As I type this the rain is pouring down – perfect book weather. Here are some suggestions this month:

1/ Caroline Hirons – Skin Care

I grew up in a house where skincare was Lux soap and a flannel, maybe some Oil of Ulay at Xmas. And my taste in products are natural – if you won’t eat it, don’t put it on your face. So to be honest, I didn’t really enjoy this book. It was repetitive, I disagreed with the author’s take on surgery, & didn’t appreciate her anti natural stance. However….I adopted a lot of the practices she recommends and my skin has never been so good. At my age, that’s a blessing! Be warned, your credit card will take a hammering! I was happy that she recommended Ren, but disappointed my two favourite skin care products didn’t make the list – Ark Skincare and Antipodes, check them out.

 

2/ Will Bulsiewicz – Fiber Fueled

I heard this guy on Rich Roll’s podcast and he made so much sense. We’ve all been primed to worry about getting enough protein whilst all along it’s fibre we should be concerned with. Feed the microbiome and boost your health. And it’s fibre that the bacteria thrive on; fibre and variety. The author is a medical doctor and the science in this is sound. His passion for a fibre rich diet is contagious and the recipes included are great. I thoroughly recommend this one.

 

 

3/ Nir Eyal – Indistractable

I cannot begin to tell you how helpful this book has been for me. I’m a procrastinator extraordinaire. Even as I type this I’m tempted to just check my email…or Twitter,,,or my email again. Nir Eyal wrote the book on getting you hooked. It’s used by all the social media companies. In this book, he helps you fight back! He explains what’s happening when you’re distracted. He provides helpful hints, practical advice and technical aids to help you take back control. This should be compulsory reading!

 

4/ Grace Regan – Spicebox

Just awesome! I love Indian food and was certain I didn’t need another recipe book. But I’m so pleased I got this. These recipes are gorgeous. Anyone who adds fennel to a curry and makes it work is a winner in my book! Over the last 12 months when I’ve had to cook pretty much every meal, I’ve craved variety. This book does that – I just wish I’d had it last year.

 

 

5/ Merlin Sheldrake – Entangled Life

Sometimes I buy a book on impulse and have absolutely no idea what’s drawn me to it. This is one of those books. 250 pages on fungi. WTF! But it’s absolutely fascinating, this book enchanted me. Fungal networks under the right conditions can replicate the Tokyo underground map! They can survive space travel and are possibly the missing link. Not to mention their psychedelic properties that are playing an increasingly helpful role in treating mental health patients (are they speaking through us?!). Things won’t be the same ever again once you’ve read this. Don’t get me started on Zombie Fungi! Oh, and it looks like they might play a pivotal role in saving the planet.