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I'm putting together a reading list for 2024. What was the one book that changed your life?

Pip Jamieson
Pip Jamieson
Founder The Dots | Delightfully dyslexic, excuse typos!

Replies523

  • Ali Clifford
    Ali Clifford
    Marketing & PR consultant, ethical & sustainable brands
    Well today is Fashion Revolution Day, a day we should be asking #WhoMadeMyClothes so I'd say Safia Minney's book SLAVE TO FASHION - total eyeopener - about modern slavery in the fashion industry
    And then
    Of course there's Amazing Dyslexics - :)
    The Illustrated Guide To Dyslexia and Its Amazing People. By Kate Power & Kathy Iwanczak Forsyth
  • Mike Reed
    Mike Reed
    Founder & Executive Creative Director, Reed Words
    The Collected Works of Billy the Kid, by Michael Ondaatje. Changed my understanding of what writing could be, what English could do, how it was possible to condense luminous ideas and images into incredibly concise words. Later I read The English Patient (about five times), which does similar things on a grander scale.

    Non-fiction-wise, Christopher Hitchens' writing clarifies ideas and compels the heart in genuinely extraordinary ways. God Is Not Great crystallised my life-long suspicions of religion in a thrilling way. He wrote in such a fluent, pointed, entertaining style – forever an inspiration.

    Lastly, reading Leave it to Psmith by Wodehouse gave me a friend for life – friends, in fact, if you count the characters. The most beautifully constructed English, wrapped around the most gloriously silly ideas. Light entertainment that achieves the status of art.
  • Boldizsár CR
    Boldizsár CR
    Director, Filmmaker
    It is changing my life right now! It is “The Power of Now” by Eckhart Tolle. It is a fantastic book about changing our way of thinking. Being in the now instead of chasing ourselves with angst ridden thinking. Very practical and clear. Highly recommended for freelancers (and for everybody).
  • Beki Reilly
    Beki Reilly
    Creative
    Feel the fear and do it anyway by Susan Jeffers was life changing for me.
  • Gemma Buss
    Gemma Buss
    Designer
    Shoe Dog by Phil Knight - it's inspired me to dip my toes into the pool of doing my own thing!
  • Amandine Degraeve
    Amandine Degraeve
    Senior Events Manager
    Lise Bourbeau is incredible and her books really helped me and still do. I translated the titles from French to English, so hopefully, you can still find them.
    "Listen to your body - your best friend on earth". This book was written for those who have made a conscious decision to improve the quality of their lives and have decided to take control. The author provides the tools and the guidelines necessary for step by step personal development in every area of life.
    "The power of acceptance" (amazing)
    "5 Injuries that prevent you from being yourself". This book demonstrates that all problems, whether physical, emotional or mental, stem from five important wounds: rejection, abandonment, humiliation, betrayal and injustice. This book contains detailed descriptions of these wounds and of the masks we've developed to hide them.
  • Claire Mueller
    Claire Mueller
    Strategic Brand Creative // Still Life Stylist // ACID.FLWRS
    Different books for different parts of the journey!
    The ‘I Spy’ series by photographer Walter Wick captured my imagination in childhood & has definitely influenced my creative practice.
    ‘What I Talk About When I Talk About Running’ by Haruki Murakami helped me understand the meditative aspect of running.
    Otegha Uwagba’s ‘Little Black Book’ is the best creative life advice & I give it as a present frequently.

    What’s one of yours Pip?
  • Ben the Illustrator
    Ben the Illustrator
    Illustrator
    I have two, around 15 years ago I read Paul Arden's 'It's Not How Good You Are, It's How Good You Want to Be' and it completely wiped my mind of everything I thought about being an independent creative, within a year I had left the animation studio I founded and become a full-time illustrator (still doing that now).
    Secondly, when my son was around 4 years old, 6 years ago, I was reading him 'Oh, The Places You'll Go' at bedtime and it assured me of so many worries about my career and the ups and downs, it felt like a one-on-one mentoring session from Dr.Seuss himself. I still go back to both books myself from time to time to get my mind straight and often take new directions in my career.

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