Book club
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Why I love “Keep the Aspidistra Flying”
Book recommendation August 2026: Keep the Aspidistra Flying by George Orwell This is a story that will resonate with many creatives: the conflict between pursuing your passion into a life of poverty, or continuing in a profession that keeps you comfortable yet unfulfilled creatively. What it’s about: Gordon Comstock earns a respectable (but unfulfilling) living…
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Why I love “The Lord of the Rings”
Book recommendation for July 2026: The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien The Lord of the Rings is probably my favourite book. I have read it multiple times and I fully intend to read it multiple times again. I suppose everyone is familiar with it (or the films) but what I’d say is, if…
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Why I love “In Cold Blood”
Book recommendation for June 2026: In Cold Blood by Truman Capote Considered to be the first true crime novel, I’ve yet to read another better than this. And the story behind the book, of how Capote came to write it and his relationship with one of the killers, is so compelling that they’ve made two…
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Why I love “The Pillars of the Earth”
Book recommendation for May 2026: “The Pillars of the Earth” by Ken Follett If you thought an 1,000 page epic about the building of a fictional cathedral in 12th Century England would be dull, then, my friend, you’d be very, very wrong! What it’s about: The story is set in the period of the 12th…
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Why I love “Into Thin Air’
Book recommendation for April 2026: “Into Thin Air” by Jon Krakeur This is a firsthand account of the climbing disaster in which eight people died while trying to reach the summit of Mount Everest during a storm. What it’s about: In 1996, the journalist Jon Krakeur joined a climbing expedition to write an article for…
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Why I love “The Martian”
Book recommendation for March 2026: “The Martian” by Andy Weir What would you do if you were left behind, on your own, on Mars? If you read The Martian, then you’ll have a pretty epic how-to-guide to help you (including how to grow your own Martian potatoes). What it’s about: Mark Watney is an astronaut…
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Why I love “The Paper Menagerie and other stories”
My favourite book of 2025: “The Paper Menagerie and other stories” by Ken Liu I’m a bit late posting about my favourite book I read in 2025, but here we are! It’s been quite a busy few weeks since welcoming our third child into the world, so this post just slipped down my to-do-list. But…
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Why I love “How the Grinch Stole Christmas”
Book recommendation for December 2025: “How the Grinch Stole Christmas!” by Dr. Seuss A Christmas classic first published in 1957 that has a truly timeless message at its heart. Not just for kids, it is at its brilliant best when read aloud (to children or adults). What it’s about: The Grinch hates Christmas, the whole…
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Why I love “A Search in Secret India”
Book recommendation for November 2025: “A Search in Secret India” This is one of the classic works on the search for a spiritual guru that left a profound impact on me. And the story of how I came into possession of this book taught me about the wonderful potential to learn and grow when we…
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I formed a book club!
Blokes + Beer + Books = Good Times! I’ve been an avid reader for longer than I can remember, but I’ve never been a member of a book club. That changed this month! From a mental health and wellbeing perspective, it’s important for men (and women) to socialise with friends and find a safe space…