# What reading material is in your bathroom? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [September 6, 2001, 2:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-reading-material-is-in-your-bathroom/80036 "2001-09-06T14:41:15Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![mouthbreather](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a698b9/32.png) [@mouthbreather](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mouthbreather)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2001, 4:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-reading-material-is-in-your-bathroom/80036/21 "2001-09-06T16:04:28Z")
I have the first two straight dope books and an assortment of Maxim magazines. I rotate my stock regularly. (My reading material, smartass!) ---
**Author:** ![bobkitty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/c67d28/32.png) [@bobkitty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bobkitty)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2001, 4:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-reading-material-is-in-your-bathroom/80036/22 "2001-09-06T16:13:18Z")
Uhhh… let’s see. A how-to book on Masonry and Concrete A book on electrical codes A couple different car restoration magazines At least two issues of the Journal of Counseling and Development Very dog-eared copies of _The Prince_ and _The Art of War_ Oh, and kayT… on Tuesdays I carry in the TV Guide to do their crossword. -BK ---
**Author:** ![Tretiak](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a88e57/32.png) [@Tretiak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tretiak)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2001, 4:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-reading-material-is-in-your-bathroom/80036/23 "2001-09-06T16:40:28Z")
Right now I only have _Our Dumb Century_ from The Onion guys. I also keep an issue or two of _Chess Life_ in there, usually. ---
**Author:** ![Politzania](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/3ab097/32.png) [@Politzania](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Politzania)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2001, 4:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-reading-material-is-in-your-bathroom/80036/24 "2001-09-06T16:49:56Z")
Usually it’s something along the lines of Calvin & Hobbes, Bloom County, Far Side, Dilbert, Foxtrot etc. along with a factoid-type book. Straight Dope (natch), True Facts, etc. The books are there cause the articles are nice & short and they’re easier to read while brushing my teeth than an oversized comix collection. ---
**Author:** ![flodnak](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/838e76/32.png) [@flodnak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flodnak)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2001, 4:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-reading-material-is-in-your-bathroom/80036/25 "2001-09-06T16:56:46Z")
At the moment, the newest issue of _New Scientist_, a two-week-old issue of _KK_ (Norwegian women’s magazine), one of the books from Jan Guillou’s Crusader trilogy, _Garfield Sits Around The House_, and the pride of the collection, _Green Eggs and Ham_. Time to clear out the bathroom? Mmmmmyeah. Just maybe. ---
**Author:** ![Knighted\_Vorpal\_Sword](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ac91a4/32.png) [@Knighted\_Vorpal\_Sword](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Knighted_Vorpal_Sword)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2001, 5:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-reading-material-is-in-your-bathroom/80036/26 "2001-09-06T17:05:46Z")
I’m somewhat surprised and disappointed that nobody has mentioned the series of _Uncle Johns Bathroom Readers_. For those not familiar, this is a series of books specifically written for reading while on the throne. We have about six of them, as well as _When do Fish Sleep and Other Imponderables_, and a book of quotes (I can’t think of the title right now, something about the 2011 best quotes of all time. I’m also happy to report that my kids are picking up the habit of bathroom reading as well, without any encouragement from me! ---
**Author:** ![lieu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c2a13f/32.png) [@lieu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lieu)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2001, 5:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-reading-material-is-in-your-bathroom/80036/27 "2001-09-06T17:06:35Z")
Uh, I’ve got some guy’s journal with a bunch of words and pictures and stuff. Private Spivey ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Lao](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/2bfe46/32.png) [@Dr.Lao](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Lao)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2001, 5:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-reading-material-is-in-your-bathroom/80036/28 "2001-09-06T17:55:36Z")
_The Onion: Finest Newsreporting Volume 1_. _The Onion_ books or the newspaper itself (if you can get it) make excellent bathroom reading, since it is easy to finish each story fairly quickly. ---
**Author:** ![lawoot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/35a633/32.png) [@lawoot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lawoot)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2001, 6:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-reading-material-is-in-your-bathroom/80036/29 "2001-09-06T18:14:04Z")
_Earl Emerson’s_ **The Million Dollar Tattoo** _Neal Stephenson’s_ **Zodiac, an Eco-Thriller** _Wiley’s_ **Dead Lawyers and other pleasant thoughts** (a **Non Sequitor** book) ---
**Author:** ![gobear](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/8dc957/32.png) [@gobear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gobear)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2001, 6:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-reading-material-is-in-your-bathroom/80036/30 "2001-09-06T18:17:06Z")
Right now, on the back of my toilet I’ve got_The Simpsons Forever_, the newest issue of _Scientific American_, a Spanish vocabulary book, and an old Ripley’s Believe It or Not paperback. ---
**Author:** ![Labdad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/439d5e/32.png) [@Labdad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Labdad)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2001, 6:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-reading-material-is-in-your-bathroom/80036/31 "2001-09-06T18:26:25Z")
Right now it’s _Everything You Pretend to Know About Food (And Are Afraid Someone Will Ask)_ by Nancy Rommelmann > [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by adam yax \* > \*\*currently the book _Ghost Story_ by Peter Straub. \*\* Cool! As I noted [in this thread,](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?threadid=84961) it sure scared the shit out of me! ---
**Author:** ![HelloKitty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/ecccb3/32.png) [@HelloKitty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HelloKitty)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2001, 8:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-reading-material-is-in-your-bathroom/80036/32 "2001-09-06T20:52:52Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by plnnr \* > \*\*I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again - the bathroom is not a library and shouldn’t be used as such. How long can it take? Don’t you have more comfortable chairs? What about the smell? Would you visit the real library more if it smelled like a toilet? > > Go in, take care of business, get out. THEN go to a comfortable chair, with good lighting no noxious odors, and read your hearts out. \*\* This post reminds me of the “Seinfeld” ep where George went to the bookstore and took an architecture (or was it some kind of art?) book into the bathroom. When he tried putting it back on the shelf, the store personnel saw that he had just come out of the bathroom, and they made him buy it. Then, of course, all attempts at him returning the book or even donating the book to the homeless were thwarted because of where he had read it. ---
**Author:** ![Creaky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e68b1a/32.png) [@Creaky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Creaky)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2001, 10:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-reading-material-is-in-your-bathroom/80036/33 "2001-09-06T22:13:37Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by plnnr \* > **…the bathroom is not a library and shouldn’t be used as such… What about the smell? Would you visit the real library more if it smelled like a toilet?** Okay, _that_ was funny. I’m still cracking up. Makes me wonder if those of us who read in the bathroom might make a visit to the library if we were constipated… you know, to stimulate a conditioned response of sorts. Uh, not like I’ve ever _done_ that, of course. I mean, _I_ go to the library to check out books. Yeah, that’s it… (My bathroom reading material is mostly catalogues and old “Cat Fancy” magazines.) ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Cynical](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ee59a6/32.png) [@Mr.Cynical](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Cynical)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2001, 10:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-reading-material-is-in-your-bathroom/80036/34 "2001-09-06T22:39:08Z")
In my bathroom is the universally admired tome: _ **The Big Damn Book of Sheer Manliness** _ ---
**Author:** ![peewee\_RotA](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/3d9bf3/32.png) [@peewee\_RotA](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/peewee_RotA)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2001, 10:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-reading-material-is-in-your-bathroom/80036/35 "2001-09-06T22:58:45Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by MsRobyn \* > \*\* > > > [@](#): > > > > \*Originally posted by plnnr \* > > \*\*I’ll grant you that exception, jarbaby. But otherwise - the appeal completely escapes me. \*\* > > Consider this, plnnr. I’ve got irritable bowel syndrome and occasionally have to spend some time in my second-favorite room of the house. I’d rather enjoy the company of a good book than my own thoughts. > > Robin \*\* Yeah, well plnnr is obviosly a guy, and the rest of you are all females! MEN GET THEIR GREATEST THOUGHTS ON THE JOHN! Take for instance “The Thinker” you don’t think that guy is neked for no reason! And what about that light bubl that pops up when you get an idea? Pure proof that mr. edison figured it out on the john! What about Back to the future? Doc. discovered the “flux Capasider” while in the bathroom. by reading in the bathrooms you are wasting valuable thinking time… I mean you don’t think the people that invented laxatives weren’t on the john at the time, do you? ---
**Author:** ![handy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b5a626/32.png) [@handy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/handy)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2001, 11:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-reading-material-is-in-your-bathroom/80036/36 "2001-09-06T23:01:15Z")
“the bathroom is not a library and shouldn’t be used as such” What do you do when you visit a public library bathroom? ---
**Author:** ![toshirodragon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e68b1a/32.png) [@toshirodragon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/toshirodragon)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2001, 12:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-reading-material-is-in-your-bathroom/80036/37 "2001-09-07T00:30:39Z")
My bathroom has a sign: The Wanderer’s office. Please call ahead for appointment. Approximate wait time: Until his feet fall asleep or he finishes the comic… ---
**Author:** ![Jophiel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jophiel/32/66_2.png) [@Jophiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jophiel)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2001, 1:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-reading-material-is-in-your-bathroom/80036/38 "2001-09-07T01:55:00Z")
Various _Foxtrot_ books The two _Onion_ collections A couple rotating _Big Book of…_ volumes (I think Hoaxes and Criminals is in there now) The user guide to _1602 A.D._ (And why it’s in there, I don’t know) The Prima guide to _Everquest_ And finally, some assorted issues of _Landscape Contractor_, _Irrigation Contractor Monthly_ and other trade magazines I get free. ---
**Author:** ![Monster104](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c6cbf5/32.png) [@Monster104](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monster104)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2001, 2:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-reading-material-is-in-your-bathroom/80036/39 "2001-09-07T02:01:07Z")
Uncle John’s Bathroom Reader is the best series of books to read. It really does help ease the strain. I’m an official carded BRI (Bathroom Reader’s Institute) Member! ---
**Author:** ![urban1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/d07c76/32.png) [@urban1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/urban1)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2001, 2:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-reading-material-is-in-your-bathroom/80036/40 "2001-09-07T02:29:38Z")
Bathrooms are where I read my magazines; both at home and at the office. I don’t stay in there long, but I feel that not reading something would be a waste of time. Magazines, of course, rotate. I seldom reread, or even save, them. Most common are ‘Fortean Times’, ‘Archaeology’, ‘Industry and Technology’, ‘Discovery’, etc. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-reading-material-is-in-your-bathroom/80036.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-reading-material-is-in-your-bathroom/80036.md?page=3)