A thoughtfully curated collection of books recommended by the Portobello Behavioural Health team. In celebration of National Book Lovers Day on 9th August, our team came together to share some of their favourite books , the ones they return to, recommend often, or remember long after the final page.
These pages represent more than just great reads, they’re stories, ideas, and reflections that have inspired us, challenged our thinking, broadened our perspectives, or simply stayed with us over time. From powerful works of fiction and memoir to insightful texts on mental health, wellbeing, and human behaviour, each recommendation comes from a personal connection to the content.
We hope this collection offers you something valuable, whether you're looking for professional insight, personal growth, or just a beautifully written story to get lost in. Have a browse through our virtual shelf, and if you discover a new favourite, we’d love to hear about it.
Welcome to The PBH Library
Jess Clarke - The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah.
‘A stunning, unforgettable read. The Nightingale captures the resilience of the human spirit through the lens of two sisters surviving WWII in Nazi-occupied France. Kristin Hannah’s storytelling is both heart-wrenching and deeply inspiring, a masterpiece of historical fiction. Have tissues on hand!’
Nicolay Sorensen - Remains of the day by Kazuo Ishiguro
‘Evocative writing and beautifully realised characters in a story full of sadness and the repressed passion of a bygone era as 'Mr Stephens' lays bare the inevitable regrets that accompanies aging’
Marissa Carrarini - The Cost of Living with Deborah Levy.
A small, thoughtful book that is simply and beautifully written. Part manifesto, part memoir, part meandering thoughts, The Cost of Living brings up questions of womanhood, motherhood, societal expectations and creativity.
Elizabeth Sorensen - Bunny Mellon: Life of an American Style Legend by Meryl Gordon
I have ADORED Bunny Mellon for years and absolutely loved this book about her life. Style icon ( Cristobal Balenciaga created all her gardening clothes), prolific collector, and best friend of the Kennedy’s - this book documents it it all. Summer reading at its most fabulous.
Mark Brunton - The Story of San Michele by Axel Munthe
Introduced to me by my late father. He was allowed to carry one book, whilst fighting in the jungle of Burma during World War 2 and chose this memoir of the Swedish physician who restored a villa on Capri after a vision. Axel Munthe loved animals and people equally , this book tells of his extraordinary adventures with philosophical depth, gentle humour and deep compassion. You can randomly open any page of this beautiful book which provides hope, warmth and inspiration to encounter the challenges of life.
Araminta De Clermont - Demon copperhead by Barbara kingsolver
With its huge themes of addiction, recovery, trauma, and how society looks after children (or doesn’t), what gets us through etc, it is of course deeply relevant. But this book is so much more than that, it’s also a big fat thick book full of epic storytelling and extraordinary characters that actually feel very real indeed. I kind of put life on hold as I read this. To fill the huge gap when I finished, I quickly turned to David Copperfield (the book’s inspiration which I had never read before). That was magnificent too. So actually: my recommendation is firmly both, in no particular order
Jaz Dalrymple - The Master and Margerita by Mikhail Bulgakov
The devil comes to Moscow. (One of the greatest depictions of the devil) Something so brilliant, absurd, confusing, full of poorly concealed allegory, existential crises and fundamentally the pointlessness of poetry there was little more perfect to a 20 year old me who found life all of the above.
I'm quietly confident I had an internal crisis halfway through reading the book, because of it, that tends to be memorable.
Dafni Antonarou - The boy, the mole, the fox and the horse by Charlie Mackesy
A beautiful story that both children and adults can enjoy, with several powerful, sometimes subtle messages throughout. The book explored themes of friendship, difference and belonging. The illustrations are were made by the author and a lovely way to explore the book, especially with younger readers.
Jonathan Livingston Seagull by Richard Bach and Russell Munson
A story exploring difference and perseverance through the metaphor of flight. A seagull wanting something more than what its tribe accepts and searching for a higher purpose.
Robin Fenwick-Smith - Mayflies by Andrew O'Hagen.
I couldn't pick a favourite book ever but this is the last one I loved. The great thing about our Holland Park office is that it is next to Daunts bookshop. I found this in there. It's a book about friendship, growing up in the 80's and as the name suggests how fast time passes. Very poignant and moving.
Becky Burnett - Mothering by Ainslie Hogarth
Red this recently on holiday on a whim and turned out to be brilliant - a dark comedy / horror depicting the extremes of codependency!
Dr Marta Sosnowska-Conradi - The king of warsaw by Szczepan Twardoch
Nuno Albuquerque - The Myth of Normal by Gabor Mate
