The Role of Books in a Screen-Lit World
Courtesy of Maison Plage.
The Role of Books in a Screen-Lit World
with Tamsin Clark, Kelly Croteau, Suhail Cuotto and Cherry Cheng
By Reeme Idris
There has been plenty of coverage recently on the desire to appear well-read, and whether the motive is performative, pretentious and therefore problematic. Take for example, the image of a stack of books, spines facing the back (placed this way so that real estate companies would not have to worry about their commercial use of authors’ works in display homes) which has become popularised by interior design enthusiasts preferring the neutral tones of pages. Or, the colour coordinated beach read in an artfully arranged aerial photograph. More traditionally, hollowed out hardbacks used to decorate a wall, conceal a door or hide unattractive objects; books have long since been props.
The codes of conduct applied to how we present ourselves, no matter how subjectively understood and applied, usually honour sincerity and authenticity, so it’s no surprise that what we appear to read (or collect) is a barometer for self-awareness. However, for many, the dopamine hit from sharing a great cover, or a highlighted sentence on Instagram or TikTok, is simply a by-product of connecting with others over the joy of a good book. The representation of physical books on social media, no doubt virtue signaling in some cases, can also be interpreted (somewhat ironically) as encouragement–and permission–for ourselves and others to put down the phone.
Our tactile connection to the information we consume–scrolling and skimming, versus flipping and turning–can transform how we digest what we read, and how we value the experience. While our everyday mediums (email, text, television) encourage and reward brevity, reading from a page can reignite the synapses in a way that gets too easily deprioritized. Without a glaring screen or moving image, we practice sensemaking, critical thinking, and self-regulation, forging a quiet pathway to the relaxation and contentment our inner worlds crave.
As the aesthetic of reading becomes more popular, we consider whether it's become the incentive we need to keep buying books, by inviting four women using social media to boost their book-based businesses, to discuss the crossover with our digital world.
KELLY CROTEAU
Founded in 2019 by Kelly Croteau, Maison Plage is a destination for those seeking rare, out of print, and new books relating to art, design, travel and photography. Each book is hand-selected by Croteau, who collaborates with private individuals, interior designers, and brands, to curate exclusive collections and libraries. Inspired by French grandeur and the beach, the world of Maison Plage merges leisure and luxury, with coffee table books sourced to encourage escapism and creativity.
SUHAIL CUOTTO
Born and raised in Venezuela, Suha Cuotto is the founder and curator of Boga Avante Shop. With a career rooted in fashion, she earned an MA in Textile Design from Chelsea College of Arts in London, refining her expertise in materials, craftsmanship, and design. She worked as a fashion buyer for luxury brands before launching Boga Avante in 2020—a destination for meticulously curated vintage pieces that blend heritage with modernity. Her work takes her across the world sourcing for vintage decorative objects, tableware, and rare books, each chosen for its singularity, craftsmanship, and relevance. With a sharp eye for detail and design, she redefines vintage as something both enduring and effortlessly modern.
TAMSIN CLARK
Tamsin Clark is a bookseller, publisher and book-maker. Tamsin is Director of Tenderbooks, a space for independent publishing in central London. Tenderbooks programmes regular exhibitions and events by contemporary artists who work with printed matter in expanded forms. The bookstore is also committed to showing rare and avant-garde material alongside new titles with an emphasis on supporting small presses and self-published works. Projects to date have featured collaborations with AA Bronson and General Idea, Cory Arcangel, Atelier E.B., Baldwin Lee, Thurston Moore and Ecstatic Peace Library, Sheila Rock and Lina Scheynius. Tamsin also makes artist books with her friend Richard Bevan under the imprint 'Setsuko'. Tamsin is interested in how carefully sequenced images tell stories.
CHERRY CHENG
Cherry Cheng is the founder and creative director of Jouissance Parfums, the subversive perfume brand translating erotic literature into scents; the works of Anaïs Nin, Anne Desclos and Catherine Millet have all been inspirations for their perfumes. Cherry studied Art Business at Sotheby’s Institute and Contemporary Art Theory at Goldsmiths. Jouissance was born during the pandemic, when Cherry found solace in literature, like radical French feminist Hélène Cixous, whose 1975 essay, Le Rire de la Méduse, is the source for Jouissance’s name. Since starting Jouissance, Cherry went on to study at the Grasse Institute of Perfumery, and in February 2024, she became the first private student of renowned French perfumer, Antoine Lie.
CURRENTLY READING
THE CONTEMPORARY COMMUNITY OF BOOK READERS
OUR EMOTIONAL CONNECTION TO BOOKS
HAS READING BECOME PERFORMATIVE?
READING AS SELF-CARE
