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The National
20-06-2025
- Entertainment
- The National
Why regime change is required at Club 1872 not just Rangers
Popping down to his local Esso garage and picking up a box of Milk Tray and a bunch of flowers out of the bucket in the forecourt was never going to cut it. No, it took an arduous trek across the Alps in a blizzard and then three days of kneeling outside a castle in northern Italy in the snow wearing nothing more than a sackcloth for the medieval ruler, who had been excommunicated for his sacrilegious act, to be welcomed back in to the bosom of the Catholic church by his old nemesis. Henry's penitential 'Walk to Canossa' in 1077 is regarded by historians today as being the ultimate apology, the mummy and daddy of mea culpas, the gold standard of contrition. It is fair to say the amende honorable offered up by Club 1872, the Rangers supporters' group who at one point in the not-too-distant past were the second largest shareholders in the Ibrox club with a stake of 10.71 per cent, earlier this week fell some way short of it. Read more: 'We sincerely apologise to contributors for our relative silence,' read a statement on the group's official website which revealed they had held a 'very positive meeting' with new chairman Andrew Cavenagh, chief executive Patrick Stewart and other senior executives. Director Euan Macfarlane echoed that sentiment in a series of posts which he put up on the social networking website X (formerly Twitter) which gushed about Cavenagh being a 'supremely impressive individual' and stated 'we're confident in our new custodians more than ever'. He wrote, 'I would reiterate our apology for a long period of silence.' The reasons given for the complete lack of contact with their members during the past six months were 'regular changes to senior decision makers' and 'confidentiality considerations and sensitivities' while a 'live takeover' was in play. That sounded fair enough. Best not to interfere and muddy the waters during a complex and delicate process. Right? Wrong. Brassed off Bears were, unlike Pope Gregory VII when Henry IV came, quite literally, crawling a millennium ago, unwilling to forgive and forget. This is a quality family newspaper which is read by nice little old ladies and impressionable children alike. So it would be wrong to publish most of the online responses to the long overdue missive. Here, though, are a handful of replies which are printable. (Image: Ross MacDonald - SNS Group) What a waste of time for our chairman and chief executive. A new leadership team needs to take over. I am ready to pull my contribution. Hopefully you will get chased. Resign from your positions and let others take charge. Nobody trusts you. Absolute jokers. Only in it for yourselves. Crawl back under your stone. A complete reboot is required. Club 1872 was launched back in 2016 when separate fan ownership groups Rangers First and the Rangers Supporters Trust merged. Dave King and his associates had seized control of the Govan institution from a despised and distrusted regime the year before and optimism abounded. Membership and contributions steadily increased early on along with their shareholding. Their ultimate goal – to own 25 per cent plus one share and so have the power to veto any major decisions – seemed an eminently achievable objective during those heady days. It did not take long, however, for things to unravel in spectacular fashion. Complaints about communication, transparency, governance and independence have been rife since. The number of members has nosedived as the unhappiness with the group's stewardship has risen. An acrimonious attempt to oust the board four years ago resulted in the police being called in. Those who currently hold sway undoubtedly, regardless of the frequent accusations which have been levelled against them, want Club 1872 to play a key role at Rangers moving forward and the Ibrox club to flourish on and off the park. But there is no future for the organisation with its current custodians in place due to the distrust which, rightly or wrongly, exists among the support. Regime change is required. Read more: The Fan Advisory Board (FAB) have shown they are an independent body and are far from toothless since coming into being two years ago. Their actions during the Graeme Souness tifo row last season, to give just one example, underlined that. They let directors know in no uncertain terms what they thought of their condemnatory statement and swiftly made that public. Some supporters would be happy to continue with just FAB representing their interests and feel it would be for the best if Club 1872 sold up and closed down. But far too much money has been spent by far too many people for far too long for that to happen. Plus, being a significant shareholder gives them, even with a new owners snapping up a 51 per cent stake, a different kind of influence. Rangers fans are positively ebullient just now about what lies ahead under the 'supremely impressive individuals' who will take control at an EGM in Glasgow on Monday morning. With good reason. The new hierarchy seem to have the ambition, the means and the smarts to make a real difference. That said, there was mass euphoria when Craig Whyte came in, when Charles Green took over and when King rode to the rescue. It remains important for supporters to wield some power going forward. This honeymoon period won't last forever. But a Papal pardon wouldn't absolve the current Club 1872 directors from their sins, real or imagined, of the past.
Yahoo
10-06-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Invitations to funerals and shouting at the news: 10 signs you're getting old
The signs are gradual but deadly. You start saying things like, 'This carpet will see me out,' and, 'This is how I've always done things.' Young people kneel beside you to explain how technology works. You bulk-order vitamins from Amazon, which then sit in the hallway gathering dust. Let's face it: life is getting smaller and narrower. You only eat soft foods now, for fear of fracturing a tooth. You haven't made a new friend in a decade. An early night and a mug of sleepy tea is all you require. Yes, you are officially drifting into dreaded OAP territory. But don't worry – we've consulted the experts to identify the tell-tale signs of ageing in both men and women, and whether there's anything you can do about them. Clearly, this young person thinks you're an old bag at risk of toppling over – or, if you're a man, an infirm old fool. Is this the moment you need to consider cosmetic work – or a hair transplant to hide the bald patch? The horror. But what do you do when this dreaded scenario occurs? Do you accept gracefully – and feel crushed – or brush off the invitation? I consult the UK's 'Queen of Etiquette', Laura Windsor, who is reassuring. 'It's not necessarily because you 'look' old – it could be because you deserve respect and courtesy from those who pick up on your body language and are drawn to you in a positive way,' she says. 'If someone stands up for you, it's possible your body language was crying out for a seat. I'm younger, but sometimes a man will offer me a seat – and I'm so grateful – especially when I'm wearing high heels or carrying bags.' We just need to smile, say 'Thank you very much, you are very kind' – and accept gracefully, she advises. 'Never brush off the invitation unless you don't want to sit. In that case, always say, 'Thank you for your kind gesture.' Being courteous makes the other person feel valued – and makes us feel good too.' There comes a time in life when wedding invitations dry up, the babies whose christenings you once attended have now left home – and the number of funeral announcements is getting suspiciously larger. So it's no wonder most of us keep a top-to-bottom smart black outfit in the wardrobe. And anyway, after a lifetime of deciding what to wear, maintaining a black uniform feels like the easy way out – doesn't it? But while some people can pull off head-to-toe black – à la Mafia widow or Milk Tray man – most of us end up looking a bit dusty, says Lucinda Chambers, ex-Vogue fashion director and co-founder of 'When you reach a certain age, you feel more vulnerable, and there's a definite nervousness that creeps in – you're afraid of any display of individuality, extravagance or idiosyncrasy. Black is a very easy rut to fall into, because you think it goes with everything. I never put black with black. I combine it with navy or cream to sharpen it up.' Author and broadcaster Hunter Davies, 89, is more definitive: 'No one over 70 should wear black or grey. I only now wear clothes in pink, yellow, green, blue – usually at the same time.' It can feel like a death knell when you mention a new symptom to the GP and they say bluntly: 'Yes, that's just going to be how it is from now on.' But don't believe them – it's never too late to get in shape. Our bodies are equipped with incredible restorative capacity. 'The most health-preserving physical activity you can do is resistance training, because muscle loss (sarcopenia) is both a characteristic and driver of ageing and age-related disease,' says Dr Nathan Curran of London's Reborne Longevity Clinic. 'And skeletal muscle will not only help to prevent falls – it also protects your bones from osteoporosis, which can lead to fractures following a fall. About one in ten people with a hip fracture die within a month – and about one in three die within a year. Anything that stresses your cardiovascular system, and your musculature, is like an insurance policy – not just against dying prematurely, but also for maintaining quality of life in later years.' It's also an insurance policy for slowing down neurodegeneration and dementia, he adds. 'There are very interesting links between loss of cerebral volume – especially in the hippocampus, the part of the brain responsible for memory – and sarcopenia [age-related loss of muscle mass, strength and function]. There isn't a drug combination that comes remotely close to matching exercise for providing comprehensive benefits for brain health.' Turning 60 is a milestone for many reasons – and while it's useful to know you now qualify for free London bus travel, that fact alone is depressing enough. That's before you even come to take the accompanying photo. Do try to look your best – but don't take it too hard if the image ends up looking like a mugshot, advises Lucinda Chambers. 'You're going to look at that bus pass photo for the next 20 years, so you might as well look cheerful. Having said that, mine looks like Prisoner: Cell Block H...' Generally speaking, our experts say it's important to glam up – and rail against the dying of the light. PR expert Fiona Harrold says, 'It's about self-worth. Because if you don't care about how you look, how are other people going to respect you? You're projecting an image of yourself to the world every time you step out the front door. Do you see yourself as attractive, groomed? Because your vibe will go down if you walk around constantly looking dishevelled. We automatically equate that with a loss of va-va-voom – or even depression. We've got to let go of what 59 or 60 looks like in our heads, because it's changed. We all know biological ageing and chronological ageing are two different things now.' Veteran journalist Virginia Ironside agrees: 'I know lots of people who say, 'Oh great. I'm old – I can let myself go.' But that's fatal. You must always be clean, have your hair looking nice, try to keep reasonably thin. Keep your standards up – eat at a table, change your sheets every couple of weeks.' It's very fogeyish behaviour to complain about loud music, tiny sharing plates – or eating off a roof tile – says Jennifer Sharp, former restaurant editor of Harper's Bazaar. She'll happily trek miles to a modern Korean joint in Hackney to try the latest cuisine. She loves eating solo and is a fan of the communal tables available for walk-ins. 'I like all the well-priced small plates that let you trawl through the menu without breaking the bank.' Regularity, she believes, is the enemy of life. 'The easiest way to stay feeling young is to be curious. I never feel I know everything – whether it's food or art or movies or politics. Stay open to new experiences and opinions. Say yes to things.' It's mortifying enough to eavesdrop on the conversations your younger colleagues are having – but to be mistaken for one of their grandparents when you've popped out for a lunchtime snack together is even worse. But there's no shame in being called out for your age, says poet and author Sarah-Jane Lovett. Instead of trying to hide our advancing years – or our grandparenting status – we should revel in the fact that being a modern grandmother or grandfather is something to celebrate. Lovett – a grandmother of two, currently writing a book called The Glamma Diaries – insists: 'We are gods and goddesses of sorts, the elders who bring insight and wisdom to bestow upon the youngers. The trick is to create a force field of magic, underpinned with a firm but kind air of grooviness. Obviously, no one wants to get cancelled for doing the wrong thing – but grandmothers are brilliant at spotting diplomatic minefields and circumnavigating them with aplomb.' And what happens when your woke grandchildren come to stay? She adds: 'As the absolute Queen of the Diplomatic Corps, you will always be prepared with the diplomatic bag – and a heaving fridge full of gluten-free pasta, dairy-free cheese, nut milk, coconut yoghurt and Nosecco. So you really are the ultimate 21st-century gal when the smalls arrive.' Elderly female relatives once had a weekly shampoo and set – and never went out in the rain. We've come a long way since then, but many of us still hide behind a heavy fringe or wispy locks we trim ourselves. The decision to go grey or not is unimportant (just look at super-agers Helen Mirren and Andie MacDowell). But a sharp cut can take off decades – so keep investing in that hairdresser's appointment. 'I firmly believe women can embrace new styles at any age,' says celebrity hair stylist Dar Barot. 'It's about taking that first step and being open to transformation. When hair obscures your face, it can hide features such as well-shaped eyebrows, beautiful eyes, defined cheekbones, a strong jawline – and especially the neckline and shoulders, which are crucial for creating a youthful appearance. A sculpted haircut that frames your face should emphasise these features, while complementing your body shape.' And men shouldn't be complacent either – shaggy eyebrows, unkempt nose hair and a bad comb-over are definite turn-offs. 'My own bugbear is the fade haircut – shortening the hair on the sides and back of the head, with longer hair on top – for older men,' says Barot. 'It resembles a hat rather than enhancing their features. It was also Hitler's favourite hairstyle, so be warned.' You might have raised them – but when your own kids have babies, it can lead to some awkward moments when it becomes clear they're unwilling to trust their precious bundle with you. 'When your beloved offspring and their partner tell you the new thinking on pregnancy, childbirth or child-rearing that they've gleaned in their ante-natal group or from Instagram, listen, keep quiet and do not express an opinion,' advises Lovett. 'If they wax lyrical about placenta encapsulation, don't use the word ridiculous or the phrase 'we didn't do that in my day.' Just swallow and say, 'That sounds great.' 'No one wants to hear about the dark ages – ie before 1990 – and no one ever acknowledges that you've gone through this experience yourself. Understand that while you, until fairly recently, reigned supreme in your family, you are, in one blow, felled. So hold on to the life skills you have acquired and use them with steely dignity – empathy, listening well, cooking for everyone. Modern, shiny parents are there to make us look as if we didn't have the foggiest idea of what we were doing. They are a glossy brigade, with their spreadsheets and everything accessible on an app – and we must also learn from them. They take no prisoners, not even if you gave birth to them.' Okay, so there's an entire sitcom – One Foot in the Grave – dedicated to the phenomenon of men getting grumpier and grumpier as they age. But while Victor Meldrew might have been a bit of an old curmudgeon, he definitely tried to keep himself busy when he wasn't shouting at the TV. 'When you're passively sitting in front of the television, not much is going on in there,' says Prof Kieran Clarke, 73, emeritus professor of physiological biochemistry at the University of Oxford. 'Concentrating is really good for your brain,' she explains. 'Puzzles keep the connections up and the electrics going. You're concentrating all the time and the synaptic connections between neurones are functioning properly.' Watching upsetting news is also genuinely bad for our health. 'Only worry about things you can do something about. Don't worry about anything you can't do anything about,' counsels Prof Clarke, who reads a book instead of looking at her phone before bed. She also advocates listening to Radio 4 and the World Service. 'It helps the cells regenerate, it keeps you stimulated. It's like exercising the brain.' Probably the hardest challenge of old age is finding a new partner if you've been struck by death or divorce. The temptation is to shut up shop to new admirers – but that would be ignoring the fact there's a very buzzy later-life dating scene out there. 'Dating is all about the mindset. If you're open to new experiences and meeting others, and you're easy to approach, you'll naturally attract the right kind of attention,' says Niloufar Lamakan, 66, whose new novel Aged To Perfection tackles 60+ dating using apps, as well as other, more adventurous ways of meeting potential new partners. 'Being open doesn't necessarily mean compromising, but involves giving people and situations a chance.' Lamakan advocates practising openness physically – opening your arms, breathing in and welcoming the world every morning. 'Having fun and being in the moment is also an attractive trait. Being advised to find a hobby might sound like a cliché, but it's a great way to do something you enjoy and increase your chances of meeting someone. But, if you're happy being single, make the most of the freedom and find your own tribe to enjoy life alongside.' Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more.
Scotsman
01-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Scotsman
11 of the most memorable adverts of the 1980s, including ridiculously catchy jingles
These infectious advertising jingles will transport you back to the 80s Sign up to our Retro newsletter Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to Edinburgh News, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... They are the adverts and jingles that you just couldn't get out of your head They helped to sell us everything from butter and sweets to toys Is your favourite ad from the 80s featured in our rundown of the best of the decade? These are some of the most memorable adverts of the 1980s | Various Forget the actual programmes, the adverts are sometimes the best things on TV. That was especially true during the 1980s, which were a golden age for advertising, long before streaming became a thing. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Below are some of the greatest ads of the 80s, which used a combination of classic British humour, catchy jingles and some animated wizardry to persuade us to part with our hard-earned cash. Apologies in advance if you'd only just managed to get these ear-worms out of your head after all these years, as they'll probably be wriggling around there for a little longer now. Shake n' Vac Housework has never looked as fun as the actor Jenny Logan made it appear in the classic ads for the carpet freshener Shake n' Vac. She is seen twirling round her living room as she vacuums in her high heels while singing the unforgettable lyrics 'do the Shake n' Vac and put the freshness back'. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad How long Shake n' Vac kept your carpet fresh for is unclear, but once that jingle made it into your head it was there for good. Milk Tray The popular Milk Tray ads of the 80s made chocolate sexy, featuring adrenaline-filled action sequences which mirrored the thrill of a James Bond movie. Gary Myers was the original Milk Tray Man, who went to extraordinary lengths to deliver the said chocs to the object of his affections, 'all because the lady loves Milk Tray'. That included diving into shark infested waters, invading a heavily-guarded castle and displaying some daring skiing skills to escape an avalanche. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Cornetto What's not to love about gliding down the canals of Venice, licking an ice cream and being serenaded by a bouffant-haired Italian stud with an implausibly wide-collared shirt? This was the stuff of dreams portrayed in the famous Cornetto ads of the early 80s, in which the classic line 'just one Cornetto, give it to me' is belted out opera-style. Things sadly turn sour when the deep-voiced dreamboat plucks the ice cream from the woman's hands as their gondolas pass. She can't say she hadn't been warned! Lurpak Long before Aardman Animations became synonymous with the claymation adventures of Wallace and Gromit, it produced this classic ad for Lurpak butter. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad A snorkel-wearing Douglas the Butterman is seen emerging from a buttered crumpet before advising us to 'spread a little creaminess the Lurpak way', to the strains of a gentle melody. He then grabs a couple of butter knives and rows across the table in this clever advert, which showcases the skills of the team who were also behind the award-winning music video for Peter Gabriel's song Sledgehammer. National Dairy Council This is the ad which spawned a generation of milk lovers, especially in the red half of Merseyside. Produced at the height of Ian Rush's goal-scoring prowess for Liverpool, a young boy is seen guzzling milk straight from the bottle. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad When his friend expresses his disgust, he replies 'It's what Ian Rush drinks', before adding 'he said if I didn't drink lots of milk, when I grow up I'll only be good enough to play for Accrington Stanley'. His friend then delivers the classic line: 'Accrington Stanley, who are they?' The ad was replayed many times in January 2025 when Liverpool were drawn to play Accrington Stanley in the FA Cup. The Premier League giants had clearly been drinking enough milk as they secured a comfortable 4-0 victory over their League Two opponents. Trebor Softmints Another animated triumph is this stylish advert for Trebor Softmints, featuring a rewritten version of the hit song Mr Soft by Steve Harley & Cockney Rebel. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad The Mr Soft character, looking a little like an underinflated Michelin Man, is seen strolling jauntily down a street in which everything is white, padded and bouncing merrily along to the catchy tune. He casually flicks a mint into the mouth of a swaying postbox, which chomps away eagerly, before walking into a lamppost and collapsing to the ground. The ad features the catchline: 'Bite through the shell of a Trebor Spearmint Softmint and everything turns chewy and soft.' Many people described this as their favourite advert growing up, but a few said it gave them nightmares when they were young. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Toys 'R' Us This is surely one of the most memorable advertising jingles for any child growing up during the late 80s or early 90s, most of whom will be able to recite the lyrics - at least in part. The animated ad shows a cartoon giraffe called Geoffrey and his team of young assistants stacking the shelves of the famous toy store overnight, ready for opening. The jingle, sung in hushed tones, opens with the lyrics: 'It's a magical world, we're on our way there, with toys in their millions all under one roof. It's called Toys 'R' Us.' Bird's Eye Potato Waffles These tea time staples gave us one of the catchiest jingles of the 80s, reminding us how they're 'waffly versatile'. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad It rattles through a host of serving suggestions, including beans, bangers, bacon, burgers and fish fingers, before instructing us to 'grill 'em, bake 'em, fry 'em, eat 'em'. The jingle was so catchy it was revived many years later in a sing-along karaoke style version, with the words appearing at the bottom of the screen and a waffle bouncing along above them to the tune. Kwik Fit This classic 80s ad features not just a memorable jingle but some great dance moves to accompany it from the team of merry mechanics. When a beleaguered motorist pulls into a Kwik Fit garage, she's so impressed by the speedy service she asks 'how do you do it?'. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Cue the mechanics bursting into song and dance as they belt out the lyrics: 'You can't get better than a Kwik Fit fitter. We're the boys to trust.' She doesn't seem bothered that they don't actually answer her question. The tune feels like it could be a collaboration between Chas & Dave and Madness, with a Cockney-style knees-up of a dance to match. Vitalite The dairy-free spread Vitalite gave Lurpak's Douglas the Butterman a run for his money with this simple cartoon ad, set to the infectious tune of Israelites by Desmond Dekker & the Aces. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad A sunglasses-wearing animated sun can be seen spreading Vitalite on a piece of toast as he sings along accompanied by a chorus of crooning sunflowers 'Made with pure sunflower oil, and with a taste that'll make you shine, ooooooh, ooooooh, Vitalite,' they sing. Club biscuits This jingle might just be the catchiest of the lot, thanks to its simplicity. The ad features just one line: 'If you like a lot of chocolate on your biscuit, join our club.' Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad It's repeated ad nauseum by various groups of people enjoying the park - the message being 'who doesn't like a lot of chocolate on their biscuit?'. One fan said: 'My favourite advert of all time. So catchy, it's a permanent earworm.' Have we missed out your favourite ad from the 1980s? We'd love to know which other memorable adverts you think should have made the list. Do you have retro pictures or nostalgic memories to share with us? Send them online via YourWorld at It's free to use and, once checked, your story or picture will appear on our website and, space allowing, in our newspapers.
Telegraph
26-01-2025
- General
- Telegraph
Daisy Buchanan's guide to reading your way to happiness
Books have saved my life. If it wasn't for books, I'm not sure that I'd be here. Reading has brought me comfort and hope during some of the darkest, most difficult periods of my life. I'm not especially clever or academic. I haven't read half the classics (yet). I don't have a story about how I mounted a bookcase and climbed my way out of a burning building. But I've read my way through triumph and disaster. When I was violently bullied at primary school, stories eased my anxiety, and the friends I found on the page lessened my acute feelings of loneliness. When I've had my heart broken, romantic novels have helped me to patch it back together. I've read my way through broken bones, punishing commutes, UTIs, getting fired and moving house. When I was 21, and an ex-boyfriend brought his new girlfriend to a party, I hid in the toilets with a copy of Indiscretions of Archie by PG Wodehouse until I had laughed enough to recover my composure. Last year, when my Eurostar train broke down between Paris and London, I was oblivious to the chorus of huffing and muttering because I had On my wedding day, my godmother read out a short passage from The Pursuit of Love ('She was filled with a strange, wild, unfamiliar happiness, and knew that this was love'). I'd been reading and rereading the novel since I was 12 years old. It was a beloved guest at the ceremony, a dear friend whose presence was very important to me. It had also been guiding me in my own pursuit, for my whole adult life. When things went romantically wrong for me – and they often did – Nancy Mitford's words had been the best possible balm. Then, and now, they seemed to offer joy and encouragement, just as a proper mate might. Books made me dream My School was a complicated place for me. I was good at listening and quietly following instructions – and I was anxious to please my teachers and do well. But the playground was another terrifying problem. Chubby, sensitive and intense, I was a clear target for bullies, and being around other children was overwhelming. My world felt violent and chaotic, so I turned to books – when I was lost in a story, I was guaranteed some peace. Looking back, I realise that Even though I tried to be a 'good' girl, when I was reading I could secretly rebel. At home, my parents were quite strict about what we were allowed to watch on TV – and in the '90s and Noughties, the internet was patchy, and the smartphone era was far away. But it was relatively easy to sneakily read adult books in the library. That was where I discovered At the time, I was struggling with an eating disorder. Critics of the book have claimed that Bridget's Most powerfully of all, the book's teasing tone helped me to relax, and worry less about what I was eating. Bridget never sticks to a diet and eats a lot of Milk Tray. When she finally reaches her impossible 'goal weight', she goes to a party, and everyone tells her she looks tired and terrible. It was the first time anyone had ever suggested to me that there might be more to life than trying to be as thin as possible. It was also the first book that made me feel optimistic and excited about my adult life. I didn't fantasise about finding my Mr Darcy – I wanted an 'urban family', Agnès b jeans, a flat in Borough and a glamorous job in TV. Books taught me to dream. They made me realise that I'd probably never have a perfect life, but I could look forward to an interesting one. When I was 15, I inhaled Ralph's Party by Lisa Jewell, because it came free with Elle magazine – and vowed that I'd move to London as soon as I possibly could, for spliffs and boys and curries and parties. Around that time, I found a copy of Rachel's Holiday by When I picked the book up, it was with a wide-eyed, breathless curiosity about a scenario that seemed thrillingly adult and sophisticated. When I finished it, hours later, I had an unexpected insight into my own emotional state. The story is a comedy about pain, shame and big, complicated feelings. I read it every year, and every time it helps me to let go of something I've been struggling with. I finally quit drinking alcohol in 2022, after reading Rachel's Holiday 22 times in all. It's been the best friend and the kindest guidebook I could have hoped to find. Books are my drug – but they're the only drugs I've ever used that reliably leave me better than they find me. There have been periods of my life when I've struggled to read, and it's taken me a long time to understand that books can only meet us where we are. Like many people, I never read fewer books for pleasure than when I was studying English literature. There weren't many texts on my degree course that captured my imagination, and I resented the fact that I was always kept at arm's length from the novels and poems, and forced to read through the lens of dry critical theory. But every so often, something would surprise and delight me. I was thrilled when we were assigned Les Liaisons Dangereuses by Pierre Choderlos de Laclos – a book about two of my favourite things, sex and gossip. I ignored the rest of the reading list and retreated into the arms of my favourite sex and gossipmongers – Jilly Cooper, Jackie Collins and Erica Jong. I fell upon Henry James and Edith Wharton with alacrity. I inhaled Alberto Moravia's The Time of Indifference – a book I'd never have discovered on my own. (This kicked off a love of Italian literature, and primed me for Ferrante's Neapolitan Quartet, as well as teaching me that you might judge a book by its cover, but you don't have to judge it by its boring-sounding title.) Reading is the best possible start to the day In my early 20s, I was diagnosed with generalised anxiety disorder, and I slowly started to make links between my behaviour and my mental health. When I was reading regularly, I felt much calmer, and life felt much easier. I loved funny books most of all, and if I needed to self-soothe, I could pick up an old favourite and fall straight into it, in the way you immediately feel at ease with a very old friend. And if I wasn't reading regularly, I struggled to maintain my appetite for books. Then, I acquired my first smartphone and discovered that I'd bought myself the ultimate 'I couldn't put it down' reading experience – one that left me feeling insatiable and agitated, with an unquenchable craving for stimulation. My relationship with work changed. Before, I'd read books on my commute, and arrived at the office feeling nourished, revived and ready for the day. After a train journey with my phone, I felt enervated and at odds with the world. There were two contradictory things at play – being intensely online made me feel as though I was falling behind. On the other hand, I was overstimulated and exhausted, as though I'd already put a shift in. When I left my job to go freelance, I realised that I didn't have a commute, but I needed to build some reading time back into my life. After a lot of trial and error, I discovered that the best time for me to read was the morning. I always wake up feeling anxious, and my brain is craving information and input. I've taught myself to reach for a book, instead of my phone. Reading gently leads my brain away from whatever it thinks it should be panicking about and forces it to focus on something sufficiently absorbing and distracting, at a more measured pace. I believe that reading anything at all, for just five or 10 minutes in the morning, is the best possible start to the day. Reading is like exercise Having interviewed hundreds of authors (my husband and I have a literary podcast, You're Booked ), I've been gratified to discover that nearly every writer is a catholic reader, with no book too grand, silly or strange to grace a shelf. My literary heroine, Jilly Cooper, told me that Middlemarch is one of her favourite comfort reads. I was delighted to discover that George Eliot has had as much of an influence on Cooper as Cooper has had on me. My morning reading habit has made me a more ambitious reader, too. I read Bleak House by tackling it as soon as I woke up, two chapters at a time. This has only been possible because I built up my reading muscles by picking up the books that have brought me uncomplicated joy. Reading in the morning has boosted my focus throughout the day; I notice that I'm more attentive, more productive and less distracted if I begin with a book. Ultimately, I think reading is a little bit like exercise. We all know it's 'good' for us, and we 'should' do it. It's easy to think of it as an earnest, worthy hobby – the kind that makes us feel guilty and resentful because it's hard to find the time for it when life is already so challenging. But, just like exercise, it can feel brilliant. It's simply a case of finding a way to do it that works for you. You might feel you ought to be working your way through the Booker shortlist, for the sake of cultural relevancy. But that might not be the best course of action if you're feeling lost and low – rereading The Secret Diary Of Adrian Mole might be more restorative. If you're muddling your way through a dense political biography, and you want to pick up your phone after every two paragraphs, try picking up a different book instead. (Anthony Trollope's Palliser novels could satisfy an urge for political gossip.) Reading shouldn't feel hard – but nurturing a reading habit will make our lives easier, calmer and happier. Read Yourself Happy: How To Use Books To Ease Your Anxiety, by Daisy Buchanan, is published by on February 6
