Issue Preview: Introducing the Summer 2021 Issue of Gentleman’s Journal

Life’s a beach.

Actually, that’s not quite true. Life most certainly has not been a beach over the past year or so — it’s been a distinctly un-beachy year; perhaps the un-beachiest since records began. But things are changing with all the speed of a keen surfer; racing across the sand to catch that early morning wave.

The world is sunnily reopening — there are shots in the arm and shots in the bar; shackles flung loose, and pints flung skywards (might it, dare we say it, be coming home?) Restaurants are throwing open their doors and our social lives are back — in all their triumphant, tipsy glory.

We might even head to the beach itself. And when we get there, there can be few better companions, if we say so ourselves, than the Gentleman’s Journal Summer Issue. It’s the Riviera in glossy paper form; a literary coastline, if you’ll allow it. Readers can dip their toes in the sparkling turquoise waters of delicate prose, or sift through the sandy grains of juicy anecdotes, all bathed in the sunny rays of luxury, glamour and decadence (we’ll stop this metaphor now, we promise.)

As ever, the trusty Portfolio section kicks things off. If you’re one of the fortunate few to be holiday bound this summer, we’ve got you covered with a selection of sunglasses and poolside reads; and we can even proffer a selection of Riviera homes, should you be looking to emigrate from our humble Isle altogether.

We’ve also carefully curated the very best offerings from the growing trend of green watches; and if working from home has left you with an irresistible urge to redecorate, our deep dives into house plants and soap dishes would seem a good place to start. (If all that decorating leaves you in need of a break, never fear; our selection of luxury ciders should be just the thing.) Have a cider, while you’re at it.

House Notes, next; a treasure trove of cultural analysis that’ll leave you with anecdotes aplenty at your next garden party (if, like us, you’ve forgotten how to deliver small talk). Harry Shukman ponders the rise and rise of financial crisis chic, while Josh Glancy returns from a five year stint across the pond to find a very different Britain to the Britain he once knew.

Concorde’s ‘million mile man’ (also known as Fred Finn) dishes up the details; and editor Joseph Bullmore dissects the origin, cultural history, and untimely demise of the humble high five.

Then there are our Features. This section bursts at the seams with revelatory interviews — whether that’s a dialogue with Louis Theroux about interviewing Louis Theroux, a heartfelt homage to the music industry as told by DJ Martin Garrix, or a sandy stroll back through the beachy, peachy life of Pierce Brosnan.

And that’s not to mention the deep-dive inside the battle for Cornwall, an insight into the Silicon Valley futurists who want to live forever, or the true story of the buccaneering conservationist who was attacked by a lion and lived to tell the gory tale (he also set up a national park or two).

In the style pages, our annual summer shoot also headed to the coast; we travelled to Salcombe, and had far too much fun roaming around its sandy shores. Boats were captained, rugby balls were tossed, and we unpacked more sunglasses, linen shirts and nautical stripes than you could shake a piece of driftwood at.

And so we come to the Society section: rounding things off like the warm summer sun dipping back down into the ocean (last one, we promise). Gambling aficionados will be struck dumb by the antics of the original Clermont Club members, while Chelsea residents will find themselves awash with nostalgia upon reading about the reopening of everyone’s favourite neighbourhood pub.

Private members’ clubs have taken a beating, as outlined by Ed Cumming; but members will be reassured to know that these old boys aren’t going down without a fight. Finally, we launched the first of the Gentleman’s Journal Annual Family Dynasty Stock Reports: let’s just say Murdoch and Kennedy are down, while Kardashian and Hilton are up. Happy splashing.

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