the bookshelf
books for finding meaning
The Alchemist
A story about pursuing the thing that feels like your path rather than simply following the expected one
Four Thousand weeks
You have limited time on earth, so the question becomes: what is actually worth doing with it?
Tuesdays With Morrie
the goat. A reminder that a successful life isn't necessarily a busy one
The Art of Stillness
lesser known. This book's take: you don't always need to go somewhere to get away.
The Book of Disquiet
Observations on work, boredom and existence. More literary object than self-help book.
books to start reading again
Into the Wild
A true story that reads like a thriller, with travel, adventure and a slightly darker edge.
The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy
Funny, absurd and importantly, not that long. it's a popular one for a reason.
The Old Man and the Sea
Short enough that someone who hasn't read for years can finish it in an afternoon.
The Summer Book
An elderly artist and her young granddaughter spend a summer on a tiny island in the Gulf of Finland.
A Walk in the Woods
Two friends attempt the Appalachian Trail with very different levels of competence. Funny read.
books to get you out of a slump
the creative act: a way of being
because creativity isn't something you do. It's a way of seeing.
Steal Like an Artist
Short, visual and very actionable. Basically a creative kick up the arse.
Stoner
A quiet story about an ordinary man's life that becomes surprisingly gripping.
Open water
A young couple in London navigate love, identity, creativity and vulnerability
Small Things Like These
A quiet Irish town, Christmas 1985, one man's unease about what he discovers.
inspired by Bourdain
Kitchen Confidential
introducing bourdain. the one that started mine (and many others) love affair, and what set him on his journey. chaotic, funny, charming.
the quiet american
Bourdain’s big one. He reread it frequently, particularly when visiting Vietnam, and described it as a mix of “drama, romance, tragic history”
Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas
Bourdain said this was the book that probably influenced him more than any other. Chaotic, funny, rebellious and brilliantly written
Between Meals: An Appetite for Paris
Bourdain called it the outstanding classic of food writing. and he knew what he was talking about. Travel writing before it became a genre
true grit
Funny, strange and surprisingly warm. Bourdain included it among his favourite books. a great story, well told, without taking itself too seriously.