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The Monocle Companion: Fifty ideas to Improve Your Life

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The Monocle Companion has 50 inspiring essays to improve everything from your vacation to your vocation, our first-ever paperback is packed with long-reads, inspiration and cheery ideas to make you happy.
Buy the Companion today and you’ll learn:
– The brief history of time and why applications that claim to track it can be a waste of yours.
– Why freedom of speech sometimes means raising your voice against the silliness.
– What Nordic co-operation can teach an increasingly fractious world about the importance of good neighbours.
– Why a high-flying pilot prefers the passenger seat and how to travel a little more thoughtfully.
– Why it’s OK to change your mind – sometimes – and why people should.
– Why finding joy in simple things is one of the hardest but most worthwhile skills to master.
– Why water makes a city, the importance of hobbies and what the ancients can teach urbanists.
– What your ‘Badi’ says about you and why cold water swimming is for masochists.
– How to live with a fascist past, why there’s little wrong with cultural appropriation and the pleasures and pitfalls of eating outdoors.
– How learning a craft can shape the creator, why to doodle and the surprising wisdom behind stargazing.

212 pages, Paperback

First published August 12, 2022

19 people are currently reading
95 people want to read

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Monocle

73 books140 followers

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5 stars
9 (12%)
4 stars
23 (31%)
3 stars
27 (37%)
2 stars
12 (16%)
1 star
1 (1%)
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
Profile Image for Wafa Alobaidat.
82 reviews2 followers
July 5, 2024

Every time I pick up anything from monocle like the The Monocle Companion: 50 Ideas to Improve Your Life, I feel a genuine elevation in both my life and my perspective. This book resonates deeply with me, not only because of the insightful content but also due to the connection I feel with the writers and contributors.

The contributors write about modern-day ideas that are incredibly relevant to our generation—those of us who are on a journey to discover what we love to do for a living and aspire to travel the world to explore, work, and thrive. Their ideas and insights are both practical and inspiring, making this book a valuable companion for anyone looking to enhance their daily life.

Highly recommend this book to anyone seeking thoughtful and contemporary advice on improving various aspects of life. It’s not just a read; it's an experience that genuinely enriches your worldview and daily practices.
Profile Image for RhysEvans.
43 reviews
February 14, 2023
Some gems in here such as essay about our visions of the future being tech focussed

and how we need to think about tomorrow's challenges from other angles,

and the one about how technological design could benefit from reverting back to a more analogue aesthetic with more texture, dials, buttons.

A little pricey overall with some essays a little brief and wispy–

not really proper essays, just extracts from interviews and articles.

But an easy read during the in between time or before bed
Profile Image for Nicole Marshallsay.
12 reviews
April 5, 2023
A delightful read for all the senses, perfect for a little escapism in your lunch break and conversation starters thereafter. I loved these storied snapshots from around the globe and through time, letting the mind travel far away from the grey English winter. 'Nothing is native' and 'The ice age' made me dream, 'In defense of hobbies' captures poignantly what many (not just artists) will recognise, and I dare you not to laugh out loud reading 'Warm Water Swimming Club'. Thank you Monocle for the 'local perspective' which we cherish, the many fun facts, and food for thought.
Profile Image for Mindaugas Raguotis.
56 reviews7 followers
January 25, 2023
A decent toilet reading.

However, the title and price for it make it 3/5.

50 essays, most of which you will forget sooner than you think. I would say, 6-8 of them were good and interesting (mostly the last ones). And others are proof that everyone can write.

If you are looking for some encouragement for writing and be published - this is it.
Profile Image for Fabrice.
41 reviews1 follower
September 25, 2022
50 short articles of very varying quality, and not that many of them are actually 'ideas to improve your life'! The worst of them: probably that dumb critique a 'cancel' culture, which an 8-year-old would take apart in minutes.
Profile Image for Harald G.
67 reviews
October 28, 2022
The Monocle Companion Monocle's newest publication, coming from this industrious publishing house and filled with weighty ideas, told in a lightfooded manner. Told in the form of Essays by differnt authors does the booklet share its views on life's big topics such as Time, Family, Friendship, Work & Life Balance and so on. While some Essays strike a more poetic tone, are others more comprised in the style of a Guidebook, which makes for a balanced, consumer friendly read that is easy to portion a few Essays at a time. Therefore I'd find it suiting as bedside table companion more than a book for a long vacation that has the aimed at being read at prolonged periods of time. A welcome addition to of my beloved publishing brands.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews

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