The summer months often bring the headspace to rest and reflect. A holiday may even inspire a 'digital detox', in a mission to break the habit of continuous screen time. And, according to Harvard Business School, reading - particularly as a leisure activity - is proven to improve mental health, not to mention furnishing us with deepened knowledge and general enjoyment. A relaxed mind is an open mind, so it can be a good way to challenge your thinking too.
However, it’s not always easy to switch off when our devices are in our line of sight. For me, it takes a really good, hardback book to keep me entertained and away from digital distractions.So, without further ado, here are some recommended reads if you’re looking for a good page-turner this summer be it factual, practical, for entertainment or escapism...
Code Dependent: Living in the Shadow of AI
Madhumita Murgia
Shortlisted for the Women’s Prize for Non-Fiction 2024, this book addresses AI and the way it is redefining our own definitions of humanity. Murgia brings this to life through the stories of ordinary people living in locations not associated with technology, drawing to our attention the ethics surrounding AI and its impact on real lives and communities. I met the author, who is also the AI Editor at The Financial Times, when she spoke at Hay Festival. She exposes how AI can sleep-walk us into removing free will. Whilst there is some good progress to help find governance, she calls for us all to consider how we interact with AI – yes, it could make our lives easier but how could this impact the life of another?
Diary of a CEO
Stephen Bartlett
An easy one to dip into thanks to its playful layout and pullout quotes, Bartlett shares his real-life experiences and practical strategies for leadership and life. Despite being a podcast sensation, a marketing whizz and businessman, his humility shines through the advice. Some of the solutions seem obvious, but it is a relief to know that there is a path well-trodden - any business owner is definitely not alone. Bartlett’s life experience reads as if he has been here before, yet he has barely entered his 30s!
The Visual Detox
Marine Tanguy
I’m sensitive to ‘visual noise’ and have often asked however can our brains cope with the increasing piles of information in any given week? We are living through an era of information overload and it is shaping our lives at home, work and on our way to work. “You consume 10,000 visuals daily. Let’s change it” Tanguy says, as she infectiously campaigns for the return of our focus, mindfulness, awe and wonder. Her aim is to balance out the commercial imagery we see every day in favour of more nature and art in our public spaces, and just last week Switzerland’s Supreme Court ruled that governments could act to limit “visual pollution”. As a big believer in culture’s power to transform peoples’ lives, I say 'good for you, Marine' and for making change like this.
Tender is the Night
F. Scott Fitzgerald
This one transports us to the wealthy society of the French Riviera during the glamorous Jazz age, post WW1 with all the sumptuousness and colour of that time. But it also reveals a darkness. Behind the façade of a seemingly perfect scenario is a strained relationship, alcoholism and more. The story is about the changing power dynamics of the time and - avant garde though it may seem - it tackles the subject of addiction and, bravely, mental illness, a topic that was more then likely brushed under the carpet most of the time. It’s a tragedy with a luxurious backdrop and captivating characters with a reminder that the power of perception can shape image too well for reality. A very PR moral tale.
These Foolish Things
Dylan Jones
This is a bright and brilliant account of the now Evening Standard Editor-in-Chief, former GQ editor’s life in fashion, music and media from the 1970s through the coolest of eras as a journalist - with the odd indiscretion. When we hosted his book signing and talk at The Arts Club recently, Jones told us about his celebrity encounters from David Bowie to Gwyneth Paltrow, as well as the resilient attitudes of the time to working hard and partying harder, and, despite personal traumas, keeping that going.
Under the Blue
Oana Aristide
Finally, I came across this author when I read a spellbinding article in The Financial Times about the ‘Accidental Hotelier’ . A former macro-economist, Aristide fell in love with a Greek Island and decided to build a leading luxury boutique hotel there during Covid, confronting challenges galore. Meanwhile, she wrote and published Under the Blue to great acclaim “for escapism during the build”, as she confessed to me when I met her. The novel is deep, terrifying yet beautiful, addressing some huge topics including the precious nature of human life in the face of Artificial Intelligence.
The next iteration of our Luxury Insights Report will address AI and Creativity in the world of art and luxury, and we’re delighted to include some of the above authors in our commentary. Watch this space for more news on its launch.
