A time and place for reading: what's yours?

The Elliott Bay Book Co. is on First Ave. in Pioneer Square. It is WONDERFUL!!!!!!!!

Where do I read? Hmm...where don't I read.
I read teh newspaper at breakfast,and always have a "recreational reading" book with me in my satchel. A friend of mine from my army days once gave me a button that said: "I am a bookaholic, if you are truly a caring person you will not let me buy another book!"
Speaking of my army days, did you know that the cargo pockets on the BDU pants can each carry a normal sized paperback?

Yes, yes, pillows are very important. I might like a small refrigerator set into a small sidetable...

OssoB (why do i mutate your name like this?) - check this out ! it was in the local paper today - http://www.bowhaus.ca/

Divine, I say, divine! A place for the dog to nap, and a place to stack books, the phone, a cup of tea and a bite-size scone!

In Sydney, we used to have a wonderful travel bookshop, owned by the most erudite of men. I'm a travel tart - so I often was in there, just browsing.

It was in an old church, a beautiful old sandstone building, in the middle of the city, with soaring, cathedral ceilings. He would play beautiful classical music, and there were places to sit. He had second hand travel books, as well as new, and could give a recommendation of the most obscure of locations.

The church was sold for re-development, and he re-located to a fairly soul-less space in the basement of an office building, but still in the middle of the city, and still with the same collection, and wonderful music.

Then I went in one day and he wasn't there, and there was a note saying he thanked friends and customers for their kind thoughts and he was determined to win. I asked the person at the counter, and he said that Fred has a brain tumour, and was having treatment.

Not long after, I saw Fred's death in the paper . The next time I went to look for the shop it was gone, but I tracked it down through the phone book. It's one the edge of the city, in an inconspicuous area (undoubtedly lower rent), and the collection was not so good. But, there was no music, no atmosphere (and an Amex exchange office in the rear of the shop!).

Worst of all was the staff. There was one fellow in his 30's, say. When I asked him about something he just waved me in the general direction of the books, and said it was over there somewhere. When I selected a book on the Loire Valley, he looked at it, said "lawyer valley, eh - where's that? Cringe.

So much for frequenting privately owned, specialist bookshops! Now I usually go to the big chain in the city, which has quite a good travel section (but no one to discuss anything with) - and only head towards the other one when the big store has failed (once so far).

R.I.P - Fred Beck - but I'd bet he isn't.

hmmmmmm

just reading through some of the other responses. No reading material in the john. Unless you count the directions on hair colour packages.

EhBeth, I don't mind the name mutation..and I really like the dog crate. I need one for the car, I've had it, this is the last straw, Pacco has deconstructed one of the side panels...
so I look at your link with special interest.

Bathroom reading, small sized books...

and yes, RIP, Fred Beck.

I carry a book everywhere I go...I have even been known to read in long check-out lines, keep me from being impatient! I read at long stop lights too...just about every where... read at work, breaks and lunch time, keeps me out of the office political stuff that goes on....i've enjoyed reading this forum!!!! :wink:

I read when I eat, too, though not when I'm with others these days. Learned that habit growing up, when I smuggled a newspaper to the dinner table as a way to not listen to dull adult monologues. One of the adults, who shall remain nameless, didn't think I was being polite. Whatever...

My business partner and I read and be quiet when we eat our lunches, except when we go out on our sort of free office day. I call a halt at reading while driving or at stoplights.

I do have something to read in my bag if I am going someplace with a potential wait. Joanne's Fabric Sale for example, with about fourteen people in line ahead of me for buying 40% off with coupon drapery material... had a nice respite myself with the NYTimes magazine section.

Alternately, I do start up conversations with others more easily now than I used to, and I sometimes get the line going
on about some subject.

Ah well, reading may be an addiction, but I don't want to quit.