The Bookseller’s Tale, by Martin Latham
Of the five unfinished audiobooks I am currently switching between, the one that stood out and made me carve as much time as possible for it was The Bookseller’s Tale. The title might make you think, as it did me, of Shaun Blythel’s series – The Diary and Confessions of a Bookseller, but while they are all brilliant reads for a bibliophile, they are very different.
Martin Latham’s book is a captivating and insightful ode to books, book lovers and their quirks. From Ancient History to present times, going through topics like comfort books, book nooks, fanatic collectors, incunables, marginalia and so much more, he seems to leave no stone unturned and you learn something new with each paragraph.
These are the hardest books to summarize, being so rich and layered. You can have a look at the reviews on Goodreads for more in-depth insights, I can only just recommend you read it, preferably in print and with a pencil in hand. I would have preferred this to the audio, but I prefer the audio to not ‘reading’ it at all.
Bonus exquisite find, while we are on the topic of audiobooks, is the fact that Audible has launched Audible Plus, which offers subscribers thousands of more books to listen to, included in their monthly membership. I haven’t had any time to really explore the catalogue, yet I have already added six new titles to my library! It does feel slightly overwhelming…
Farrow and Ball, Inside the Posh Paint Factory
I was really curious to watch the Farrow and Ball short documentary released last week, as they are one of the best-known companies in the world that produce paint for the home. A heritage company that has been around since after the Second World War, they have evolved from a small local British company to a global phenomenon, known now as ‘the posh paint factory’. Still, all the paint sold around the world is produced in their small factory in Dorset.
Source – The famous Farrow and Ball colour chart, with their iconic quirky names
I learned a lot about their history and way of work over the years in the short 50 minutes documentary. It was entertaining, yet educational to a certain degree. I’m not a particularly creative person and playing with colour is not something I would undertake lightly. I wish they made a series to talk more about colours and finishes, for people like me, starring their brilliant creative colour consultant Joa Studholme and creative director Charlotte Cosby, pictured above.
Alexandra Kehayoglou Rugs
Is this a painting? Is this a drone shot? Is this an art installation? The answer is… it is a rug! Yes, you read that right. A rug. To put on the floor and walk on.
These are the work of artist Alexandra Kehayoglou and can I please have a wall to wall one of grass and moss and maybe a lake or a river too? A path through the woods? Or maybe one with flowers?
I take my words back. These are not rugs… this is art. And I am not the only one saying this, of course.
Sex and The City Fashion Inspiration
Everybody and their mother is talking about the Sex and The City new series – And Just Like That… I know. I wasn’t planning to do it just yet, this week I was set to highlight a cult brand of brilliant quirky bags, but now it will have to wait because the Rebecca Moses (more about her below) purse that Carrie wears in this instantly iconic outfit has stolen the show!
There is not one thing I don’t adore about this ensemble. From the maxi polka dot print on the maxi skirt, to the simple low back black leotard and the outrageous bird hat, the bag – Lady With Peony – is simply the cherry on top! So exquisite it hurts and all I can think of is to create a version of my own, to hold and to cherish.
In fact, I am obsessed with most of the outfits Carrie has been wearing so far, my favourite being the above three. If you’d like to get insights into what all the characters have been wearing, I recommend you follow And Just Like That Costumes and Just Like That Closet on Instagram.
I can’t wait for the episodes to be released!
Rebecca Moses, ‘multi-hyphenated artist’
Rebecca Moses was a new name to me, so naturally, I wanted to learn more about her. She is an accomplished ‘multi-hyphenated’ artist, impossible to sum up. I encourage you to read this and this interviews with her for pure inspiration.
She is a fashion designer, she has revolutionized cashmere, she is a stationery designer, a perfume creator, a painter and an illustrator and so much more. Her rare bags are in fact vintage bags that she has hand-painted, and you can buy these here.
You can also admire her illustrations for the likes of Vogue and Marie Claire here and watch a short video about one of her paintings exhibitions – Curiosities of the Fashionable Kind. Follow her on Instagram for more of her art, her illustrations are so distinctively chic.
I wish I could visit her ‘universe’, she is a whole world!
The New French Manicure
Somehow, I didn’t expect to read about this in the New York Times and I guess this is what made me pay attention. Apparently the classic French mani is making a comeback with a twist, or a few. Melting, colourful, ombre, animal print, colorblock are among the new ways à la mode.
While I keep my nails short and square and I prefer black, nude or red to anything else, I was intrigued to explore some designs and I found a few that I would definitely try. Should I be so bold as to also give the almond shape a go too? Perhaps, perhaps, perhaps…
More Synonyms for…
I’ve written before about my love for the almighty thesaurus, when I want to explore various connotations or nuances of the same idea, or if I want to avoid repetition. Well, think of these lists that have been popping up in my Pinterest feed as cheat sheets you can save to your virtual or desktop folders to keep handy, re-read every once in a while or even print and display somewhere so you can easily scan through them when writing.
I always stop in my scrolling and do just that when I see one, and now I’ve started ‘collecting’ them in this dedicated Pinterest board.
If this letter has offered you a moment of inspiration, kindly forward it to others who might enjoy it too. And if you have been forwarded it, indulge in all previous Miss Onion’s Exquisite Finds and subscribe to the weekly letter.
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Merci!
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