I went to Oxford last weekend to see my long time book buddy and university friend, Daisy. I never really realised we were book-mates until recently. We chat about everything under the sun, but the conversation always takes a literary turn. Every time we meet we swap books, tell of exciting new titles, moan bitterly that Mantel won and recommend past reads. I return home from our meetings laden with more books than I left with.

What’s more, we enjoy the same types of books. I think we first bonded over a mutual love of Virginia Woolf which has since spanned out from Alison Moore to Sharon Olds to Samuel Thompson. Having a book buddy is great; it’s like having two sets of eyes and two brains with which to burrow into the cluttered world of literature. Her recommendations are books I would never normally come across on my own but end up loving nonetheless.

So go out and grab yourself a book buddy. Best found in libraries and bookshops, often seen wearing thick knits and clunky shoes. They’re a wonderful way to find new books and they don’t send half as many ‘recommendation’ emails as Amazon do…

Sophie Robinson, Publishing Assistant