10 Compulsively Readable Books
They'll make you forget your phone even exists.
Greetings Spendthrifts,
Today’s newsletter is all about getting off our phones and away from our screens (after you’ve finished reading this, obviously). I consider it something of a public service to be honest, given how desperate most people I know are to reduce their screen time, myself included. But rather than recommending a bunch of apps or listing out increasingly convoluted strategies I thought I’d share the things that actually tend to work for me - namely, finding something so absorbing that I stop thinking about my phone altogether. So, keep reading for a roundup of ten of the most compulsively readable books I can think of, books that’ll make you forget your phone even exists (and all of which make ideal holiday reads). First up though, a new creative hobby I’ve been attempting in my efforts to spend more time offline and screen-free, courtesy of today’s newsletter sponsor Etsy.
This feature is sponsored by Etsy.
I try to always keep fresh flowers in my house. Nothing fancy, just whatever’s in stock at the supermarket (I’ll occasionally treat myself to some mimosa or peonies from my local florist if they’re in season). I find the few minutes it takes to prep them for a vase oddly absorbing, and every time I arrange a new bunch of flowers I find myself thinking: I really need to give ikebana a go.
For the uninitiated, ikebana is the traditional Japanese art of flower arranging - a centuries-old practice that results in slightly spare, dramatic compositions emphasising the beauty of individual stems (rather than the pile ‘em high, stack ‘em deep approach usually seen in Western-style flower arrangements). Aside from being a fabulous reason to stay off your phone, it’s also a great way of giving flower arrangements a second life - and when I finally got round to giving it a go using this starter kit from Etsy recently, I found it even more satisfying than I’d anticipated.
The kit has everything you need to get started, including two kenzans (the metal pin frogs that support your stems), ikebana scissors, a kenzan needle straightener and cleaning tool, and a mini-rake to remove plant debris - all for £30, and you can have it personalised with a name or short message (so it makes a perfect gift too).
In the spirit of keeping things analogue, I also bought a secondhand ikebana handbook to refer to, so I wouldn’t be tempted to Google things while I was in the middle of it (here’s another I found for you).
The shallow triangular vase I used is a vintage Albert Hallam for Beswick Pottery design from the 1960s as I wanted something with a modernist feel (though I’m already thinking about how different containers might lead to different styles of arrangements). You can get the exact same vase here, but I also really love this vase from Etsy seller Glaze Atelier, as well as either this one or this one, both from White Falcon Pottery.
I honestly found doing this so meditative - figuring out where to place the next stem, and trying to balance their weight evenly so my kenzan didn’t topple over took some really quite intense concentration. I also loved how improvisational it felt - ikebana isn’t about uniformity or perfect symmetry (quite the opposite in fact), and experimenting with stem placement and height really tickled the creative side of my brain.
And, after about half an hour with my beloved Magic FM on in the background, I ended up with this beautiful arrangement. Not bad for a first attempt, no?
If you’re looking for some analogue hobbies to keep you off your phone, Etsy honestly has everything you could possibly need, from calligraphy sets (a childhood hobby long fallen by the way side) to needlepoint kits (ibid) - and, as I discovered while having a rootle around to see what sparked my inspiration for this feature, just a bunch of brilliantly unique items handmade by artisans from all over the world.
As for me, I’m definitely going to be practising ikebana more often - I might even share my efforts with you guys as I continue to learn (and if you end up trying it out yourself, PLEASE send me photos).
10 COMPULSIVELY READABLE BOOKS
Roll up, roll up, for a list of books I absolutely flew through and which I’m confident you’ll love - these are the kind of books you feel slightly resentful at having to take breaks from (or at least I did). I read all of these in a day or two (with the exception of no.5 because I was on holiday with friends and it would’ve been fairly antisocial to lock myself away with a book - believe me I was tempted though).
All but one were published in the last few years, largely because my memory for books I’ve read further back than that is terrible; a handful are books I’ve recommended in previous newsletters, though there are plenty of fresh discoveries in here too.
I’ve also gone for a mix of fiction and non-fiction, though every single book has one thing in common: it’s completely addictive. Several of these titles had me skipping meals, or staying up until the early hours just so I could finish them quicker. It’s also in some ways a slightly surprising list - some of my all-time favourite books don’t come within sniffing distance of it because, wonderful as they are, unputdownable isn’t the first word I’d use to describe them.
Happy reading.