Founder: Sasha Soren (Random Magic) Show us something pretty!
Commentary: Very pleasant little reading nook in a home in Kungsladugård, Göteborg, Sweden. Although there's very little shelf space, it's a cute little spot for a tray just big enough for a pot of coffee or tea, a nibble, and a nice view to go with a late morning or afternoon flip-through of some favorite magazine or newspaper. Not for a multi-hour reading session, but a likely place to take a half-hour break for yourself, to have a quick bite and a leisurely browse.
Photographer not specified. Location: Private home, Kungsladugård, Göteborg, Sweden
The Voice (singer Frank Sinatra) (2002) by LeRoy Neiman. Serigraph. 28 x 22 in(71.12 x 55.88 cm). Limited edition of 500 numbered impressions, 100AP, 8PP, signed by the artist.
Additional info on this work, via LeRoyNeiman.com: LeRoy Neiman had a long-standing personal relationship with entertainer Frank Sinatra. The artist portrayed the 'Chairman of the Board' many times, from quick pencil sketches at live performances to full-color oil paintings.
Shown above: The Song is You (1943), sung by Frank Sinatra. Songwriter not specified. Performance notes: Frank Sinatra performs during a filming in November, 1943, at the Walton High School Auditorium in the Bronx, New York City, U.S.
Neiman, always drawn to action, usually depicted Sinatra singing on stage and at recording sessions. This particular portrait was commissioned by Tina Sinatra for the cover of the album, Classic Duets.
Shown above: My Way (1994), sung by Frank Sinatra. Song notes (via Wikipedia): My Way is a song popularized by Frank Sinatra. Its lyrics were written by Paul Anka and set to music based on the song Comme d'habitude, composed in 1967 by Claude François and Jacques Revaux, lyrics by Claude François and Gilles Thibault.
The new portrait, unlike all the previous ones, shows 'Ol' Blue Eyes' quietly sitting still. Captured in shades of aqua and blue, he is at a recording session, appearing typically casual, sitting backwards in a chair and wearing his trademark hat. But while he may look relaxed, he's actually listening intently to a playback of his own singing, judging his voice and performance. Sinatra (Dec. 12, 1915 - May 14, 1998) was a perfectionist and his own harshest critic, and would not accept a take until he thought it was perfect.
Toreador (1973) by LeRoy Neiman. Limited edition serigraph on paper. Signed by the artist.
Painter LeRoy Neiman has passed away at the age of 91. Via Wikipedia:LeRoy Neiman (June 8, 1921 - June 20, 2012) was an American artist known for his brilliantly colored, expressionist paintings and screen prints of athletes, musicians and sporting events. More
Commentary: Teeny little room, which still manages to be quite welcoming to a reader; choice of couch or chair, nice selection of books, quiet atmosphere and what looks to be a loft. Sensible use of space, and even a touch of sensual appeal, with the use of velvet green fabric and other pleasant touches, like the green plants and vintage reading lamp.
Commentary: Keep on reading - and rolling. Circular bookshelf, with a spot for sitting or lying down at the center of the shelf. And a resident ghost, evidently. That could be good for spooky tales on Halloween.
Photographer and location not specified. Designer: Irina Zhdanova
Writer Ray Bradbury has died, aged 91. Shown above we have an hour-long lecture you can view by this grandmaster of fantasy fiction. About Bradbury: Bio | More clips: Browse Video summary (via YouTube): Writer Ray Bradbury regales his audience with stories about his life and love of writing in "Telling the Truth," the keynote address of The Sixth Annual Writer's Symposium by the Sea, sponsored by Point Loma Nazarene University. Lecture footage provided by University of California Television. Also mentioned in this clip: Dancer Gene Kelly, special effects creator Ray Harryhausen, and artist Joe Mugnaini.
Shown above: Icarus, illustration by Joe Mugnaini, materials and date not specified, but likely to be 1962. More info
Shown above: Interview with special effects creator Ray Harryhausen. Video interview uploaded in 2011, provided by the Tate.
Shown above: Additional video clip featuring brief interview with Ray Bradbury. Uploaded 2007, source not specified. Sound for clip is a little loud, compared the others above; you might have to turn volume down somewhat. Transcript (excerpt): Bradbury discusses the origin of one of his short stories.:
All of my stories that are worth anything are based on some sort of personal metaphor. And when I was eight years old, a little girl went into Lake Michigan, [a girl] that I was playing with, and she never came out. What a mystery it was, to hear about this thing called drowning, and death. And she stayed with me, for 12, 13, 14 years, the memory of her disappearing into the lake.
And when I was 22, I sat at the typewriter one day and remembered the lake, and wrote the story of this girl, and building a sand castle with her, and very late in time, coming back, and there's the sand castle, waiting on the shore. She's been there. And left the metaphor of her death for me.
And when I finished the short story, I burst into tears. I realized that, after 10 years of writing, I'd written something beautiful. I'd turned a corner, into my interior self. I wasn't writing exterior stuff, I wasn't writing for the right, or the left, or the in-between; I was writing for me. And I discovered that that's the way to go.
Commentary: Pleasant little room for reading, painting, arranging flowers, maybe for a light supper. So, a multi-purpose sort of room, but with excellent quality of light and surfaces for books, definitely a nice reading spot. This would be a particularly nice place for a summer read, either inside, with a bowl of apples, or through the doors and out into the garden.
Commentary: Pleasant symmetry to the way things are arranged - there's chaos and clutter, but organized in a way that's visually interesting. Good light, extra chairs and a comfy couch with a nearby end table and reading lamp. Yes, the odds are good that someone would gravitate to this guest room for a leisurely afternoon read.
Commentary: The water, the sky, the view of it all - this might actually not be a perfect reading nook only because the view would be so distracting. Then again, not if you were reading a travel novel or a guidebook about the coast. Any coast. The bench looks only moderately comfy for reading, but the pillows make up for a lot, and the chair pulled up alongside to hold some books makes the whole feel of the place seem low-key and relaxing, not overly formal. Mellow and charming, nice spot for a light summertime read.
Commentary: Wonderful light, nice view. The wooden floor or - if that's a loft - the loft doesn't look terribly comfortable as is, but can always be improved. It's nice that the space is broad enough to be able to bring along a tea tray, and also nice that there's a ledge ready for little green plants. Altogether a pleasant reading nook.
Commentary: Peaceful little reading space in a quiet room. Nice, sedate colors and just enough light for a leisurely read, in the early morning or late afternoon.
Commentary: Everything about this is appealing and makes for a nice book nook - pleasant view, quiet spot, assortment of titles within reach.
The image is from art and architecture site Homedit.com, but unfortunately they haven't specified the date, photographer or location of the image. Too bad, because what a sweet reading spot.
Commentary: This is the interior of a cute reading pod someone can install in their yard, if they have one. There's a skylight, shelves for books, spot to curl up, see-through doors so there's light to read by and a nice view. Cute little construction. You can see the exterior here, if you like: Polyhedron exterior
Info provided by Design Boom: Colombia-based Manuel Villa Arquitecto has completed a habitable polyhedron dwelling for a backyard in Bogota, Colombia. The aim of 'polyhedron pod' is to create a space for leisure activities such as reading, and to help visitors reconnect with nature and the surrounding landscape.
The design features an expansive wooden deck leading up to a set of glass and steel doors. The built-in furniture in the interior includes a desk, cupboards, shelving, and a bench. The walls are left in their natural, untreated teak form on the inside, while a black, honeycomb-patterned skin wraps the outside.
The final shape of the structure was determined after a number of model studies were drawn up and eventually scrapped. The finished form was chosen for its versatility, adaptability and structure.
Photographer not specified. Location: Bogota, Colombia
Commentary: Set up very simply, there's just enough room on the table for a pot of tea and a well-selected book you've been waiting to read. The colors here are also pleasant, making a bit of time spent reading seem like a happy indulgence.
This probably wouldn't be a spot for a few hours of reading - but it would be a nice spot to bring a tote bag, directly from a book shop, to sit and look at all the interesting new titles you've acquired, then select the perfect one and make a good start on the first few chapters.
The planter on the table is charming, but could easily just be put on the floor, if more space on the tabletop were wanted.
Commentary from the photographer (Leone Fabre): My special little corner of the world, where I usually sit at some stage during the day reading a book and having coffee or perhaps a green tea. This is my balcony on the 18th floor of the condo where I live in Singapore. It's a beautiful little haven at any time of the day or night - but the view at night is stunning.
