Book One: Non- fiction

This month: Letters written in Sweden, Norway and Denmark

Written by: Mary Wollstonecraft 

Extra links:

To read: 
The Wollstonecraft Society. If you are interested to learn more about Mary Wollstonecraft, this is the place to start! This is the webpage of the Wollstonecraft Society, dedicated to everything related to Mary Wollstonecraft. Here you can find a Wollstonecraft comic book, a timeline of her life, and a lecture from London School of Economics, amongst other resources.

Mary Wollstonecraft- The British Library. As well as getting a brief overview of Wollstonecraft’s life, by follwing this link you can also discover relevant articles related to feminist literature and other famous female authors.

To listen: Mary Wollstonecraft’s Birthday Party. This podcast gives you some more historical context of Mary Wollstonecraft and her work. The song at the beginning of the podcast is a little bit quirky, but overall it is a very interesting listen! 

To watch: We need an age of reason (TEDx). Trustee of the Wollstonecraft Society, Bee Rowlatt, who enthusiastically describes Wollstonecraft as “ the world’s first and only single mum-enlightenment-treasure-hunting- philosopher on the high seas”, was fascinated when reading Letters written in Sweden, Norway and Denmark and in 2015 decided to re-enact Wollstonecraft’s journey herself (and then publish her own book about it). This TEDx talk speaks about Wollstonecraft’s sense of adventure and empowerment, whilst commenting on the political climate in 2016. An engaging and interesting watch, especially if your interest extends beyond English Literature and into the multifaceted field of Liberal Arts.

Book Two: Fiction

This month: Howard’s End

Written by: E. M. Forster

Extra links:

To read:
E. M. Forster- The British Library / Britain 1901 -1918- BBC History. This British Library website gives an overview of Forster’s life, providing more context to the book. You can also check out the BBC history page to find out more about pre-war Britain in which Howard’s End is set.

The Return of the Soldier by Rebecca West and The Forsyte Saga by John Galsworthy.        These are the two books mentioned in the interview that readers who enjoy Howard’s End may wish to delve into next. In Dr George Yeats’ own words, they “contrast material and spiritual forms of fulfilment”, so if this is a theme that interests you, these two books should definitely be on your to-read list!

To watch: E. M. Forster Obituary Programme (1970) (starts at 2:23). This programme, broadcasted on the BBC shortly after Forster’s death, offers an in-depth exploration of his life and works. It consists of, among other things: interviews with his friends and colleagues; snippets of interviews with Forster himself; a clip of the early BBC dramatic reproduction of Howard’s End; a performance of the libretto which Forster wrote for Benjamin Britten’s opera Billy Budd; an exploration of his life and contribution to the University of Cambridge, particularly King’s College; and a very interesting conversation about the representation of Forster’s personal conflict within his writing. 

To explore: Visit Herts. Fancy exploring some of Forster’s England yourself? The Hertfordshire tourism website, Visit Herts, has plenty of suggestions for days out and walks and cycles around the county. My personal favourite is the Garden City Greenway, a 13.6-mile route around the outskirts of Letchworth Garden City, a town in Hertfordshire. 

That’s all for this month, see you next time! Happy reading!

Introduction:

Arkadiusz and I spoke a lot about the many applications of Engineering degrees as well the ways the Engineering applications contribute to good causes.

Extra link: The First Job Guarantee at SDU offers students great opportunities once they finish their degree.

Extra link: Like Doctors without borders, Engineers without Borders unites engineers who want to join forces and tackle problems in different countries.

 Extra link:  Engineering ToolBox is a useful website for engineers with resources, tools and information about engineering.

Extra link: Readers who are curious about micro- and nanotechnology and want to have an idea of where all the technologies we have nowadays start, they can visit the VR tour SDU has made of the facilities at SDU Sønderborg.

Book One: Non-Fiction

This month: Surrounded by Idiots The Four Types of Human Behavior and How to Effectively Communicate with Each in Business (and in Life)

Written by: Thomas Erikson

Published by: St. Martin’s Essentials

Book Two: Fiction

This month: Neuromancer

Written by: William Gibson

Published by: Penguin Classics

TED Talks: Arkadiusz tells us why he has selected these videos on TED Talks.

Rick Milter: Failing to Succeed

We often perceive that failure is bad. What we do not consider especially in engineering is that we have what we have today, and we are where we are today because many have failed in the past! Many, if not all the technological advances we have are because there were and still are people out there trying things to see if they could work. By failing we learn a lot, we change our approaches, methods, tools, thinking, and views: We learn to adapt to overcome obstacles and hence find better solutions to the problems we are called to solve. This talk by Rick can motivate and change the perspective of what is failure:

Debbie’s Story

I personally do not believe that there should be any limits on what a person decides to study. Unfortunately, we see it even nowadays that engineering studies are mainly dominated by males. Debbie addresses this matter very nicely as she recounts her steps toward becoming an engineer.

The Prison of Your Mind

I have had some of my colleagues while studying, some students while teaching and even nowadays coming to me and saying that they do not see themselves fitting, feeling that they cannot perform as the rest, feeling inferior compared to the rest of the group. Adapting to a new environment (studying or working) without demeaning yourself can be difficult to many and I think this talk could be helpful to some broadening the point of view and ideas. A very nice quote from the talk is “…one’s disability is the refusal to adapt…”.

Additional reads recommended by Arkadius, with his explanations as to why he thinks they are worth reading!

You Are Not So Smart: Why you have too many Friends on Facebook, Why your memory is mostly fiction, and 46 other ways you’re deluding yourself

By David McRaney

This book I think can provide some alternative ways of thinking and causes some to question their beliefs towards their intelligence. It is a book for many to view how certain patterns in our daily lives are wired, and provide a better understanding of why we do what we do. The “Aha” moment for some.

The Design of Everyday Things

By Don Norman

As engineers we always tackle the problem, no matter how nasty it looks. An engineer will simply fix a problem, but a GOOD engineer will take into consideration the usability, comfort, applicability, and aesthetics. A good read for engineers to alter the way they problem solve and to begin taking product design into consideration.

Angels and Demons (Audio Book)

By Dan Brown and Richard Poe

Something to relax the brains of engineers. This book fascinated me because apart from its thrilling story it includes some science that is described in a realistic manner.

What If? Serious Scientific Answers to Absurd Hypothetical Questions

By Randall Munroe

A hilarious read for engineers and scientists. Randal Munroe, who used to work in NASA, created the webcomic “XKCD”. In this book he essentially provides scientifically sound answers to some wild hypothetical questions such as, “What would happen if everyone on Earth stood as close to each other as they could, jumped, and then landed on the ground at the same instant?”

I hope you enjoyed this very special post and I really hope that you take the time to explore Arkadiusz’s suggestions! Until next time, take care!

Introduction:

Extra link: Why Study Digital Media & Information Studies at UofG? Video about the course

Lorna’s Research

Extra link: Towards a National Collection Video about the overall Project
Extra link: Discovery Projects Read about all the individual projects
Extra link: Our Heritage, Our Stories Read about Lorna’s project

Book One: Non-Fiction

This month Burning the Books

Written by Richard Ovenden

Published by Hodder And Stoughton Ltd.

Extra link: Dust by Carolyn Steedman Lorna mentions this book in the video.

Extra link: State of the Art in Digital Media and Applications by Rae Earnshaw This is another recommendation of Lorna’s that compliments Steedman’s work. Each is non-fiction, although the styles are very different; Steedman’s book reads as a memoir and Earnshaw’s is much more like a textbook and is focused on the digital, modern day.

Book Two: Fiction

This month The Name of the Rose

Written by Umberto Eco

Published by Mariner Books

Extra link: Lorna has given us another book recommendation and explains how and why she links it to her choice for Book Two:

“A work of fiction where the archive is crucial is John Le Carré’s Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy (1974). This is a wonderful account of ‘slow research’ painstakingly reviewing archives to reveal the identity of a spy. It’s a book that calls to mind research that relies on folders, papers, and connecting things across collections. George Smiley – the world’s least glamourous secret agent – spends hours working through these archives, conveniently stolen for him by a sympathetic fellow agent. The ‘mole’ is slowly revealed through close analysis of the business archives of ‘the Circus’ (MI5), and as often happens, the truth is revealed through staff lists, invoices, and receipts, painstakingly put together.

I love this book, and really wanted to select it as my favourite work of fiction that relates to archives, but in the end, I decided that Smiley’s archive was a little too removed from my ‘digital’ approaches to archives, and instead I decided to select Umberto Eco’s The Name of the Rose (1980).

Why is a book set in 1327 more relevant to my digitally engaged perspective on archives? Well, I won’t spoil the plot for those of you who haven’t read it, but the story is about using codes and linkages between manuscripts to find the secret. It’s about connecting data, which is what we can do when we digitise collections and making connections between disparate manuscripts in a collection. At the core of the plot is something that is held in the pages of the manuscript – so we go from the collection to the item, working through layers of information to solve the mystery, and the physical form and composition of the manuscript is as important as the words it contains.”

Extra link: Lorna also mentions an article which she wrote in collaboration with her colleague Andrew Prescott which further develops the idea of slow digitization:

Why do we digitize? The case for Slow Digitization

Extra Link: When Lorna was thinking of options for this month’s episode, she really wanted to use a book which, currently, is only available in Welsh. Still, she is pleased to share with us the trailer to the film which is in Welsh with English subtitles. You will not regret investigating this further!

Extra Link: Lorna also mentioned the famous novella by Jorge Luis Borges, The Library of Babel  (download in pdf for free). If you haven’t already read this one, it’s a classic and well worth your time!

I hope you enjoyed this post and I really hope that you take the time to explore the links! Until next time, take care!

Ruth lightly touches upon the topic of ethics in the introduction and we go into more detail further along in the episode. Below are the links to two videos that will really get you thinking!

Extra link: Justice: What’s the right thing to do?

Extra link: Ethical Dilemma: the burger murders

Book One: Non-Fiction

This month: Homo Deus: A brief history of Tomorrow

Written by: Yuval Noah Harari

Published by: Harper

Extra link: Official Yuval Noah Harari Website

Extra link: Harari’s TED Speaker Information Page

Book Two: Fiction

This month: The Hunger Games Trilogy

Written by: Suzanne Collins

Published by: Scholastic Press

Extra link: Ruth talks about the fact that a rebel can easily end up using the same tactics as those she is rebelling against. In reference to how rebellion can end up forming part of the very system it rejects, she mentions the letter from Anonymous to Greta Thunberg. Read it here.

Extra link: If you would like to know more about Suzanne Collins and her experience with The Hunger Games, you can read this article: New York Times’s Q&A with Suzanne Collins

Ruth also has sent us some films, TV series, and documentaries that are relevant to the concepts connected to sustainability and ethics that were discussed today. They dive into what our future might look like as well as comment on what is happening right now.

Films:

Transcendence Official Trailer

Her Official Trailer

TV series:

Continuum

Travelers

Black Mirror

Documentaries:

The True Cost

Dirty Money Trailer (Documentary Series on Netflix)

Alien Worlds Trailer (Documentary Series on Netflix)

I hope you enjoyed this post and I really hope that you take the time to explore the links! Until next time, take care!

Introduction:

Extra link: Melio: learn from Oxford lecturers from your own home!

Extra link: Oxford Summer Courses: learn about where Melio comes from. You will most likely be interested in one of these courses, as well.

Book One: Non-Fiction

This month: Steve Jobs

Written by: Walter Issacson

Published by: Thorndike Press

Extra link: Stuart tells us that the Elon Musk Biography is another source of inspiration for those aiming to be revolutionary.

Extra link: Stuart is also an entrepreneur. He is working on an amazing start-up that you can learn more about here. Among other things, this start-up provides computer science resources to companies.

Book Two: Fiction

This month :The Foundation Trilogy

Written by: Issac Asimov

Published by: Snowball Publishing

Extra link: Stuart gave us a whole slew of names to investigate! To better understand how science fiction correlates to science fact, start reading some of these authors: Iain M Banks, Arthur C. Clark, and Robert A Heinlein.

Extra link: Staurt reinforced the importance of reading throughout the episode. For great resources that can open your mind and increase your critical thinking, visit any of these websites: Medium, BBC (future), Telegraph.

I hope you enjoyed this post and I really hope that you take the time to explore the links! Until next time, take care!

As a special treat, Dave has sent us a link to the Bugs, Brains, and Beasts online course. You can take the self-guided version, for free! You can also explore Dave’s website, Boucher Lab. Here you’ll learn about the cool stuff he’s doing connected to Biochemistry, Cell Biology, and Immunology. He has also pointed us in the direction of a great blog for those who are curious about many scientific disciplines and their impact/ applications. It’s called IFLScience. Do make sure to check it out!

Introduction:

Extra link: Dave was so enthusiastic about the city of York, I couldn’t help but look for a video that can give you a visual aid to help you understand, and maybe share, Dave’s opinion.

Extra link: Dave told us some great things about the University of York’s Biology Department. Have a look at what it has to offer with regard to UG and PG courses.

Book One: Non-Fiction

This month: Sapiens

Written by:  Yuval Noah Harari

Published by: Harper Collins

Extra link: Did you know that there is a graphic novel version of Sapiens? It’s been split into two volumes: Volume one is ready and waiting for you! Volume Two has yet to come.

Extra link: Author Yuval Noah Harari gets interviewed by comedian Russel Brand at a conference for secondary and college students in South London. They discuss the future of education and work.

Book Two: Fiction

This month: The Road

Written by: Cormac McCarthy

Published by: Knoph Doubleday Publishing Group

Extra link: As is often the case, Cormac McCarthy himself has had a rather international and interesting life. Read all about it in his biography on the Cormac McCarthy Society website. You can also find summaries of his books, such as The Road.

Extra link: Here’s a link to the one and only interview that Cormac McCarthy conceded to the press. Of course, he spoke with the New York Times.

I hope you enjoyed this post and I really hope that you take the time to explore the links! Until next time, take care!

Introduction:

Extra link: Multilingual Thinking in Multicultural Classrooms: as Marcelo himself indicates, this article “illustrates how teachers can embrace the linguistic and cultural richness that every child brings with them every day as they enter the classroom.”

Extra link: A Thinking Skills Approach (scroll down the webpage to download the article): in Marcelo’s own words this was his “first article about the potential and impact of a teacher, having a go at experimenting in the classroom with ways that encourage children to enjoy the daily routine and the teaching and learning process.”

Extra link: Here comes the Philosophy Man (scroll down the webpage to download the article) : Marcelo explains that this article describes how teachers can introduce and use a values-led Philosophical Approach that enables the teaching to be driven by dialogue and discussion, and makes the curriculum relevant to children’s lives.

Book One: Non-Fiction

This month: The Joy of Not Knowing (JONK) 

Written by Dr. Marcelo Staricoff

Published by Routledge

Extra link: Interested in obtaining a signed and dedicated copy of The Joy of Not Knowing? Follow this link and get not only the book but a discount.

Extra link: Here’s a video from the International Festival of Learning! Get a “guided tour” of the JONK approach from Marcelo himself.

Book Two: Fiction

This month: Black Swan Green

Written by David Mitchell

Published by Sceptre

Extra link: After hearing Simon sing David Mitchell’s praises, I am sure you are as eager as I am to get your hands on his novels! So, once you’ve finished Black Swan Green, you can check David’s official website for more options. Simon is particularly fond of The Bone Clocks.

Extra link: As Simon mentioned, the University of Sussex is known for its high quality and ground-breaking work within Education. Have a look at the department page in order to browse what is on offer for UG (you can directly access the Childhood and Youth: Theory and Practicehere), Masters, PhDs.

Within the Masters link you can click on any of the courses marked Secondary PGCE + Subject to get an idea of how a student of the listed degrees could make the transition into education. Since Simon is a History buff, I am giving this specific link as an example.

To learn about the variety of courses, programs, and activities happening at the Centre for Innovation and Research in Childhood and Youth, click here.

I hope you enjoyed this post and I really hope that you take the time to explore the links! Until next time, take care!

Extra link: Like his students, I am sure you are eager to learn more about the Liberal Arts from the mind and hand of Dr. Brazeau. Here’s an article of his which discusses how the Liberal Arts address the challenges we face in today’s world.

Extra link: As Dr. Brazeau mentioned, the University of Warwick’s Liberal Arts degree programme is quite special, and for many reasons! Check out the information which has been put together for students who are thinking about studying this degree.

Book One: In Defense of a Liberal Education

Written by: Fareed Zakaria

Published by: Simon & Schuster

Extra link: Fareed Zakaria is not only a respected author, but also a well-known journalist. Here’s the link to the official website for his show GPS.

Extra link: The New York Times interviewed Zakaria about books and his reading style, preferences, etc. It’s short and sweet and you just might become inspired to read the works of some of the authors mentioned.

Book Two: City of Glass

Written by: Paul Auster

Published by: MacMillan

Extra link: Dr. Brazeau mentioned a fantastic short story by well-known author, Jorge Luis Borges. Here are links to the story itself, in Spanish and in English. Also, I am including a link to Jonathan Basile’s online project.

La biblioteca de Babel (en español), The Library of Babel

Extra link: Are you wondering why Auster’s novel was turned into a graphic novel 10 years after the first publication? This article from The Guardian will tell you all about it!

I hope you enjoyed this post and I really hope that you take the time to explore the links! Until next time, take care!

Links that might interest you after listening to this episode’s introduction:

Extra link: This will take you to a profile of Dr. Beverley Skeggs. You will be able to learn more about her as well as see her publications, projects, and activities.

Extra link: This will take you to a profile of Dr. Imogen Tyler, author of Beverley’s recommendation for Book 1 and head of the Sociology Department. You will be able to learn more about her as well as see her publications, projects, and activities.

Book One: Non-Fiction

Beverley’s choice: Stigma: The Machinery of Inequality

Written by: Imogen Tyler

Published by: Zed Book, Ltd.

Extra link: Here are videos from TED Talks that can help you wrap your mind around inequality in today’s world as well as get you ready to figure out how you can help!

Extra link: A lecture about Social Divisions and Social Change in the era of Neoliberalism given by Imogen Tyler at the Distinguished Lecture Series for the School of Social Sciences at Liverpool Hope University.

Book Two: Fiction

Beverley’s choice: The Poisonwood Bible

Written by: Barbara Kingsolver

Published by: HarperCollins Publishers

Extra link: Through this official website, learn more about this fascinating author whose life has helped her create such excellent fiction!

Extra link: Among many others, Kingsolver won the Dayton Literary Peace Prize. This particular award was given to her in 2011 as recognition for her entire body of work until the date. Read up about the prize and find other great books to continue learning about how the world works!

I hope you enjoyed this post and I really hope that you take the time to explore the links! Until next time, take care!

I have told you in previous occasions that I am an avid reader, at the moment of this recording I have read 65 books and I think I will read some more before the years ends. This is why I want to share with you my top five reads of 2020, although it hasn’t been easy choosing only five.

BOOK ONE: The ride of a lifetime: Lessons learned from 15 years as CEO of the Walt Disney Company

Author: Robert Iger

Published by: Random House LCC US

I’ve enjoyed so much reading this book, specially because last year I loved reading the book Creativity by Pixar’s co-founder Ed Catmull. In this book you get to read about some of the same stories from Creativity, such as Pixar´s acquisition by the Walt Disney Company, but from a different perspective.

In The Ride of a Lifetime, Bog Iger reviews in detail the main milestones of the Walt Disney Company during his 45 years there and shares with us many valuable leadership lessons. Actually, at the end of the book he gathers some of his key learnings that for sure I will revisit it in the future.

I also loved reading about Iger’s sincere friendship with Steve Jobs, how despite Jobs difficult personality they were able to become close friends.

I think anyone can enjoy this book, whether you are looking for a business memoir or just want to read an engaging book.

BOOK TWO: Shoe Dog: A memoir by the creator of Nike

Author: Phil Knight

Published by: SCRIBNER BOOKS CO

As you can see I love reading interesting business memoirs and Shoe Dog has been one of my all time favorites.

I had a great time reading about how Phil Knight went from borrowing 50 dollars from his dad to building Nike, one of the most loved and admired companies in the world.

In this book you get to see what success really looks like and the secret behind it is only very hard work.

Knight is an amazing storyteller and he does a great job describing how the company after one of the most recognizable logos in the world was founded and all the challenges he encountered along the way.

BOOK THREE: A little life

Author: Hanya Yanagihara

Published by: PAN MACMILLAN UK

Winner and finalist of many awards, this novel follows the life of four friends since they start college through to middle age. There is the beautiful and talented actor Willem, JB the painter, Malcom the architect and Jude the enigmatic lawyer.

We get to read how their relationships change over the decades and their lives become more and more complicated. I don’t get into any more detail so I don’t spoil anything.

This has been one of the hardest and more heartbreaking books I have read in my life. I must say it’s a profoundly moving book, not for everybody.

BOOK FOUR: The Beekeeper of Aleppo

Author: Christy Lefteri

Published by: Bonnier Books

This book tells the story of two refugees, Nuri a beekeeper and Afra his wife, and their journey until they arrive in England escaping from Aleppo.

This book explains perfectly the terrible situations refugees have to face once they are forced to leave their home countries.

Brought up in London, the author is the child of Cypriot refugees. Currently, she is a lecturer in creative writing at Brunel University. The Beekeeper of Aleppo was born out during her time working as a volunteer at a Unicef in a refugee camp in Athens.

BOOK FIVE: Tuesdays with Morrie: an old man, a young man, and life´s greatest lesson

Author: Mitch Albom

Published by: Sphere

In this book Mitch Albom reunites with his college professor and mentor Morrie Swartz when he is facing his final days.

Mitch meets with Morrie every Tuesday to receive one final class on lessons how to live life.

It was a delightful read that I enjoyed a lot and I’m sure you will too.

Links that might interest you after listening to this episode’s introduction:

Extra link: PPE at the University of Oxford
The first university to offer PPE as a degree was the University of Oxford. You might be curious to read about what topics are included for each area, here!

Extra link: TED Talks about Philosophy, Politics, and Economics
Exploring these links should give you a clear idea as to the wide variety of topics that fall into these fields and help you to start determining where you stand on relevant issues. The thorough and curious will see quite a bit of overlapping.

Book One: Economics
This month: Doughnut Economics

• Written by: Kate Raworth
• Published by: Random House Business

Extra link: Economics Detective Radio: Doughnut Economics, Inequality, and the Future of Economic Growth with Kate Raworth
Garret Petersen (the Economics Detective himself) discusses Raworth’s book. He begins with some scepticism only to discover he agrees with more than he thought! Take a look at the comments. There are plenty of people who disagree with Raworth. What is your opinion?
Extra link: A Healthy Economy should be designed to Thrive, not to Grow
Raworth’s TED Talk that got a lot of other people talking!

Book Two: Politics
This month: 1984

• Written by: George Orwell
• Published: Various. We suggest Penguin.

Extra link: We’re Still Living in the World That Inspired Animal Farm—75 Years Later 
Article from Time Magazine about another one of Orwell’s great novels.
Extra link: The Orwell Foundation 
Learn about the author, his work, and how it has impacted society all over the world.
Book Three: Philosophy
This month: The Usefulness of the Useless

• Written by: Nuccio Ordine
• Published by: Paul Dry Books, Ltd.

Extra link: Interview with Nuccio Ordine
The Newsroom at the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona chats with the author about his book.
Extra link: The SOPHIA PROJECT Philosophy Resouces
Are you looking for even more ways to learn about Philosophy, on your own? Check out this site!

I hope you enjoyed this post and I really hope that you take the time to explore the links! Until next time, take care!

For episode number four the study area that we have selected to make our book recommendations about is Fashion, a creative area in constant evolution.

At the end of this article there’s other recommendations such us interesting documentaries, podcasts and museums that are wonderful for those of you interested in Fashion.

Let´s get started with book one…

Book One: Biography / Autobiography

This month: The House of Gucci

• Written by Sara Gay Forden
• Published by Harper

Picking a book for this category has been really hard for me because they are so many great biographies and autobiographies out there.

I had a hard time not choosing other wonderful books like Jo Malone’s inspiring story, Gods and Kings the terrific biography of Alexander McQueen and John Galliano, a memoir from the amazing Yves Saint Laurent, the untold story of the Cartier family, Girlboss the success story of the founder of Nasty Gal and even the funny and refreshing autobiography from the creators of the Juicy Couture brand.

After struggling with all these options I finally chose The House of Gucci written by Sara Gay Forden and published by Harper. This book is described on its cover like a sensational story of murder, madness, glamour and greed. Sounds amazing right?

Well it is. In this book we discover the remarkable story of the power of the Gucci Dynasty and their famed luxury goods house. This book combines in a brilliant way the business story with the family drama, that to my surprise was deeply intertwined.

I’ve enjoyed a lot learning the story behind some of their iconic creations such as its loafers or the Gucci Bambu bag.

I want to share with you my favorite quote from the book: “Quality is remembered long after price is forgotten”. Aldo Gucci put a plaque with this sentence in all of Gucci’s workshops.

Run and read the book before the film staring Lady Gaga is released next year.

Book Two: “In the words of an Expert”

This month: The Little Dictionary of Fashion

• Written by Christian Dior
• Published by V&A

For this category I have chosen a book from one of the most talented and incredible fashion designers of all time.

The Little Dictionary of Fashion by Christian Dior, a guide to dress sense for every woman.

It was written by Dior in 1954, however the majority of its content its timeless. In fashion many trends come and go, but the advice and rules Christian Dior gathers in this book have stood the test of time and are fashion laws that will last forever.

This book is like going inside Christian Dior’s mind and getting to know more about him through his way of thinking. It’s a must read for aspiring fashion designers.

Book Three: Guidance and Orientation

This month: The End of Fashion

• Written by Teri Agins
• Published by Harper

For our third category I have chosen The End of Fashion, how marketing changed the clothing business forever written by Teri Agins and published by Harper.

This book helps you build knowledge and understanding of the history of the fashion industry and how it works. It has been so much fun reading about the origin of fashion houses and their struggles to become viable businesses or about war over the United States flag between Ralph Lauren and Tommy Hilfiger.

I want to highlight that among the most important lessons to be learned from this book are those regarding the fashion world transitioning from an elitist focus to a mass market-centric focus. Agins does an amazing job explaining the why’s and how’s in this required fashion reading.

Book Four: Inspiring and Informative Fiction

This month: When Live Gives you Lulemons

• Written by Lauren Weisberger
• Published by Simon & Schuster

I’m sure most of you are familiar with the classic The Devil Wears Prada because you have either read the book or watched the movie. In this last category I want to recommend you the third book in this series. Many of you will be thinking OMG is it a series?

Yes it is my friends and the third book When Live Gives you Lulemons by Lauren Weisberger is as addictive as the first one. In this book you get to follow Emily Charlton’s adventures again, she is not first assistant to Miranda Priestly any more, now she is a highly successful image consultant who´s just landed the client of a lifetime.

Prepare to laugh and cry with this engaging novel as you get a sneak peek of the fashion industry world

“MUST” RESOURCES:

Podcasts:

• True Tales of Luxury: this podcast from Harrods Editor in Chief Tiffanie Darke has some amazing interviews of people in the fashion industry. Discovering some of Harrods’ most desirable objects is lovely.
• How I Built This: in this program Guy Raz interviews many inspiring innovators, entrepreneurs and leaders from the Fashion industry. Our recommended episodes for young students interested in the fashion world are: Jo Malone, Steve Madden, Rent The Runway, and Sarah Blakely.
• You can also read this Conde Nast article with the best fashion podcasts.

Documentaries:

• HBO Spain: in this platform our recommended documentaries are: Ralph Lauren, The man behind the brand, and In Vogue: The editor’s eye.
• NETTFLIX Spain: our must watch documentaries from this platform are: Franca: chaos and creation, Jeremy Scott: The people’s designer and Maddman: The Steve Madden Story. Two fashion series you should wath are: Girlboss and Versace.
• PRIME VIDEO Spain: in amazon’s platform you must watch: Yves Saint Laurent and Luxury: Behind the mirror.

Museums:

• The Garment Museum is a must visit for all students thinking about studying a career in the fashion industry.
• Always check the exhibitions on the Thyssen-Bornemisza museum because many of them are related with fashion.

I hope you enjoy this books and the other resources and you get to know more about the amazing fashion world. See you on the next blog of Books For Thought.