Helen McCrory

I tend not to read anyone unless they’ve been buried, but this is a book that reminds us of the most important value: ‘You are not a consumer, you are a creative person.’ As someone who was bought up in Africa with no advertising at all, I find it striking how relaxed my attitude is compared to lots of people brought up in the western world. How to be Free is a joyful call to arms to care less about materialism: ‘Learn how to whistle, throw your watch away, forget career, spend a summer reading books.'