“The Love of learning, the sequestered nook, and all the sweet serenity of books.” Henry Wadsworth LongfellowYesterday on Twitter I saw this tweet from @buckeyegirl31:
I used to be able to read a book on one of my days off. Now I can't even finish a novella. I just can't find a good reading spot.
—Buckeyegirl31 (@buckeyegirl31) October 15, 2012
Colette is on to something here. I definitely need to feel settled in order to read. During the summer I usually read outside, but once it cools off, I start getting TENSE because I know my reading spot isn't going to work for me anymore (another reason to dislike fall). But suddenly I thought: maybe I could create my own reading spot inside! Here are some musts I need to search out for my own reading nook:
- Good seating. I hate reading in my room because there's no place to sit.
- Lighting, obvs. Preferably both natural and artificial.
- A nice view or something nice to look at. I like to look up from my books once in a while (astonishing, I know), and when I do I want to know if it's day or night outside, and what the weather's like.
- Proximity to other books. This isn't a deal breaker, but it is nice to contemplate one's books while one is reading a book. So meta.
- Music. I like to listen to music while I'm reading, especially if the book I'm reading is a little sleepy.
- A table or steady spot to put a drink and/or snack. I get really thirsty.
Another VERY important factor for all reading nooks is privacy. There's a reason why a lot people read in the bathroom, and it's not because they use the pages in books as toilet paper. If you start reading where people can easily get at you, you're going to be BOTHERED, like our friend M. Poirot here:
Don't let this happen to you.
A reading nook needs to either be hidden or out of the way enough that people won't notice you. For example, this reading nook, which I'm kind of in love with, is only accessible by ladder. This not only makes it private but easily defensible:
And this kids' reading nook is under a tent, which will probably be too claustrophobic for adults:
Finding a private or out-of-the-way space is where I'm running into difficulties on the reading nook front. Right now I'm thinking either a closet or the bathroom are the only likely possibilities (I hate reading in the bathroom, fyi. Not sanitary). I suppose if I got rid of all my CDs and found another place to store my guitar and files I could make some space for a chair in my bedroom. But then I would need to find a comfy-but-narrow chair.
Do you have a reading nook in your house? Any tips or ideas for someone who wants to create their own?
