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Eclectic picks from my home book library (which is huge)
28
items My home library is a reflection of my passions where creativity meets inspiration. Nestled alongside cookery, travel and novels are my art reference books of fine art, painting and graphic design ranging from classic to contemporary offering visual ...
Sections
4
Art & Craft
Recipes & Food
Biographies & Novels
Travel & Domestic
Art & Craft
I was drawn to this book by its cover but the author Kaffe Fassett is a master of textiles in many forms. I ended up doing a few needlepoint cushions inspired by these designs.
Glorious Needlepoint
We dip into this tome all the time out of interest and for design ideas. Also a good reference for places to visit in the US
American Art Deco
A really lovely visual book that I love to dip into, and with great artist tips.
Alla Prima: Guide to Traditional Direct Painting
Origami paper folding is a wonderful way to relax at any age. Its so satisfying to complete one of the models especially if you get one of those packs of multi colored paper.
The Book of Mindful Origami: Fold & Unfold
One of my partners many creative talents is calligraphy and this is his favorite book full of the tricks of the trade, very useful and visually appealling.
Encyclopedia of Calligraphy Techniques A-Z Guide
As a painter, I dip in and out of this book by our most famous living artist in the UK
Secret Knowledge: Lost Techniques of Old Masters
Another favourite from David Hockney. He knows how to embrace technology and this is a great companion to Secret Knowledge as its such a contrast of the use of artist materials.
Spring Cannot be Cancelled: David Hockney
This is a lovely book of pencil drawings by the Impressionist painter Edgar Degas. I love to draw and flicking through this book makes me pick up a pencil.
Degas' Drawings (Dover Fine Art, History of Art)
This is an invaluable reference guide to Celtic knots and patterns, I've found it very useful when designing for Irish themed stationery.
Celtic Design: Animal Patterns
Recipes & Food
I actually visited the restaurant in Hanoi owned and run by the authors of this book which was published just after my visit. The food was so good that I had to buy it and have been cooking from it ever since.
Real Vietnamese Cooking: Homestyle Recipes
Written by childhood friends from Israel, one Jewish and one Palestinian, this recipe book is a culinary delight of the Eastern Mediterranean
Jerusalem: Ottolenghi Yotam
I use this book a lot. Asma runs a female chef only restaurant in central London by the same name as the book.
Asma's Indian Kitchen: Bestselling Indian Cookbook
Visiting Scandinavia is wonderful, the scenery, people and the food. This is a fantastic volume of recipes from Sweden accompanied by lovely family anecdotes from the author.
Lagom: The Swedish Art of Eating Harmoniously
This baker from the UK makes the whole sourdough process so simple to understand. rather contentiously she advocates baking sourdough from a cold start oven.
Whole Grain Sourdough: Bake Artisan Bread
A delightful book of Parisienne recipes illustrated by the author and cook Rachel Koo who is actually Britsh. Her Paris apartment kitchen is so tiny I can hardly believe what she creates there.
Rachel Khoo's Kitchen Notebook
The title says it all and we used it during a recent rail trip to Southern France to check out the local culinary scene and regional specialities.
Amuse Bouche: How to Eat Around France
My go to book for pasta making. Evan Funke is a famous restauranteur in California but his study of Italian pasta techniques is riveting. I now only make my pasta dough to his recipe - never fails.
American Sfoglino: Master Class in Pasta
Biographies & Novels
Beautifully written in a sort of hybrid of English & Maori that you get used to very quickly, this is a powerful story set in New Zealand, so powerful that I found the place where it was written on a visit to NZ
The Bone People (Booker Prize Winner) by Keri Hulme, Paperback
Loved this, its about murder not perfume. Set in mediaeval France its a compelling story of a dangerous character who has no smell therefore he can move with stealth committing crimes.
Perfume: The Story of a Murderer
An absolutly glorious romp through the bad behaviour in the kitchens of the late great Anthony Bourdain. This is the 25th anniversary version.
Kitchen Confidential: 25th Anniversary Edition
Travel & Domestic
We love train travel, and this book is perfect for rail trip ideas across Europe. Its full of routes with recommendations of where to hop on and off the train combined with nuggets of history about the regions, towns & cities.
Europe by Rail: The Definitive Guide: 17th edition
I've put this in the travel section even though its full of recipes because its an invaluable guide to many European destinations. Rick Stein tempts you to visit by cooking local dishes and recommending food markets etc
Rick Stein's Long Weekends: 100+ Recipes
Sometimes in nice to sit down with an actual map to pore over with your companion as you plan your next holiday. There's something about a map...
Rail Map Europe
Nutritional advice is constantly being updated but fermented foods have been around for ever. This author Tim Spector is a Professor of Genetic Epidemiology at King’s College London and worth a read.
Ferment: Instant Sunday Times Bestseller
This book was an absolute gem enabling us to understand and train our new puppy. A fascinating look at dog behaviour.
The Dog Listener
A short, slightly odd book but useful and good advice to maintaining balance in older age.
Falling Is Not An Option: Lifelong Balance
Fascinating research into metabolism myths based on sound science.
Burn: New Research on Burning Calories & Weight Loss
We went to Papua New Guinea as independent travellers and this book gave us lots of ideas of where to go there. An absolutely amazing and memorable trip never to be forgotten.
New Guinea (World's Wild Places S.)