There is no friend as loyal as a book

Summer wouldn’t be summer without a memorable read! Whether it’s a title you’ve been meaning to dip into for a while, or a spontaneous purchase (perhaps at the airport), a good book can be one of the highlights of the holiday period. We love hearing recommendations for books we might enjoy, so please do drop us a message if you have one in mind. In the meantime, here’s an insight into what’s been keeping us gripped here in the Juniper team over the summer…

Nicki

I’ve been reading The Real Madmen by Andrew Cracknell, which tells the colourful story of the advertising industry in New York in the 1950s and ‘60s. When you look at the difference between post-war advertising and the material that was going out a couple of decades later, you can understand why this period is often referred to as the Golden Age of Advertising. I think the stories about some of the larger-than-life characters and what went on in and around the office, are fascinating and fun to read. The foreword to the book is also written by Sir John Hegarty, a true icon who I have followed since I was at college. Sir John is known for his creativity and this book in his words ‘captures the passion, madness and mayhem that is all part of a creative revolution’.

Calvin

I’m really enjoying reading To Sell Is Human: The Surprising Truth About Persuading, Convincing, and Influencing Others by Daniel H. Pink. The book contains a great selection of powerful and thought-provoking stories – like the one where a blind man was begging for money. He was holding a sign saying, ‘I am blind’, but was experiencing limited success. By adding just four simple words to the sign, American advertising executive, Rosser Reeves, was able to significantly increase the number of people who helped him. The words he added were, it is springtime and. The sign then read, ‘It is springtime, and I am blind’. Comparison is usually the thief of joy, however, in this case it makes one empathise. I love little anecdotes like this, it really gets you thinking.

Hannah

I love a gripping psychological thriller and have read a couple of these over the summer. Verity by Colleen Hoover was a real page-turner full of twists and turns, and The Guest List by Lucy Foley was an equally exciting read that I couldn’t put down. I think I am most drawn to compelling characters, particularly when they’ve had a colourful or challenging past, and seeing how their story unfolds –how they interact with other characters, and what they learn from the events throughout the book. Although the stories are fictional, I think you can still learn a lot about human behaviour and relationships which are subjects I’m always drawn to.

Alison

I have been busy training my Labrador puppy this summer, so I have been diving into plenty of training guides! It has been really interesting to read about and compare several different approaches, and I have found the ones that carry a little bit of humour resonate the most with me. I think there is a reason that Steve Mann’s book, Easy Peasy Puppy Squeezy tops the charts for dog training books. I love the fact that it offers a simple step-by-step guide to training, which I can dip in and out of but, more importantly, I love how uplifting and entertaining it is. I definitely learn better when I am enjoying what I’m doing and anyone who has trained a puppy recently will appreciate that a little positivity goes a long way!

Photo by Justin Dream on Unsplash