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Book Lights
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Joanie,I use a booklight and found my most recent one at the Discovery Channel Store that used to be in my mall. I like it cause it is slim, battery operated, and clips onto my books. The light is LED lights and has a good reach - my hardcover Shantaram was a good test for this! It's very light, easy to travel with. I have an itty bitty book light as well, but the battery pack and cords attached to it kind of take away from the "itty bitty" :/
I found an el cheapo from Wally World that cost $5. It is LED like Shannon's. I found it worked well for hardcover but I struggled a bit with a mass market paperback. However, my wife likes it far better than the bedside lamp so I can deal.
I use the same light Jeremy has. I, too, think it works great for hard cover, but am not crazy about using with the small paperback books.I also have one of those lights that things that looks like a large piece of plexiglass. You put it over the top of the page you're reading, turn it on and it lights up from the spine of the book. The size is good for hardcover or those sized books, but again, not great for the little ones. I rarely use this light either because I don't like having to pick it up, turn the page, put it back down and repeat.
If I had to, I'd just keep replacing my Wally World booklight. In fact, I have... My first one was torn apart (I think in a tug-a-war with my puppy dogs). I lost the second so I bought a third, and then found the second. Isn't that about how it goes?
Mod
If I ever get another husband, I'll get a booklight. Until then I just switch on the bedside light, the cat doesn't mind at all.
OK.....this may sound strange but hear me out. MY CELL PHONE!!! My cell phone has a "flashlight" option and this is the BEST book light I have ever had. IF by chance your cell phone has this feature, try it. If not, when you get a new cell phone in the future, consider it. I read in bed EVERY night. I prop myself up on 2 pillows, shove my body pillow under my legs and stick my CELL PHONE to my forehead. Ta-DAH!!! Perfect lighting that won't wake my husband. The best EVER. Well...almost EVER...!!! (chuckle...) Another contraption that works VERY well is a head lamp. My husband found a small spelunker's headlamp at a Back Country Outfitter's store to solve this VERY problem. (He is such a genious...sigh!) That worked just as well. The only difference is to strap-on or stick-on. Either way....the best yet. And I have tried EVERYTHING. Including the Light-wedge plexiglass thing. Hands down! Cell phone or head lamp......PERFECT!!!
OMG .....I know you are being serious but I just got a mental image of me lying in bed with a speluker thingy ma doojie on my head and , had I been drinking diet pepsi it would now be all over the place. Very good idea though.
(chuckle!) I know! But I am a worm so...gotta feed the beast...even if I have to sacrifice a little "night-time curb appeal" to do it! (guffaw!) 
I love the head lamp idea! That is the funniest thing I have ever heard! My husband has a baseball cap that has a built in head lamp- his mother bought it for him, it's horrible because the light makes the hat not sit right on your head and it looks totally ridiculous but it would probably work well if I wore it it bed. Never thought about the cell phone either-I'll have to give it a shot.
Pamela, I think you should take a picture. It would make a great profile shot :-)
I have been disappointed in every book light that I have ever purchased, very frustrating. I don't have to use one very often, but it would be nice to have one that gave good coverage and was easy to use when I do need one. I am going to look up the one that you suggested, Shannon, from the Discovery Channel Store. Maybe, at last it will be a book light that I like.
Okay, the "head light" is the best idea ever. I so want one! Now, where in the world would someone get something like that?
Mine I think is the same as Lori's.
The Headlight is a great idea, I have a ton of those in my camping bin.
The Headlight is a great idea, I have a ton of those in my camping bin.
The "headlight" is an awesome idea! Kathy, I hope they still have it, I have been really happy with it. If not, it sounds like the one lori found may be similar.
Ikiwiki, my husband has a headlight from Lowe's (a home improvement store if that's not as universally-known as I think it is). He uses it for manly-tool-kind of stuff, but it does sound like a great idea for a book light!
Hmmm...I have a couple of "head" lights for my job. I never considered them using them at home.
2 + 2 equals chicken
2 + 2 equals chicken
I think I am going to have to try this headlight idea. That sounds great to me. I'm sure I'll look funny...but oh well....lol
Looks like I'll be making a trip to my local hardware store this weekend...
After I posted to this discussion I got on good ole Google and found a book light called Beam N Read. It's one that hangs from your neck, freeing your hands and not interfering with the book pages either. I thought it looked quite serviceable. Has anyone ever heard of or used this product?
Kathy, my mom got me one like that, but I never have enough AAA batteries to use it! It looks like it would work really well, though.
Here is the headlamp I have:Pelican 2620 HeadsUp Lite Hands Free Xenon/LED Flashlight
Like I said, this came out of my husband's camping gear...most of which he has never used. I like it because there is nothing (like a battery pack) on the back of the strap and the strap is just the single one and does not have one over the top of your head from front to back. The beam is adjustable and the light part swivels so you can move it to your book. I've never had trouble with batteries. It seems to last for a long time. But then, my husband is the battery guy...always changing them where they are needed so I never seem to be bothered by that problem. I love it! Although the one that goes around your neck is very intriguing...wonder what that one would be like?
OH! And I looked online and the price for the one we have is between $27 to $37 depending on sales. There are other less expensive ones that would probably work just as good. I hope my husband doesn't decide he needs it back!
Kathy, you inspired me to finally remember to grab batteries for my around-the-neck booklight. Mine is really bright and you can angle the lights a little to direct them to shine where you want them. I'm taking it on vacation with me, so I'll see how it really works then.
In leau of purchasing a "head light," I'm thinking I can take my current clip on book light and clip it to a head band. Place the head band on my head and voila, a head lamp I shall have. :-)
I never use one. Maybe because of the image I got when I was little: don't read in the dark with a light, otherwise you'll have to wear glasses!! Or maybe it is jsut bcause I have always been the earliest in bed, so put the light on in the room.
EXCELLENT IDEA IKIWIKI!!! Now that is ingenuity...not to mention, saves money too! (I'm a penny pincher) Let us know if that works and how you like it...now THAT would be a funny pic. I am imagining you in a hot pink aerobics sweatband with your booklight hooked into the front....propped on 2 pillows with bunny slippers on...LOL!!! ROCK ON!!!
Hi...I also use a headlamp for reading. I discovered this use for my camping headlamp after burning out my annoying Itty Bitty Book Light. Get a nice lightweight one from an outdoor store. They use normal batteries (not hard-to-find watch batteries) and give off great light, sometimes with several options (LED & other). And no big plastic thing to wedge into your book! Plus, my husband thinks the headlamp is sexy.
Oh, Pamela! I may have to put that together in a picture just for this group! I'll have to see what I can scrounge up in my house...I do have a cute pair of "lamb" slippers which may have to work instead of bunnies.;-)
I can't believe I forgot to post this...A week or so ago my hubby wanted to pick up a carbon monoxide monitor. We headed to target and ended up in the smoke alarm section where the monitor is. Turns out, this is also the section where flashlights live.
Guess what I found!!!!
An honest to goodness headlight! It's even called a headlight! There's a strap that goes around my head and the LED light sits in the middle of my forhead.
It's just bright enought to light up what I'm reading and as I turn my head from page-to-page I can easily see everything. It's fabulous!
The one downside, I took the light to work to "brag" to a co-worker or two. They TOTALLY laughed and said I would look ridiculous with it on. Oh well, at least I can see when I read!
To hell with the co-workers! Bravo Iki!
Thanks for the encouragement and giggle, Jeremy!
"I'm good enough, I'm smart enough, and I can wear pink fluffy slippers in Walmart......and gosh darn-it.....PEOPLE LIKE ME!!!.....even though I wear a head light to read when I go to bed!!!!
Rock on Ikiwiki!
(chuckle.....chuckle.....smile!)
A headlight--I might have to try that. Otherwise, have tried clip-on lights and small flashlights. They never seem to work!Holly
Wonders and Marvels
I'm tellin' you, the headlight is the way to go! I love it!!!! It's in the flashlight section.
This thread reminds me of when I was a kid and I'd read in bed with a flashlight. Then my mom would yell at me to turn off the flashlight and go to sleep. My bedroom door was always shut so I never knew how she knew the flashlight was on...scary mommy. I found out years ago that mom always knew I was reading in bed so she started sending me to bed 15 minutes earlier than usual and I never noticed because I never paid attention to the time. Then, she'd let me read for 15 minutes before yelling at me. Hmmm....smart mommy?I saw headlight flashlights at Lowe's yesterday. I almost bought one because of this thread. But, since I don't live with my parents I don't really need one.
So do the headlights leave those nice, sexy marks on your face like the goggles from chemistry class used to? I'm picturing a big dent right in the middle of your forehead after you take it off... :-)
I've been wanting a book ligth for a long time. i've finally bought one this summer, its one of those small portable ones. like a small flashligth. havent used it yet
I had no need of a booklight until I went on vacation and the room didn't have a lamp by the bed. I was too lazy to get up and shut off the light. At one of the shops I found a booklight for $10. It's small with a clip in the back. You press the button and it unfolds itself. I couldn't resist not buying it. Now the booklight is my traveling buddy.The headlight seems like a good idea, although it's not the sexiest bed attire. I already wear glasses around the house so I don't think the BF would appreciate me adding a headlight. LOL
When I went to New York a few weeks ago, my friend and I decided to read Nick & Norah during the car ride...we only had one copy that we had to share which made it a little difficult right there. But then it dawned on us that it would be dark on the way back...we spent quite a while reading it using her cell phone backlight and the headlights of the car behind us so we could see. Would have been so much easier if we had thought of bringing a book light to begin with...
Hmm, JG. I don't really know. I use the headlight in bed and just take it off and go to sleep. Never looked in the mirror directly after. I don't feel like I have indents, though. Plus, you can change the circumfrance (?) of the band so it fits tighter or more loosely.
I also wear glasses, so with the headlight I'm qutie a sight to be seen. My hubby has given it a chuckle or two. He works nights, though, so he usually doesn't get to see me all "lit up."
I am just getting a hilarious image in my head of you Iki... but hey, whatever works!
Well.....I wear a headlight...And I still get action....(ahem...) Did I just say that? I think my convenient amnesia is kicking in....yep!
I've had a few different ones, one of those itty bitty book light ones from Borders, a bigger one like that on a similar style, a flip up one from CVS and then the halogen one my husband bought me from Brookstone's that was supposed to be so great but it really never hit the page well so I would lay with it on my chest so it would shine up on the book.
I don't use a book light nightly but I like to have one for when I wake up in the middle of the night and can't go back to sleep so I can read without waking my husband or having to get out of bed. I also take it with me if we stay at someone's house in case they don't have a bedside lamp (who wants to get up after reading to turn off the overhead lamp?) or if I go away with my girlfriends since I'm always awake way before everyone else.
Anyone else use them? Have a favorite to recommend?