In the vein of books, which hold that the path to a fulfilling life meanders through slow-living and chasing your bliss, comes Nandita Iyer’s This Handmade Life. Her tenets are cultivating and pursuing homely projects such as baking and soap-making, while slowing down the pace of life and moving towards sustainable living.

The book is divided into seven sections, including self-care, baking, fermenting, kitchen gardening, soap-making and stitching. Iyer recommends weaving some of these skills into your leisure hours, and being mindful of what each teaches you so that it can enhance other areas of your life.