As the year draws to a close we are reflecting on the books we have cherished most. Here are our top picks of the year.

All Fours by Miranda July

“My book of the year is All Fours by Miranda July, about a semi-famous artist in mid-life upends her life in a quest for a new kind of freedom. The book has a pulse and I couldn’t put it down, it’s unique, immersive and simply breathtaking.”

- Ruth, Marketing and PR Consultant

Kim Jiyoung, Born 1982 by Cho Nam-ju

“This book is the life story of a young woman born in 1982 in Korea but raises questions about endemic misogyny and institutional oppression, at every key stage of life, that is relevant to women all over the world. The writing is matter-of-fact and funny and I have recommended it to all my friends and family - men and women alike. It’s brilliant.”

- Emma, Rights and International Publishing Consultant

Bluff: Poems by Danez Smith

“Set in 2020 Minneapolis, Danez Smith’s poetry collection Bluff confronts police brutality, racism and social turmoil at a boiling point, and their trauma, guilt and responsibility as a poet. With an experimental use of structure, and a raw and provocative voice, Smith has established themselves as an integral contributor to contemporary poetry.”

- Charlotte, Editorial Assistant

Aftermath by Rachel Cusk

“In Aftermath the readers become observers of Rachel Cusk’s brilliant analysis of her own divorce, a small family breaking into pieces. She writes with an almost provocative honesty, making it a slight relief to read for anyone who holds parallel experiences. Being distressed and vulnerable, Cusk still embraces the need to redefine herself as a woman, mother and human being.”

- Camilla, Founder and Publisher

The Vegetarian by Han Kang

“Han Kang’s The Vegetarian moved me. I was haunted by Yeong-hye’s «unbecoming». The tension of her breaking free of artificial societal constraints jumped at me, as though to do anything else would be unnatural; I found myself wanting to save her.”

- Xenia, Managing Director

Seeing <-> Making: Room for Thought by Adam Michaels, Kevin McCaughey, and Susan Buck-Morss

“Rooted in critical essays and designs which offer fresh explorations of (art) theories and accompanied by striking and beautiful compositions, Seeing <-> Making inspired designers to enrich their creative work by engaging more deeply with their subject and by becoming historians, philosophers and social activists.”

- Holly, Art Director

How to be a Renaissance Woman by Jill Burke

“A highly topical and intriguing insight into the Renaissance period, Burke cleverly draws parallels between the experiences of Renaissance and contemporary women in relation to beauty standards and societal pressures. Her use of unique historical sources throughout, such as makeup recipes, is also excellent. A must-read!”

- Elle, Editorial Assistant