The Next Best Book Club discussion

I'm getting restless sitting and reading at my parents', admittedly scenic, house, so I'm off for a change in venue. And it made me wonder: what do other folk (that's y'all) look for in your ambiance for reading?

Do you listen to music? If so, what kind? Does it have to be dead quiet? Must there be background hubbub a la coffee shop or public transit commute? Do you need a Python-esque comfy chair or maybe a favorite dormer ledge?

What's your reading setting?

I can read anywhere anytime and have read in all those places you mentioned. I always have a book with me in case I'm having to stand in line or wait for something. It's easy for me to tune things out. My mother has always been a nonstop talker and I learned early on to tune out the nonimportant stuff and just uh huh uh huh it. Somehow my brain was able to pick up what was important and respond accordingly. Just give me a book.

Hi Taejas & all!
Peace is my need, any place that I can go find a spiritual connection with my inner space and start to fill that up with holy words, I usually pray or read the Bible first - sometimes I just look into the sky and admire God's creative Hand. Finally, I need to not hear or see ugly things, I mean, news of horror or stories of horrible waste.
I greatly have a desire to read that which is going to transform me into the Goodness of Christ.
:) Honest answer.
Sharon

I read for an hour every day at a coffee shop while i have breakfast. But i can also read anywhere, except at home. I get distracted.

I love to read first thing in the morning, with a cup of coffee. I am wide awake and refreshed, and am the only one awake (except for the cats) so it's nice and quiet!

I can read anywhere. My favorite spot is on the couch curled up with my dog.

I agree with Debra, I always have a book with me just in case. :)

I can read anywhere but in a moving vehicle although planes seem to be OK. I have seasonal favorites, winter on the sofa with a cup of tea, summer on the porch with iced tea.

I can read almost anywhere, but I am easily distracted by music or TV, so I need quiet. Oddly enough though, if I am out at a B&N or something and they have music playing, that does not distract me, but if I am at home, it does.

I don't mind reading in the car, but I cannot read standing up. Well, I can, but I tend to get lost in the story and forget what I am doing or where I'm going and end up tripping or walking into someone, or NOT walking when I should. It's terrible.

Donna wrote: "I can read anywhere but in a moving vehicle although planes seem to be OK. I have seasonal favorites, winter on the sofa with a cup of tea, summer on the porch with iced tea."

Hi Donna - both you reading venues sound perfect for each season : )

I used to only be able to read in absolute silence. Now, with a 2 yr old and a 3 1/2 yr old running around, I can read with them playing, the tv on and whatever other noise they can throw at me. Of course, the book has to "grab" me before I'm able to read like that. If I'm not that into the book, then forget it, I have to have quiet.

Once, I was reading a biography of Guns n Roses, or maybe it was the Slash Autobiography. Anyway, I played lots of rock music and my husband asked if it was my soundtrack.

Usually, I like quiet, but I do sometimes put on music to read by. I also have 2 kids, so there's usually some kind of noise happening in my house.

I tend to be more distracted by "visual noise". That's my phrase for clutter. If the room I'm trying to read in is too messy, I have to straighten it a little before I can concentrate.

I find distractions less distracting if there are a ton of them. That sounds weird. Let me 'splain.

One person puttering around in front of me making little bumps and bangs and whatnot can drive me nuts, but the busy-ness of coffee shops is okay, because it all blends together into white noise. And there's usually music in the background.

Well, if I'm enjoying the book, I can read it everywhere, proving it's not too noisy of course and well, never on a bus because sadly, that makes me feel sick. The best situation would be a sofa or a bed, where I could lay comfortably as long as I want, perhaps with some music on the background (any genre will do but no radio talking, it distracts me) and a soft light (even if it's not too good for my eyes, I guess). Reading in a green, sunny countryside, under a tree, hearing the birds singing, cicadas chirping... would be like heaven for me!!

It always depends... It´s almost like I read when and where I can lol
I usually read at the car, listen to classic music, while waiting the ferry; or in bed at night; or in the bath lol; in lines, waiting rooms...

I like quite places when the book is too personal, when I´m really involved.
But when the book is more generic I even read in my classroom lol Noises don´t distract me.

I can sometimes read with a little bit of non-lyrical music playing, but I typically prefer not to. I generally don't like to listen to music or have T.V. on as I read. I can normally read on public transport (but not in a car because I start to feel nauseated) unless there are intoxicated people being really loud or children who continuously scream and cry for 20-30 minutes.

Oh yeah Liz, is very sad to feel nauseated... I feel it too :( If I didn´t I could read in the van going to college.. so sad.

Adrienne, I get distracted by the "visual noise" as well. That's why I usually read in my bedroom, which I try to keep immaculate (while the rest of the house is a diaster area).

Most noise I don't mind, except talking or conversation. I can't read if the TV is on, or people are talking nearby. My mind wanders over to what's being said. This is even a problem for me at work. People will have "hallway conversations" near my desk and I will have to put on my headphones to drown them out.

Like Taejas, though if it's a busy coffe shop or an airport, and the talking is just 'white noise' then I'm okay. It's only a problem for me when I can distinctly hear what's being said.

I like reading outside in the Spring and Fall, when it's not too hot. I actually have a small porch attached to my bedroom (I really want to get a porch swing for it...). In the summer here, though, the temp regularly reaches ~95 degrees F, with 90% humidity. That's just plain miserable!

My favorite place is at night in bed with my night light. The house is quiet, everyone is settled and I can wind down with my book. I find though that I can pretty much read anywhere, even in public places but if I can hear people's convos and what they are saying is interesting then I can get distracted easily.

I also can read anywhere, except the car (where I turn to Audio books instead)!!

My most typical places for reading are either on the couch or laying across the bed with the TV turned on to some random bad TV. I also like reading while I eat (no TV on). I prefer reading in private to in public (i.e., I don't go to coffee shops). I very rarely just sit and read without something else going on... I guess I am a multi-tasker!!

Yes, the audio book has been a great invention. I can use it in moving vehicles and while exercising. I can even bribe myself to exercise so I can listen to a real "page turner" book.

Taejas wrote: "I find distractions less distracting if there are a ton of them. That sounds weird. Let me 'splain.

One person puttering around in front of me making little bumps and bangs and whatnot can drive..."

I totally agree with you TAEJAS, I like going to Starbucks where you can munch on something & have that buzzing sound from other people & also some music...what else can you ask for...I really can't read in a dead quite place like the library it makes me sleepy lol & I also can't read in the car---I get nauseated although my mom could do just fine...I usually also like to have the tv in the background---can't have the radio on becuase I'll start singing along lol...I also have no problem reading sitting comfortably in my favorite chair in my room or bundled up in bed before I go to sleep with my book light, on the planes & also when I'm working out on the elliptical...

I read everywhere. Normally nothing interrupts me unless I'm in a restless mood. Then I usually turn to crochet, video games or other mindless and repeating tasks.

Sometimes it depends on my mood though. If I need it to be quiet I shut myself up in my room. Othertimes I'll read in the house common space or at the coffee shop or where ever. I can read in the car, but I get sleepy quickly especially on longer rides so I never read for long while traveling.

I can read anywhere. With noise, without noise, carrying a conversation - this causes many fights with the boyfriend because he NEVER listens to me and he thinks I can't hear him if I'm reading.
My current favorite place to read is in my car.

TV is a solo task activity for me. Music while reading is one thing. TV, on the other hand.... Ugh, TV is the bane of my existence. It is a soul sucking box that prevents me from doing anything else! lol Even when it's only the worst kind of trash that's going on, I end up watching it instead of whatever I'm trying to do (read, grade papers, have a conversation, have conscious thought, etc.).

Taejas wrote: "TV is a solo task activity for me. Music while reading is one thing. TV, on the other hand.... Ugh, TV is the bane of my existence. It is a soul sucking box that prevents me from doing anything els..."

LOL, I agree...so very true...

Carol wrote: "Oh yeah Liz, is very sad to feel nauseated... I feel it too :( If I didn´t I could read in the van going to college.. so sad."

Carol, when I was in Ireland I spent a lot of time in the car and I was really enjoying what I was reading...not fun.
Justine, my boyfriend has learned that even if I don't look like I'm listening, I can still usually repeat back what he says. Good luck!

I read whenever I have the chance--waiting during my 9yo's guitar lesson, waiting at tae kwon do, sitting in the car if my 6yo falls asleep (getting him out will wake him up!). I also read before bed, sometimes while eating lunch, and on the beach. I always have a book.

If I were picky about setting, I'd never get to read!

I read everywhere except a moving vehicle or a hot place - both make me sick. When I read, I'm so into the story that I don't hear anything else - including family. My ex-husband hated that, because it was the only way I could tune out his nagging! (Notice he's an ex!)

I took The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo to book shop cafe to polish off today. I felt very literary -- only way to be moreso would be to read in an Italian cafe swigging grappa with old men, but I settled for green tea.

Taejas wrote: "I took The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo to book shop cafe to polish off today. I felt very literary -- only way to be moreso would be to read in an Italian cafe swigging grappa with old men, but I s..."

green tea gets u a lot less drunk.

I can read anywhere and while I'm doing anything (excluding anything having to do with water). I can even read while I'm walking, which saves me from hours of boredom when I have to go grocery shopping with my parents! I have seasonal favorites too--in the winter/fall, I like to curl up on a sofa or a big comfy chair with some tea. In the summer, I read stretched out in the grass or on the porch with some iced tea.

I can read anywhere, and I can read in snippets....my husband thinks it's hilarious that I can read during television commercials! While I prefer to read in relative quiet and calm (I never get absolute calm with 2 kids), I always keep something to read with me because 30 seconds is enough to read a couple of sentences :)

KristenR wrote: "I can read anywhere, and I can read in snippets....my husband thinks it's hilarious that I can read during television commercials! While I prefer to read in relative quiet and calm (I never get abs..."

I can too. I could never ever leave the house without a book.

Plunk me down anywhere with a book and I'm good to go!

I love reading in bed at night when the house is really quiet and there's nothing to bother me, but I'll read anywhere.

Andreea wrote: "I love reading in bed at night when the house is really quiet and there's nothing to bother me, but I'll read anywhere. "

I love this too.....I usually fall asleep reading - literally! My husband is a night owl and when he comes to bed he finds me dead asleep still holding the book :)

I can't read with music on. It is definitely a distraction, simply because I'm always listening to the lyrics which doesn't work out very well while trying to read.

I laughed at Kristen's response about reading during TV commercials. I do the same thing! That's how I read the majority of my magazines. Why waste all that time listening to Viagra commercials when I could be reading?

Adrienne wrote: "Once, I was reading a biography of Guns n Roses, or maybe it was the Slash Autobiography. Anyway, I played lots of rock music and my husband asked if it was my soundtrack.

Usually, I like quiet, ..."

I love listening to the music of the certain band if I'm reading about them!

I love reading in the morning...it's so peaceful and I am wide awake!! A cup of coffee while reading in bed is the best for me. But I sneak in a few pages whenever I can!

I can read about any time, any place. The other day I was reading during commercial breaks. I used to have the TV and radio going at the same time while reading. And I usually could tell you what each of the three devices was playing (or what I was reading). Now if I had to interact in a conversation, I'd get lost and thoroughly distracted. So no reading when someone is speaking directly to me.

I am able to ZONE out well. Squee!

One of my favorite reading spots is a hot bubble bath, lights low and the rain is pitter-patter on the rooftop. Lots of relaxation then!

Andreea wrote: "I love reading in bed at night when the house is really quiet and there's nothing to bother me, but I'll read anywhere. "
I love that too :)
Darcia, I actually did see one mildy amusing viagra commercial once...We Are The Champions (or something similar) was in the background and it had all of these middle aged men running outside and hugging. In slo mo, of course. Otherwise, most commericals are worth reading through!

If I am in my house I like to read in my papasan chair..so cozy. A liitle Jazz in the background is really nice. I can't listen to music with words because I loose my train of thought and start singing in my head. My favorite place though is the beach... toes in the sand and a good book. There is not much else I need.