Fun fact: in the US, reading as a pastime has fallen by 40 per cent in the past two decades. In the UK, more than a third of adults say they’ve given up reading entirely. (For pleasure, that is; not completely.) The writer James Marriott – whose forthcoming book The New Dark Ages promises to be one of the most urgent of the year – has described this moment as nothing less than the dawn of the post-literate society: the counter-revolution against the reading revolution that birthed the modern world, quietly gathering momentum in each and every one of our pockets.

Summer isn’t just a season – it’s a state of mind. It’s a verb, a way of being and some of us are simply better at it than others. To be clear we don’t mean ‘summering’ in that East Cost, WASP-y sense, whereby where you ‘summer’ is something of a status marker, used to filter out the U from the non-U. Summering doesn’t require a trust fund or sailboats or an inherited country club membership, but merely a zest for life, breath in your lungs and – ideally – a spot of sunshine.

Alfresco entertaining sounds simple, until you're the one hosting. The menu, the drinks, the table set-up, the outfit, all somehow meant to look effortless. So, we asked the people who do it professionally – chefs, restaurateurs, sommeliers and stylists – for any tips that make it a bit easier (and enjoyable). “It’s about creating an experience that feels connected to the environment rather than simply moving the dining room outdoors,” says Miles Tuddenham, co-founder and general manager at Roam restaurant in Devon.

Fitness on holiday isn’t about maintaining an existing routine – it’s about adapting to one. Forget the gym back home. Think sea swims at sunrise, a run before the heat sets in, bodyweight circuits in the hotel room or, better yet, on a shaded terrace. Here, Nike Running coach Emmanuel Ovola and On brand ambassador Warren Whitely share their tips on how to return from holiday in better shape than you left in.

Fun fact: in the US, reading as a pastime has fallen by 40 per cent in the past two decades. In the UK, more than a third of adults say they’ve given up reading entirely. (For pleasure, that is; not completely.) The writer James Marriott – whose forthcoming book The New Dark Ages promises to be one of the most urgent of the year – has described this moment as nothing less than the dawn of the post-literate society: the counter-revolution against the reading revolution that birthed the modern world, quietly gathering momentum in each and every one of our pockets.

Summer isn’t just a season – it’s a state of mind. It’s a verb, a way of being and some of us are simply better at it than others. To be clear we don’t mean ‘summering’ in that East Cost, WASP-y sense, whereby where you ‘summer’ is something of a status marker, used to filter out the U from the non-U. Summering doesn’t require a trust fund or sailboats or an inherited country club membership, but merely a zest for life, breath in your lungs and – ideally – a spot of sunshine.