Gift Focus inc Attire Accessories - January / February 2021

25 BOOK REVIEWS Bookstand The latest releases in gift books THE LITTLE INSTRUCTION BOOK FOR RETIREMENT By Kate Freeman and Ian Baker RRP: £7.99 Format: Hardback ISBN: 978 1 78783 572 6 Ah, retirement – we wait all our lives to be free from the world of work, only to then wonder what on earth we do when we get there. But never fear: The Little Instruction Book for Retirement is an indispensable handbook here to guide you through the pleasures and pitfalls of being retired. Most importantly, though, it’ll teach you how to make a simple crossword fill an entire day and make sure you always get a decent afternoon nap.Find out more at www.summersdale.com PORTRAITS FOR NHS HEROES By RRP: £25 Format: Hardback ISBN: 9781448218004 A powerful visual tribute, by the UK’s talented portrait artists, to the individuals who have put their physical and mental health on the line during the Covid-19 crisis. When the UK went into lockdown in March 2020 to contain the spread of the Covid-19 virus, artist Tom Croft offered to paint an NHS key worker’s portrait for free. Unsure how to help and offer his support, he wanted to capture and record the bravery and heroism of frontline workers who were risking their physical and mental health for our wellbeing. Tom suggested that other artists might want to do the same. He made his offer via video message on Instagram and was immediately contacted by Harriet Durkin, a nurse at the Manchester Royal Infirmary, who had contracted Covid-19 and, now recovered, was about to return to the frontline. Tom’s portrait of Harriet, wearing PPE, was the first in what became a global art project. The response to the initiative was staggering and Tom personally paired up 500 artists and NHS workers in the first two weeks. Portraits in all mediums followed, from oils to pencil, sculpture to ceramic, mosaic to mural. This book presents a selection of these remarkable images, including work by leading artists such as Alastair Adams and Mary Jane Ansell. The portraits are showcased here as both a celebration and a remembrance, in physical form, of the dedication of our NHS key workers. All royalties from this book will go to NHS Charities Together to fund vital projects. A minimum of £2.50 from the sale of each book will be paid to NHS Charities Together (registered charity no. 1186569). Find out more at www.bloomsbury.com YOGA WITH YOUR CAT By Sam Hart and Tetiana Svirska RRP: £ £6.99 Format: Hardback ISBN: 9781787836457 We all know that cats are devotees of the deep stretch and masters of mischief which means Yoga With Your Cat is a book combining two of their favourite things! This delightful guide will show you just some of the ways that cats and yoga can mix. You might actively choose to involve them in your yoga practice or they might just have a sixth sense for when it’s time to interfere. Whatever your situation, the easy-to-follow guidance and gorgeous, bespoke illustrations in Yoga With Your Cat will help you perfect the “cat stretch” and maybe even impress your flexible feline friend. Find out more at www.summersdale.com 