Essential travel tool: the book light
Friday, May 22, 2009 at 05:55AM - Outside of a dog, a book is man's best friend. Inside of a dog it's too dark to read.
- Groucho Marx
This trip confirmed it. The small clip-on book light is now on my list of travel essentials. How do I use thee, libris lux? Let me count the ways...
- When traveling alone, meals are nearly always accompanied by reading and restaurants are often dimly lit. While mood lighting might help the appearance of both one's meal and dinner date, it's no boon to readers.
- I started using a booklight when camping. Stil do. Gets dark at night in the wilderness. Really.
- Many hotel rooms have poor bedside reading lamps, lamps on the "wrong" side of the bed, or switches to reading lights across the room. The book light makes a handy little emergency flashlight when looking for light switches as well.
- As only a semi-touch typist, I find public computers often have unfamiliar keyboards that may be difficult to see. My little book light perches nicely above the keyboard as well.
- Usually airplane seats have a good reading light that can be adjusted perfectly. And I use it. Unless, like on my last flight from Tokyo to Minneapolis, the light was not working. Whenever I find something like a light not working on jet, it makes me wonder what else might not be working - like in the cockpit or engine. Doesn't pay to think too long or too hard about that one.
I have used in the past two other kinds of LED lights: the strap-on (makes one feel like one's wearing a jock strap on one's head) and a baseball cap with the LED lights build into the brim (works great, looks nerdy).
But generally I use one of these two models. The flex neck is better for the Kindle since it can be adjusted to avoid any glare on the screen.
But the small flat light is fine for paper book reading and viewing computer keyboards.
Neither are terribly expensive (about $10) and available at Target, Barnes & Noble, and, I suppose, other fine retailers.
Don't leave home without one. Better to light a single book light than to curse the small print.
Reader Comments (6)
Might I also recommend....
http://www.din-associates.com/Read-N-Easy.htm
I have one that I love dearly. It's not easy to get one anymore. I tried to write the company wanting to sell them at my book fair. I never heard back. It was disappointing.
Thanks, Sara. Looks very practical. One of the reasons I like my KIndle is that it lays flat on a table so I don't need to hold it while eating!
All the best,
Doug
Grandson Paul loves the tiny light he got for Xmas from you with an elastic band that holds it to the forehead. I do think it says something about our family that although the packaging suggested camping uses, Paul's first reaction was, "Awesome! I can read in bed!"
That's my grandson!
Dad
Another advantage to the light one wears on ones head is being able to see the way to kitchen for a midnight nosh while reading in bed.
Hi Gwen,
If one can stay awake long enough!
Doug