Confessions of a Book Nerd: Location, Location, Location

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You know that guy in Saving Private Ryan? The sniper who spouts off prayers while he’s shooting nazis? Well in the movie, there’s this scene where he’s sleeping in a church and no one else can sleep. And they talk about how he can sleep anywhere. Well, let’s say instead of sleeping we’re talking about reading. I’m totally not like that guy. If he could read anywhere, I can’t really do that. I must be in a place that feels comfortable. I have to be rid of distractions and there are several environmental requirements that must be in place for me have a good reading experience.

My wife and my father-in-law can read just about anywhere and can quite easily tune out the world while they do so. And while they have their preferred reading locations, I don’t think they are nearly as picky as I am.

I first became a book nerd as a teenager. I picked up a fantasy series by David Eddings and tore through his entire collection one summer. I had recently purchased a really old orange lazy boy recliner at a yard sale and crammed it into my small room at the back of the house. I would stay up to the wee hours of the morning reading. No sound, no distractions, just me and the books. And while my tastes have changed a bit I do enjoy that sensory deprivation approach to reading on occasion.

However, my new favorite way to read is actually either at a cafe or at a bar. This seems counter my preference for a lack of distractions, but actually, what these public locations provide is white noise. The noise of voices, happenings, clinking of glass and espresso machines actually makes for an acceptable background noise. Why? It makes me feel like I am part of the world going on around me, even as I dive deep into the book I’m reading.

And I love sitting at the bar of a quiet pub with a beer in one hand and my book in the other. Add an outdoor patio in the sun and I’m in my book nerd heaven.

I’ve tried reading with a sports game on, at home with a couple people doing their thing and for whatever reason it’s just a little bit harder for me to focus. So I either have to have a lot of white noise or no noise at all I guess. And it all depends on my location.

What’s your favorite reading location? Reading environment requirements?