In the Northen hemisphere, November has a bad reputation. And let’s be honest here, it has a bad reputation for a reason. It’s a month of darkness, dampness and cold, without any obvious redeeming features. However, I think part of the problem is that we’ve been doing November all wrong. Clearly we cannot change the month itself, but we can certainly adjust our response.

In my personal universe there is nothing that cannot be improved upon by the addition of books. To improve November, I probably need an entire library. In the absence of an actual library in my current abode, I’ve devised this handy cheat sheet to convincingly pretend the opposite:

1. Byredo Bibliothèque candle. I mean, it’s called Bibliothèque. And it does actually smell like the Library of my dreams – leather, wood and violets. Diptyque Feu de Bois is a great alternative if you also want to pretend you have a fireplace.
2. Small tray by Zara Home. I have a weekness for everything equestrian and in my head, there is a connection between books and riding (probably caused by early exposure to The Three Musketeers ). I’d prefer my trays to be from Hèrmes, but am actually quite happy with this elegant version from Zara.
3. Chanel Cuir de Russie. Cuir de Russie is usually associated with heavily smoking flappers or femme fatales, but this beautifully made soapy leather would fit the Imaginary Library atmosphere equally well. I imagine Arquiste’s new Architects Club would also work well: it’s a boozy vanilla meant to capture a moment in a London gentlemen’s club circa 1920. Unfortunately I don’t own it, as it’s a) expensive and b) doesn’t last well on my skin.
4. Val Saint Lambert white wine goblet (from a Brussels antiques market). Remember all those English classics, where men retired to the Library to drink and discuss important things? Times have moved on and everyone can retire whenever and wherever they please, potentially with this beautiful glass that is perfect for port or cherry liqueur.
5. Palais des Thés Thé des Lords. One of course has to have some tea while reading. I think a tarry and smoky Lapsang Souchong would be perfect, but I only had it in an ugly bag. So I’ve photographed Thé des Lords (a nice Earl Grey) instead, because the package is slightly more attractive and I love the name.
6. Maison Dandoy Speculoos. And if tea, then also biscuits. Speculoos is one of the great inventions of humankind and if you haven’t tried it, you should do so immediately.
7. „Strategy“, Lawrence Freedman. November is perfectly suited for heavy, substantial books. You can always go with a classic, as long as it’s not too depressing. But my pick is this very meta book on the history of strategy.