I think I’m safe in saying that most of us are finding that we have a lot more time on our hands at the moment. Whilst the quarantine period comes with feelings of stress, anxiety and uncertainty for all of us, there’s a lot we can learn from being forced to take a step back from the everyday hustle and bustle of modern life. Having little choice but to slow down has allowed us to gain a new perspective on life and give ourselves permission to spend time doing the things that really feed our souls. Many people that I’ve spoken to are finally finding the time to sit down with a cuppa and read a good book, and I’m the same. I’m a sucker for a novel, but I also love reading books that deepen my understanding of the world around us and help me to make positive change within my own life. So I thought I’d share a few of my current favourite books that have done just that. If you’re in need of some new literature which you are guaranteed to have an AHA! moment reading, I’ve got you covered.

Work Like a Woman - Mary Portas

This book had been recommended to me by many people back when I was working in my previous job as an account manager for a branding agency. I bought the book but never got round to reading it, so quarantine felt like the perfect time to sink my teeth in. It was great. Mary outlines how we should all be moving to a new way of working - one where women can have their voices heard, where people work collaboratively and flexibly, and where outdated alpha values are diminished. Whether you are employed, self-employed or currently unemployed, I would really recommend reading this book to broaden your understanding of the issues facing working women and how society can benefit from a different approach to business.

A New Earth - Eckart Tolle

I’m not quite finished with this book yet but I wanted to include it here as I have already had loads of amazing takeaways from it. It sounds cliche but I’m going to say it - this book is life-changing. Eckhart is a spiritual teacher and his books help you to reach new levels of consciousness and inner-peace. Here I’m going to share a snippet from the blurb, because it explains the concept of the book in a much more succinct way than I could do myself:

“Tolle provides the spiritual framework for people to move beyond themselves in order to make this world a better, more spiritually evolved place to live. Shattering modern ideas of ego and entitlement, self and society, Tolle lifts the veil of fear that has hung over humanity during this new millennium, and shines an illuminating light that leads to happiness and health that every reader can follow.”

It’s one of those books where I need to read a chapter, step away and process what I’ve read for a week, and then come back to it (hence why it’s taking me so long to read!). His ideas are sometimes complex and you might find you need to read the same section of text a few times to get your head around it, but once you do I guarantee you will gain a whole new perspective on life. If you haven't read his first book The Power of Now I’d recommend giving this a read first to gain a bit more context on Eckhart’s background and some of the terminology he uses.

Notes on a Nervous Planet - Matt Haig

I am absolutely in love with everything that Matt Haig writes and this book in particular feels more relevant than ever right now. I actually read this a while ago but it’s one that I always recommend. He completely dissects the modern world, looking at the reasons why despite being at the height of digital connectivity, people are feeling more alone than ever. He explains everything so succinctly that I think it took me just a couple of days to read from cover to cover and I gained a huge amount of context on why mental illnesses are so prevalent today. I also loved his previous book ‘Reasons to Stay Alive’ which explains how it feels to live with depression in the most heart wrenchingly accurate detail that I have ever seen.

The Boy, the mole, the fox and the Horse - Charlie Mackesy

This book is a New York Times best seller and Waterstones Book of the Year in 2019, so it’s quite likely that you will have heard of it. The other books that I’ve listed are heavier reads, so I’ve balanced it out by selecting this absolutely beautiful work of art which you can read from cover to cover in less than 30 minutes (depending on how long you spend ogling at the stunning illustrations). But just because it is shorter it does not mean that it isn’t as profound. Built around conversations between four friends, the book reminds us of the importance of kindness, love, honesty and friendship. My copy was gifted to me by my boyfriend’s lovely mum and I already know it is going to remain one of my most special possessions for years to come.

And there we have it! If you manage to read any of the above let me know how you find them. There are plenty more where these came from so if you’d like some more recommendations feel free to pop me a message. I’d also love to receive recommendations from you guys so please do share any books that you’ve read recently that you think I might enjoy. Happy reading!

Quarantine Reads: books that feed the soul