When I read in the wee hours I want to disturb my wife’s sleep as little as possible, but I also want the light to be very practical. What works for you?
Mostly of my nighttime reading is on a tablet, but I’m not interested in completely abandoning printed books and magazines.
Soft light. The bulb in my bedside light is only 25 watts, and that is shaded.
Before I had my tablet to read on, I used one of those book lights that clamps/clips onto the book.
Before tablets, I used a book light all the time (like every night). I did a lot of trial and error, and the best thing I found was a light where the part with the clip (that goes on the book) was separate (connected by a cord) from the battery compartment. Those were hard to find, but totally worth it.
With the other kind, where the batteries are in the part clipped on the book, the weight of the batteries on the book was annoying, and when I was reading a thin paperback (or magazine!) that weight caused the whole thing to flop over.
So if you can, try to find something like that–a battery compartment that can sit on the bed or nightstand or whatever, with just a very lightweight clip and bulb on the book.
Things may have gotten better now, with better battery technology and LED lighting, but still I think if you’re going to clip onto the book, use the lightest possible unit.
I switched to a neck light.
Those are much easier to aim, can be worn out of the bed so they’re good for walking to the bathroom etc., and stay out of the way. I strongly suggest getting a rechargeable one, like those in the link. The others eat batteries. I can’t recommend any particular one because the model I use isn’t made any more and tons of newer models with more brightness levels and features have come out since.
It may or may not suit your needs, but Lampasaurus will definitely look cool:
I’ve got a regular old lamp, with a regular old 40 watt soft white LED bulb. Works great with my old non-“Paperwhite” Kindle.
My wife has a 25 watt CFL in her lamp, and it’s not that bright. I regularly fall asleep while she’s reading with it on.
Looks like very old technology.
I’ll suggest an even lower tech solution: If you don’t have a bunch of flammable stuff piled up on your bedside table, a candle works great. Nice warm light, enough to read by but unlikely to wake anyone up.
Before Kindle, I bought my Wife a goose neck bed side lamp. It sort of worked.
The Neck Light mentioned above looks kinda interesting.
Then I bought us both Kindle Paperwhites. Now I know that folks like the feeling of the actual paper book. My Wife and I did too.
But, an eBooks brightness is adjustable from bright sunshine to sleeping in bed. The other benefit is that you can read them one handed. Get under those covers. Another is that they are silent. No flipping pages that could be annoying to someone trying to catch some zzz’s next to you.
Other benefits are that you can tether it to your phone, to where ever you go, you have your book. Waiting in the doctors office? You’re all set. Read on your phone, it will pull up where your last page was.
And while my Wife and I do do adventure type vacations. We also like hanging by the pool. Finnish a book? Just get another one. Easy Peasy. We also have learned to travel light. The ebook solves that.
Now this may not work for many magazines and stuff. And it takes a second to see the cover art and stuff. But, myself, I don’t care.
Sometimes OP (Baal_Houtham) you have to literally pull the plug (on lamps to read literature). We did, not looking back.
I’ve long used an IKEA high-intensity desk lamp as a reading light in bed. The headboard is essentially a bookshelf so the lamp just sits on the flat top. The light is normally very bright (and very white) but I have it on a dimmer, which can reduce it to a pleasant mellow glow. The upper part of the stem is flexible so the reflector assembly can be aimed as desired, and then adjusted to the desired brightness. It’s perfect for reading, though most of the time my ideal for bedtime reading is the illuminated Kindle Paperwhite.
I use a good quality book light. I used to use cheap ones, but they kept falling apart or failing. The one I use now clips onto the book securely (which works well with hardcovers or thick paperbacks. Otherwise I balance it on my chest). It also uses easy to find and replace AAA batteries.
My daughter got one for Christmas, but it needs to be charged before use, and she hasn’t done that yet, so I can’t comment on it. Smaller than I thought it’d be, though.
That’s how my gf and I do it. Almost every night we both read for 5-60 minutes before going to sleep.
I prefer a kerosene hurricane lamp, or even better, just an open burning torch, especially if you are reading medieval fiction. The occasional house fire is totally worth the ambience it brings to a late night reading session.
Stranger
We have some nice ones and place chess by them. They are indispensable when the power goes out.
It’s kind of romantic to play chess within the light of a lantern and fireplace. I love it.