I don't live in a grand house with the kind of home library you see in magazines and movies. Every part of my home seems like a good place to read a book—a comfortable chair by the window, a side table with a cup of tea, the couch in the living room or even my bed just before I fall asleep.
Looking back over the decades, I have realised that it isn't the furniture or floor-to-ceiling bookshelves that matter. It's the simple and delightful habit of settling down with a book, wherever that may be. It's more about finding a place—whether at home, on holiday or out in nature—and spending a few hours with a good book.
All I need is a quiet spot to read. That's not always the case, though. I often spend most of my one-hour lunch break at the office reading a physical book or an ebook on my tablet, oblivious to the noise around me. I suppose years of reading have made me immune to my surroundings. For years, I also read in Mumbai's packed trains while commuting between my home in the northern suburbs and the city. I would often read several chapters and sometimes even finish a book within a week. So much so that one morning, a fellow commuter remarked, "You read all the time. I don't think I've ever seen you without a book."
While I certainly don't need an Instagram-worthy space, I can't read comfortably or derive joy from reading if the lighting isn't right. I prefer to read in natural daylight whenever possible. At night, I read under a bedside lamp, which makes all the difference. In my experience, it's one of the best investments you can make if you enjoy reading after dark. A table lamp also works well if you usually read in the same spot, while a clip-on reading light is ideal if, like me, you read in bed. Both provide focused lighting that makes reading easier.
Famous authors, past and present—who are too many to name here—have written great books but often have or had remarkably simple reading habits. They were seldom fussy about where they read, settling down with a book wherever they felt comfortable. Many did not have a dedicated study and were just as happy reading in an armchair, at the dining table or in bed. One well-known writer reads in a comfortable chair at home with music playing in the background. Another has spoken of reading while travelling or waiting, as so many of us do. Others saw reading as a personal experience, often spending countless hours in quiet libraries rather than in luxurious surroundings. One writer, in particular, read and wrote in bed for long periods because of poor health, his bedroom becoming both his study and his library. Some authors even enjoyed reading aloud to family and friends.
The important thing is simply to read. The absence of a study or large bookshelves can never be an excuse not to. Nor is how or what we read dependent on having a home library. While most of my books and comic books are stored in cabinets, I keep a small stack within easy reach, usually on a shelf or my bedside table. I change the titles periodically, including books I still haven't read, and sometimes because their covers are aesthetically pleasing.
There's something comforting about seeing books around the house. As the ancient Roman philosopher Cicero is famously believed to have said, “A room without books is like a body without a soul.” For me, it isn't really about how many books I own or whether they're displayed to impress visitors. It's knowing they're sitting there, waiting to be picked up and read whenever the mood strikes.
Comments