Show and Tell: Rioter Reading Places

Liberty Hardy

Senior Contributing Editor

Liberty Hardy is an unrepentant velocireader, writer, bitey mad lady, and tattoo canvas. Turn-ons include books, books and books. Her favorite exclamation is “Holy cats!” Liberty reads more than should be legal, sleeps very little, frequently writes on her belly with Sharpie markers, and when she dies, she’s leaving her body to library science. Until then, she lives with her three cats, Millay, Farrokh, and Zevon, in Maine. She is also right behind you. Just kidding! She’s too busy reading. Twitter: @MissLiberty

The staff here at Book Riot love to talk about books – but we wouldn’t know so much about them if we didn’t spend some time reading them! Here’s a peek at a few of the places where we put the books in our brains. And please leave a comment letting us where you like to read!

Name: David Abrams
Location: Butte, M.T.
Where I read: The bathroom–whether it’s a stall in the employee restroom at work or a porta-potty in the middle of the Iraqi desert, it doesn’t matter.  I love the solitude and the serenity (depending on what I ate the night before) that comes with just me, a porcelain bowl, and a book.  This particular bathroom is on the second floor of our home and it’s where I do most of my early-morning reading.  The vintage “ride” sign above the toilet was my wife’s idea of a joke.

David Abrams reading places

 

Name: Jeremy Anderberg
Location: Denver, C.O.
Where I read: My nook comes with everything you could need for a perfect afternoon of reading: bookshelf loaded with favorites, Keurig, small lamp, ugly (but unbelievably comfortable) brown chair, and a Frankenstein Postertext looking over my shoulder.

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Name: Tasha Brandstatter
Location: Colorado
Where I read: Outside! As Cicero once said, “If you have a garden and a library, you have everything you need.” And also a puppy.

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Name: Becky Cole
Location: Washington, D.C.
Where I read: A wide, comfy chair with a cheerful pillow, appropriately bookish blanket, and convenient footrest, right next to a sunny window. It’s also where I was sitting (and what I was doing) when my then boyfriend asked me if I would marry him.

Becky's reading chair

 

Name: Rachel Cordasco
Location: Madison, W.I.
Where I read: Comfy couch corner: It’s the perfect place to sink in and lose myself in a book. The window there and the grandfather clock ticking away in the background make it a peaceful little corner.

bookish-couch

 

Name: Brenna Gray
Location: Vancouver, B.C.
Where I read: This location is perfect because it’s the sunniest part of our apartment, fireplace adjacent, and within a flailing arm’s reach of our biggest bookshelf.  The chair is ridiculously overstuffed and perfect for impromptu naps. And, let’s face it: happiness is a warm cat.

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Name: Rachel Smalter Hall
Location: Lawrence, K.S.
Where I read: We just moved into our first house this spring, and I’m psyched finally to have my own little library. It has a scruffy velour chair, a chevron-patterned futon, artwork by friends, slanty bookshelves organized by color, and KITTEHS.

readingnook

 

Name: Liberty Hardy
Location: Portsmouth, N.H.
Where I read: Behold, the mighty book tower! This room has stacks of books, floor to ceiling, along all the walls. It’s where I spend all my time sopping up books with my brain-bread. This is one of my cats, Steinbeck. He likes to stare at me while I read. He’s probably concerned about the smoke that comes out of my ears.

readingplace

 

Name: Rebecca Joines Schinsky
Location: Richmond, V.A.
Where I read: When the day’s work is done, or when I just need a break, I can be found here, in my reading nook. Located in a corner of my living room, it faces away from the TV (one must do everything one can to prevent distraction) and gives me everything I need: a comfy chair, a table on which to rest my glass of wine, and a view of favorite bookshelves. I can’t think of a better place to unwind or spend a lazy Saturday afternoon.

reading nook

 

Name: Rita Meade
Location: Brooklyn, N.Y.
Where I read: This is a bench in a little park not too far from the library in which I work. It’s not the fanciest of reading spots, nor the most comfortable, but it’s one of the only places where I can find some peace (if not quiet) to read on my breaks.

bench

 

Name: Cassandra Neace
Location: Houston, T.X.
Where I read: My favorite reading spot is a big, comfy leather chair and ottoman. I usually have a cat perched on the back of the chair, reading over my shoulder. Directly across from the chair is just one of a few bookshelves and a few bookish pieces of art.

CassandraReadingSpot

 

Name: Casey Peterson
Location: The Graywolf Press warehouse, Minneapolis, M.N.
Where I read: One day, from who knows where, this comfy chair appeared in our warehouse. I like to sneak down here and read on my lunch break. In fact, I finished a book here today!

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Name: Johann Thorsson
Location: Iceland
Where I read: My absolute favorite place to read is in the tub, with a nice cold beer by my side.

BathRead

 

Name: Greg Zimmerman
Location: Chicago, I.L.
Where I read: Some dudes have man caves. I have a Book Room. The walls of this room are lined with bookshelves, and in the corner, I read in this comfy chair, a reading lamp over my shoulder, watched closely by concert posters.

Photo Oct 15, 4 42 20 PM

 

 

 

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