You might not be reading on a beach in the Med (or anywhere overseas) anytime soon, but that’s all the more reason to be taken away with a good book, is it not? Get ahead with your seasonal to-read list with this collection of summer reading inspiration, as picked from our favourite bookshops on Instagram.

London Review Bookshop
From the London Review Bookshop, a timely essay on the healing power of art by Olivia Laing.

View this post on InstagramOur Book of the Week is @olivialanguage’s FUNNY WEATHER: ART IN AN EMERGENCY, a new collection of essays on art and culture – from Jean-Michel Basquiat to Hilary Mantel to Freddie Mercury – celebrating art as a force of resistance and repair ⚡⁣ ⁣ And we’ve got signed copies! Follow the link in bio to order your copy for home delivery 📬A post shared by London Review Bookshop (@lrbbookshop) on Apr 17, 2020 at 4:18am PDT

Daunt Books
Daunt Books are recommending The See-Through House by Shelley Klein, her memoir of growing up in Klein House, commissioned by her father from Peter Womersley (did you know we sold it?). Our recent podcast guest Edmund de Waal calls it “A luminous book, full of light and colour, and a remarkable reflection on childhood and untold stories”. Earlier this month, The Modern House co-founder Albert Hill caught up with Shelley Klein following the release of her new memoir, watch the recording here.

View this post on InstagramThis glorious memoir has been the most perfect Bank Holiday read.⁣ ⁣ The See-Through House is a book about saying goodbye to a much-loved family home. It is also a very funny account of looking after an adored yet maddening parent and a piercing portrait of the grief that followed his death.⁣ ⁣ "A luminous book, full of light and colour, and a remarkable reflection on childhood and untold stories"⁣ Edmund de Waal⁣ ⁣ Link in bio⁣ ⁣ #modernistarchitecture #theseethroughhouse #readingwithdauntbooksA post shared by Daunt Books (@dauntbooks) on May 9, 2020 at 12:30pm PDT

Shakespeare and Company
On the Left Bank, English language bookshop Shakespeare and Company are recommending reads that celebrate cycling and walking (something we’re sure has increased over lockdown). Take your pick from In Praise of the Bicycle by Marc Augé or The Most Beautiful Walk in the World by John Baxter.

https://www.instagram.com/p/B9l9y1sKHRq/

Ink@84
This bookshop in Highbury has recommended What Belongs to You author Gareth Grenwell’s new title, Cleanness, for its ‘exacting, elegant prose’ that picks apart the messy components of desire, love and human connection.

https://www.instagram.com/p/B_F0ySPAFLW/

Burley Fisher Books
This Haggerston independent runs a weekly recommendation service, rounding up titles based on a theme, which have included ‘becoming’, ‘falsely accused’ and ‘classics’. Our pick for summer reading inspiration is the one on ‘movement and place’, which runs the gaunt from Homer’s Odyssey to Rachel Cusk’s Transit.

View this post on InstagramThis week the Burley Fisher brain trust brings you more recommendations, the theme being movement and place! These books discuss our relationships with place, emigration, in-between spaces. Email us at shop@burleyfisherbooks.com First come first served! 📚A post shared by Burley Fisher Books (@burleyfisher) on May 12, 2020 at 4:36am PDT

Libreria
Libreria wonderfully arranges their shelves not by authors, but by theme, in a beautiful space designed by Spanish architect SelgasCano. It ‘a world away from the narrow algorithmic recommendations of Amazon,’ they say, and we couldn’t agree more. Ta-Nehisi Coates’ debut novel is an important story that casts a light on the legacy of slavery in the United States.

View this post on InstagramThe Water Dancer by Ta-Nehisi Coates 🌊 Born into bondage, Hiram Walker has photographic memory but has been robbed of all memory of his mother. He decides he must escape and embarks on a journey into the underground war between slavers and the enslaved. Ta-Nehisi Coates’ debut novel. Drop us a DM if you’d like a copy delivered 👋A post shared by Libreria (@librerialondon) on May 9, 2020 at 2:07pm PDT

Granta Books
Patrick Barkham’s new work on the role of nature in the lives of children is, according to Granta, ‘the perfect book for anyone struggling to make the most of their outdoor time with the kids during lockdown, and anyone just wanting to get back to nature.’

https://www.instagram.com/p/CAK_NT3AQSE/

Literary Hub
And, lastly, if you’re struggling to muster some enthusiasm for reading, look to the eternal wisdom of Michael Jordan via Literary Hub.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CALvVUrndzo/