During the summer months, the hours seem to stretch, our attention sharpens and reading is enjoyed at a different pace. These six books, chosen by members of the Vibia community, are diverse, yet they all share one thing in common: they broaden horizons and enrich the way we see the world.
Why do we read? Because reading expands the mind, opens the door to other lives and, at the same time, allows us to look at our own lives with fresh eyes. We read to recognise ourselves in others, to sharpen our empathy and because, just like a memorable journey or a great love, a good book never leaves us unchanged. We also read because, in a world that moves ever faster, reading invites us to pause, to focus and to embrace a quieter, more thoughtful ritual.
In summer, time slows down, making it the perfect moment to immerse ourselves in new stories, ideas and ways of seeing. To enrich our imagination with new references and then return to everyday life inspired, allowing those stories to find their way into new projects and fresh ambitions. Our team already knows which books will accompany them through slow days and peaceful evenings. Among them are essays on design, but also reflections on society and consumer culture, books about how we live, novels in which the landscape becomes a character in its own right, and collections of short stories. Together, these recommendations are a reminder of the importance of nourishing ourselves with diverse references because we never know which one will spark the next great idea.
Alessio Talamona
Sales Consultant de ITalamona, Bari
Alessio invites us into the mind of designer and artist Bruno Munari through his book Da cosa nasce cosa (How Objects Are Born?). This essay explores how an idea gradually takes shape before becoming an object, revealing a process rooted in human nature, reasoning, evolution and continuous improvement. Through Munari’s reflections, Alessio highlights the importance of disconnecting in order to quietly and methodically deconstruct and reconstruct design ideas. His ideal place to read it is beneath the shade of a tree overlooking a lake or the mountains of Trentino.
«This book taught me that curiosity, combined with the determination to believe in an idea, can lead to genuine evolution. The important thing is to start somewhere, much like the mountain trails that are another of my passions.».
Óscar de la Fuente
Technical Support Engineer at Vibia
Óscar recommends The Era of Emptiness by Gilles Lipovetsky for this summer. This collection of essays examines cultural, political and social issues through a common thread: the individualism that shapes the way we live and consume information, images and experiences. This also influences art—how it is created and how it is perceived. Lipovetsky argues that understanding the artist’s concept has become essential to understanding the work itself. Óscar encourages us to read it as a way of better understanding today’s society and reflecting on the role we wish to play within it.
«This book sets out to explain many of the defining features of contemporary society, and it succeeds—even though it was written in the 1980s. It’s full of ideas, so it’s best absorbed gradually and at a calm pace».
Laura Paris
Legal Director at Vibia
Laura introduces us to one of those novels that engages all five senses. The House of Scorta by Laurent Gaudé tells the story of a family in southern Italy within an extraordinarily vivid atmosphere: the sun and the landscape of Apulia are not merely a backdrop, but characters in their own right. Light becomes an almost sculptural, almost violent force that shapes the family’s character, decisions, pride and destiny. Laura likes to read it in the shade during the hottest hours of the day, creating an almost three-dimensional experience while becoming immersed in the epic quality of everyday life and the humanity of characters shaped by belonging and inheritance.
«Few novels make you physically feel the heat, the dust and the magnetism of southern Italy. It’s a story experienced through all five senses, transporting you instantly to those summer days when time seems to stand still beneath an unforgiving sun.».
Eduard Vicente
Warehouse Manager at Vibia
Eduard recommends the book that changed the way he sees life, habits and success: Atomic Habits by James Clear. The book presents a simple and practical method for improving habits based on the idea that small changes, sustained over time, can lead to remarkable results. Eduard especially appreciates its defence of steady progress over occasional bursts of effort, as well as the importance it places on our surroundings—design, architecture and the environments we inhabit—in shaping our behaviour.
«James Clear explains how major life changes begin with small habits. Instead of magical solutions or radical transformations, he encourages us to improve a little every day and trust in consistency».
Victor Albert
Customer Transport Specialist at Vibia
Amagi, a collection of short stories by Sagar Prakash Khatnani, is Victor’s choice for helping us grow from within this summer, trust ourselves a little more and dare to take the step towards what we have always dreamed of. It brings together a series of transformative stories united by a common thread: each character embarks on a journey in search of freedom, overcoming obstacles, falling, getting back up and ultimately finding themselves along the way. It is a book that perfectly reflects Victor’s outlook on life, where travel, culture and curiosity are the driving forces behind personal growth.
«This book—whose title I have tattooed on my body—taught me that those who set out in search of freedom are destined to find it».
Mercè Borell
Interior Designer and Founder of Mercè Borrell Interiorisme
Cold Skin, by Albert Sánchez Piñol is certainly an adventure novel, but it is much more than that. It challenges us to question our prejudices, look beyond appearances and understand that reality is rarely as straightforward as it seems. The narrative power of the landscape, architecture and light intensifies the story, making it the perfect choice for interior designer Mercè Borell, whose profession reminds her every day—as the novel itself does—that our surroundings have the power to transform the way we think, feel and relate to others.
