Earlier this year, I picked up a book in The Whitworth Shop, with the instantly soothing title of ‘A Simpler Life’. Glancing over its table of contents, I was, however, quickly put on edge to find a chapter on ‘How to read fewer books?’ For some time now I had been working on plans to launch an online and pop-up bookshop against the odds of economical reason and good sense, stubbornly wedded to the idea of building a growing following of people intent at reading more books rather than less. Fellow readers happy to encounter another channel for browsing and buying selected titles new and old. Was I completely deluded and on the wrong track?! Perhaps. What is more, was my own life-long habit of reading merely a means of inviting ever more chaos and depression into my life? Overcome as I was with doubt and mild panic, two questions imposed themselves on me: ‘Why do I read?’ and ‘Is simplicity really what I should be striving for in life?’

Welcome to the inaugural jot newsletter.

We are writing to let you know that our new stock for the autumn has arrived.

New publications from our favourite authors and publishers, alongside a small amount of relaunched titles, in case, like us, you’ve missed them the first time. 

Ever more great books to clog up our website, our bookshelves, our reading lists, our fields of desire — jamming our half-hearted ambitions for a simpler life. 

Let’s bring it on!

Available from our website and all forthcoming pop-up shops.