It’s no secret that here at Nobó, we are big fans of learning new things. Learning as much as we can from others who have tried, made mistakes, tried again, and made a real impact on the world by doing so is how we got to where we are today. It’s how we’re going to keep growing and finding new ways to treat you, and the world, better.
We recently talked about some of our favourite podcasts for learning more about entrepreneurship, chocolate, mindfulness, wellness, design, staying motivated, and relationships. In honour of World Book Day, we want to share some of the amazing literature available to dive deeper into these ideas. We’ve also included ISBNs (international standard book numbers) where applicable so you can order them from your local independent bookstore. Enjoy!
Business & Entrepreneurial
Mind Your Business: a Workbook to Grow your Creative Passion into a Full-time Gig — Ileana Griffo
There’s an absolutely mind-boggling amount of creative talent out there in the world, but taking those creative talents and turning them into money is an entirely different skill set. This cute workbook has over 1800 positive ratings on Amazon and is well loved by small business owners across the globe. It covers everything from starting on the ground to growing into a respected industry professional, from marketing, budgeting, and branding to legality guidelines, calculating prices, and even search engine and social media optimization. This is a great book for looking at your creative passions in a new way.
ISBN: 978-1944515720
Chocolate
The Chocolate Connoisseur — Chloé Doutre-Roussel
This is one of the clearest, most accessible books for people new to understanding and appreciating fine chocolate. Chloé Doutre-Roussel worked as a professional chocolate buyer (!) for Fortnum and Mason (!) in London, assessing a range of fine chocolate brands and deciding which ones were worthy of stocking their shelves. Through this easy-to-use workbook she takes readers through steps to cultivate and improve their tasting palates. This book packs a ton of information into a super simple format, so by the end you’ll be a chocolate tasting expert without even noticing.
ISBN: 0-7499-2834-4
Mindfulness & Meditation
Mindfulness: A Practical Guide to Finding Peace in a Frantic World — Mark Williams and Danny Penman
So many of us live lives full of chaos and uncertainty — these past couple years more than ever — and we forget how important it is to slow down and find a little peace between one moment and the next. This book is based on mindfulness-based cognitive therapy, or MBCT. It’s divided into a program of eight “weeks” (although you can do the steps at your own pace) with guided meditations and reflections on your day-to-day life. It helps you break the cycles of stress, anxiety, and internal abuse so that you can take on life’s challenges in a new and braver way.
ISBN: 978-0749953089
Wellness & Healthy Lifestyle
Hygge: The Danish Art of Happiness — Marie Tourell Søderberg
Exploding as a winterlust buzzword all over instagram and pinterest, hygge is now firmly placed in the western consciousness as a way to embrace the simple pleasures of life — which is what we at Nobó are all about! This beautiful little coffee table book is full of inspiring photography and practical steps, recipes, and ideas to transform your home and your life into a more comfortable and welcoming place. No matter where you live or what anxieties your day brings, this book will show you how to create a healthy and happy home to greet you at the end of the day.
ISBN: 978-0718185336
Design
How to use graphic design to sell things, explain things, make things look better, make people laugh, make people cry, and (every once in a while) change the world — Michael Bierut
This mouthful of a title (often shortened to just “How to use graphic design”) makes striking and creative use of the cover space of this book, already hinting at some of the helpful visual guides to be found within. Alongside an astonishing 833 colour illustrations, Michael Bierut presents an eclectic study of different products and experiences he has worked on throughout his career. He blends personal experience with practical advice to help readers come away with an exciting new perspective on graphic design.
ISBN: 978-0500296189
Motivational
The Happiness Planner series — Mo Seetubtim
This hella instagramable workbook series combines gorgeously simplistic artwork with thought-provoking prompts about your goals, relationships, strengths, weaknesses, choices, aspirations, affirmations, and much more. The books are designed to take you through a very real change over the course of a year by examining what needs work and what steps need to happen in order to learn and grow. They combine informative instructions with space for reflection so that you and your book are working together to create a better year.
Relationships
I Wish I Knew This Earlier: Lessons on Love — Toni Tone
In this book on love, self love, and relationships, the author takes a “big sister” approach to conveying some of the lessons she could have benefited from throughout her life. The book explores mistakes we all make from places of loneliness, self-doubt, or trauma, and how to take a step back and examine those things from a healthier perspective. This book offers a sense of solidarity and forgiveness to anyone who has ever had trouble understanding their own needs and desires, and the needs and desires of those around them
ISBN: 978-0008458249
With so much fear, doubt, and misinformation in the world, it’s wonderful to see more and more people writing about these processes in accessible, approachable ways. Do you have any favourite books that have helped you through difficult times? How about books that have taught you new things or changed the way you look at the world? Let us know in the comments!