All of which is to say that Instagram adding this “what are you reading” banner to user profiles is far from surprising. In order to carry a Daunt Books tote bag, you would have to actually patronise Daunt Books. Likewise, in order to bask in the clout of owning a Fitzcarraldo Editions book, you must buy, if not read, a Fitzcarraldo Editions book and in doing so support an independent press. It perhaps also misses the point that one of the reasons that reading has become so aspirational is because having a rich offline life has become so aspirational. Still, it is worth noting that the appeal of appearing bookish is underpinned by a frankly optimistic belief: that books matter and reading is cool.