Tome Raiders
Whether you want to indulge a new passion or dive deeper into a lifelong love, let us fill your spring with stories from the worlds of bespoke and luxury.
The Rake is a place of truth and integrity, which is why we felt it was high time we recommended a reading list that will help you go beyond the words in this magazine. Books are the first indicator of a civilised society, and this list is a warranty in the process of creating a civilised man.
Oyster Perpetual Submariner
This is the first book in what will become a series of coffee-table tomes on the different families of Rolex. Submariner has been published by Future in collaboration with the horological titan, and it therefore required a fellow titan to write it, someone whose knowledge and sophistication the project deserved. Rolex and Future turned to the one man they knew would fit the bill: Nick Foulkes. Just when you think Nick has completed his magnum opus, he finds another way of committing to paper his belletrism, his storytelling ability, and his commitment to research and understanding. It is a wonderful read, and we cannot wait for the rest of the series.
Huntsman: Redefining Savile Row
This inclusion was discussed and toyed with for many months, for it was written by yours truly. However, the purpose of the book was not just to document the rise of the industry’s most important tailoring house, it also needed to act as a compendium for those who know nothing of the bespoke process — and therefore, dear reader, I can commend it to you, for I believe it will help you feel integrated in the world before you even set foot on the Row, and will come to understand why a British tailored suit is as important a cultural symbol as the royal family or James Bond.
Cigars: A Biography
This project, by the author’s admission, got a bit out of hand. Aaron Sigmond is not a man to be intimidated by a word count — even less so when he doesn’t set himself one and when the subject is his greatest passion. Cigars is a 416- page guide to the world’s most august agricultural product. Covering tobacco production and cigar making in the Caribbean as well as the U.S., no leaf is left unturned in the pursuit of a fuller understanding and veneration of tobacco and the humble cigar.
The Art of a Jewel
This is not a new book, but it is worth getting hold of. Published by the ever-discerning Assouline, it is a close look at perhaps the most elusive of jewellers, Glenn Spiro. A lot can be said about Spiro and his personal style, but that is for another day; this entry is concerned with his wonderful creations, jewellery that caters not only to the wealthy but the judicious, for not everyone is aware of Glenn, and those who are do not necessarily get access to him, like a modern-day Andrew Grima. This book provides an insight into a world about which men (generally speaking) know very little — it is a world of taste and precision authored by one of the country’s best artists.
Inside Bordeaux
There is no point confidently holding any opinion on wine until you’ve run it by Geordie Willis from Berry Brothers & Rudd. In its infinite complexity, wine needs a scholarly approach. The whole world grows wine, but the north star is Bordeaux. Inside Bordeaux, by Jane Anson, is a 700-page bible on everything you need to know about the wine and the winemakers. It is well researched and looks at all aspects of what makes wine such a complex subject. It was published in 2020 and is still up to date, and while it will quench your curiosity, it will make you unduly thirsty for a bottle.
