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We are living in an age of acceleration: acceleration of technology, of communication, of productivity, of consumption, and of attention. We are on an information treadmill, fed an unlimited diet of notifications, images, headlines, summaries, messages, comments and opinions. This often leaves very limited opportunity for reading and a deeper form of reading. The question, then becomes whether reading still has space to exist as a deep practice, or whether it too is becoming fragmented by the conditions of the world around it. At its shallowest, reading is the simple act of decoding words on a page. At its deepest,...

When we speak about transformation through reading, what exactly do we mean? The use of the word suggests a dramatic turning point, a before-and-after moment in which a life is visibly redirected. It could be a quiet, subtle internal shift, a new way of naming an experience, a change in how one understands the self or relates to others. It may not always present as a visible change. It could simply be an alteration of the inner structures through which a person makes meaning. My work explores reading as both a personal and structured practice, where reading serves as a...

There is a particular kind of time that opens up when we enter a gallery, sit in a theatre, sing with others, or lose ourselves in a novel. It is not productivity time. It is not screen-scrolling time. It is not the adrenalised time of errands, inboxes and appointments. It is slower time. And according to a growing body of research, that slowing may not only be psychological. It may also be biological. A new study published in Innovation in Aging by Daisy Fancourt (you can listen to my podcast interview with here here) and colleagues asks a quietly radical question: does engagement with the arts...

As a bibliotherapist, I often come across readers and clients who say to me that reading is a luxury, or that reading is simply one choice among the many leisurely activities available to us. We live in a time that constantly pulls us away from reading: speed, distraction, overstimulation. So I would like to begin with a very direct question: is reading still a choice… or is it becoming a necessity? That’s a really interesting question, and it cuts deeper than it looks. The honest answer is: it's always been both, and the tension between them is getting sharper, and...

In this blog I reflect on the most powerful, inspiring, and thought-provoking books of 2025 — the ones you’ll want to carry with you into 2026. From breakout literary fiction and moving memoirs to transformative nonfiction and hidden indie gems.

I explore how these books can both entertain, and inspire personal growth for the year ahead. Whether you’re looking for comfort reads, bold new voices, or stories that challenge and heal, this episode is your reading prescription for the months to come.

Get ready for an insightful, heartfelt read about why these books really stood out this year — and discover your next favorite book for 2026.