Pleasures and pastimes
Habits and routines
guide
How to read more books
Modern life can feel too frantic for books. Use these habit-building strategies to carve out time for the joy of reading
by Christian Jarrett
Pleasures and pastimes
guide
How to rest well
Taking a break isn’t lazy – learning to recharge is a skill that will allow you to enjoy a more creative, sustainable life
by Alex Soojung-Kim Pang
Joy
guide
How to start having more fun
Fun isn’t frivolous – it’s vital for your wellbeing. Here’s a step-by-step plan to bring more pleasure into your busy life
by Mike Rucker
Film
guide
How to find great films to watch
Bored with Hollywood and Netflix? Becoming an adventurous and informed explorer of the cinema world is in everyone’s grasp
by Geoff Andrew
Food and drink
guide
How to enjoy coffee
Smooth like chocolate or fruity like a berry, coffee has as many tastes as wine or beer – you just need to know your beans
by Jessica Easto
Stories and literature
guide
How to gain more from your reading
There’s more to words than meets the eye. Deepen your appreciation of literature through the art of slow, attentive reading
by Robert DiYanni
Music
guide
How to start making music
It’s never too late to play an instrument or learn to sing. Take the leap from listener to maker in the way that suits you
by Gayla M Mills
History of ideas
guide
How to read philosophy
The first thing to remember is that the great philosophers were only human. Then you can start disagreeing with them
by Charlie Huenemann
Stories and literature
guide
How to nurture a personal library
An escape, a sanctuary, a place of pleasure, a memoir. Take these steps to ensure your library is just what you want it to be
by Freya Howarth
Virtues and vices
guide
How to think about pleasure
Weirdly hard to define, much less to feel OK about it, pleasure is a tricky creature. Can philosophy help us lighten up?
by Sam Dresser
Meaning and the good life
guide
How to live like an Epicurean
Forget shallow hedonism. Follow this philosophy for wondrous, unexpected joys and resilience against inevitable misfortune
by Emily Austin
Food and drink
guide
How to choose a bottle of wine
Bite into a strawberry, talk to a wine geek, pore over a map: forget wine snobbery and develop your own distinctive taste
by Natasha Hughes