writers and stationery?. No sooner had we put up author Jill Mansell’s post on her stationery loves, when Jenny Colgan asked us on Twitter if she could let us see her stationery too…..how could we… Read More
Don’t Want To Miss A Thing by Jill Mansell
The recent post on pencil cases attracted the attention of TWR readers and super-successful writer Jill Mansell, who explained writers often are obsessed with stationery too…she is, so we couldn’t resist asking her to tell us more….
So Jill, what’s… Read More
Let’s Explore Diabetes With Owls, by David Sedaris
Anyone who adores Davis Sedaris as much as me will only need to know that there is a new book out. You can buy it here. I am reading it and it is as hilarious as usual.… Read More
The Set Table by Hannah Shuckburgh
If you are free on Thursday 25th April and you love a beautifully set table, can we suggest you nip along to Anthropologie in The King’s Road Chelsea, where Hannah Shuckburgh is celebrating the launch of her pretty new book … Read More
Lost Lanes by Jack Thurston
This a glorious book, a total treat for anyone who cycles or who dreams of packing up a picnic lunch and heading out into the countryside for an adventure. It details 36 bike rides around Kent, Sussex, Surrey, Hampshire, the… Read More
Nutmeg & Custard by Marcus Wareing
Like the look of this book by Marcus Wareing, which his lovely PR lady Natasha, who we met last week, says is full of great recipes you can really do at home. Also, we love the title, Nutmeg and… Read More
Maggie and Me by Damian Barr
Working class and gay, the founder of the Shoreditch Literary Salon, Damian Barr confesses that Maggie Thatcher is his guilty pleasure in his touching and darkly witty memoir Maggie and Me. The book tells of surviving Thatcher’s Britain, of growing… Read More
Conflict and Costume: The Herero Tribes of Namibia by Jim Naughten
How much do we love this beautiful book? Glorious images by Jim Naughten that capture the costumes worn by the Herero tribe in Nambia. The women wear patchwork clothes brightly jumbled together and top the whole look off with cow-horn… Read More
Empress of Fashion by Amanda MacKenzie Stuart
If you’ve been following TWR’s adoration of Fashion Guru Diane Vreeland ( there was the accessory range, the film and then another book) you’ll be interested to know there’s a new book out, written by Amanda MacKenzie Stuart. I haven’t… Read More
Rules of Civility by Amor Towles
I was tipped off about this wonderful novel by my friend Shirley and it was every bit as good as she said it would be. It’s an elegantly written tale of a strong minded independent girl -Katherine- who lives in… Read More
Bedsit Disco Queen: How I grew Up and Tried To Be a Popstar by Tracey Thorn
I have always felt if I met Tracey Thorn I could be her friend, as her songs have resonated with me since I heard the Marine Girls, her first band, back in 1982.
Coming from Hatfield, Hertfordshire and feeling like… Read More
David Bowie Is, edited by Victoria Broakes and Geoffrey Marsh
David Bowie, at the V&A from March, join the queue.
For those who aren’t planning to make a pilgrimage, there’s the book, available from the V&A bookshop exclusively, at £20.… Read More
The Art of Scent 1889- 2012, by Chandler Burr
This is a slightly aspirational book suggestion here, as it costs approx £250 and is only currently available from the US. But with the book, which is produced to accompany The Art Of Scent exhibition at the Museum of Art… Read More
Embellished: New Vintage by Karen Nichol
We spotted this lovely book featuring artist/embroiderer Karen Nichol’s beautiful work in the January 2013 edition of Selvedge Magazine (a cracker by the way, it’s the Inspiration issue and it definitely does inspire). Karen has worked closely with the design… Read More
Jerusalem by Yotam Ottolenghi and Sami Tamimi
Debora was right, this is a fabulous cookery book. I can now make stonkingly good houmous and it’s all due to this. A gem.
Buy here… Read More
The Fifties Mystique by Jessica Mann
This fab little book tells the 50s as it really was, as opposed to the rose-tinted view we sometimes have when we moan about how terrible things are today and how everything was better ‘back in The Good Old Days….’… Read More
Recipe Journal by Orlando Gough
It’s a while since we popped over to the Toast Travels section of the Toast website, run by Rachel Seaton and we’ve missed a lot, its got all sorts of interesting things going on.
The first thing to notice… Read More
Instructions For A Heatwave by Maggie O’Farrell
This is the very first Maggie O’ Farrell book I’ve read, and it wont be the last, this is a book I would put into the ‘don’t want the bus/train journey to end because I don’t want to stop reading… Read More
Homemade, Christmas and Festive decorations by Ros Badger and Elspeth Thompson
If you are starting to think about what theme you are going for this Christmas at home (what do you mean you don’t have one – are you insane?) This new book by our favorite knitwear designer and stylist, Ros… Read More
Best in Show, 25 More Dogs to Knit by Sally Muir and Joanna Osbourne
You remember we wrote about the gorgeous Knit Your Own Dog and Knit Your Own Cat books here? Well Sally Muir and Joanna Osbourne have another book out, 25 More Dogs to Knit so you can add to your menagerie… Read More