We Love Reading
21 March 2006
Underwater Photography
I love diving - there's something about being 40m down surrounded by amazingly coloured fish, rays and a few sharks. However, the problem is unless you have an incredibly expensive camera you can't capture these memories. The Art of Diving is a beautifully shot compilation of images, which captivating explanations of the lure of the oceans; not only is it prettu but it explains the sport of freediving, the zen-like spirituality some divers feel and the threats surrounding our natural world. With over 200 photographs it's a book you'll keep on wanting to come back to. Damn it, now I want to buy a camera and practice taking my own shots.
14 March 2006
Guides like ours?
Wonderfully irreverent, acerbic and at times down right rude - Blackbook magazine's lists of bars, clubs, restaurants and hotels is almost as good as ours. Based in America they cover Miami, New York, San Francisco, Chicago and LA. Each book is broken down into areas giving short, but often not particulary sweet, reviews of the coolest, quirkiest and hippest places in town. From Mexican biker dive bars to hanging with the glitterati they give the essential lowdown on America's most visited cities.
02 August 2005
Luxe City Guides
Just to prove we are totally open minded we've decided to feature this amazing city guide company we've just discovered. Luxe City Guides cover a dozen Far Eastern and Australian cities and like Hg2 are full of insider tips. Their sexy design and wonderfully acerbic tone are perfect for the well-heeled, no-nonsense traveller. Packed with all the essential restaurants and bars, as well as a fabulously comprehensive shopping section, they come in beautiful box sets or as individual pocket-sized pamphlets. At present they are available online or from the Travel Bookshop in Notting Hill.
28 June 2005
Penguin 70s
To celebrate Penguin's 70th birthday they have released a box set of 70 classic and contemporary short stories and essays - emblematic of the writers on their list. With authors ranging from Chekov and Kafka to Nick Hornby and Alain de Botton there is something for everyone. The slim, compact books are ideal for those whose packing space is at a premium and whose concentration on holiday is limited. Available separately at just £1.50 a book or as a set, the Penguin 70s are an invaluable addition to anyone's library.
21 June 2005
Big in Japan by Jennifer Coyle
The must read chick-lit book of the summer from Jennifer Coyle, one of the hottest new talents around. Pop Svengali Max discovers teenager Cara and signs her up to his stable of young wannabees. He transforms her fresh freckled looks into Colleen, the Celtic pop princess and launches her on the Irish-American circuit. What follows is a journey through shamrock and leprechaun madness tinged with sex, drugs and politics. Cata slowly finds that fame isn't all it's cracked up to be and that there might just be better craic back in Dublin.