The beach is a great place to read. Reading, like beaches, relax you and keep you entertained while you soak in the sun and unwind. You probably know what you like to read at the beach, but do you know how to read at the beach? The beach presents a lot of potential problems for a reader: sand, water, glare from the sun, noise, impromptu naps. Still, few places are better to crack open a good book, especially with the sound of waves in the background.
First things first, choose a good beach book. The obvious choice is something that moves fast and keeps you entertained — mysteries, romance and adventure books are great choices. But don’t overlook more literary works; the beach will give you plenty of time to reflect on nuance. The beach is also a great place to read a book you’ve been putting off. Without the hustle and bustle of the city or obligations at home, the beach will give you time to focus on a book you’ve been struggling to get through for a book club.
Second, take care of your skin. When you get caught up in a good book it’s easy to lose track of time. Be sure to put on long-lasting sunscreen, just in case you get caught up in the story and end up with your nose in a book for hours upon hours. And to that end, bring some kind of hand cleaner along so you don’t smear sunscreen on the screen of your eReader.
Speaking of your eReader; the beach is beautiful, but sand and water aren’t kind to electronic devices. Consider safety covers for whatever device or platform you use. If you read on your iPhone, consider a waterproof case. If you use an iPad or another tablet, protecting your device from sand and water is as important as being able to hold and place the screen at different angles depending on how you’re laying. These iPad accessories from Saddleback Leather are great for propping your reader at the necessary angles, and for protecting them from (some) of the elements.
If background noise doesn’t bother you, reading at the beach should be a breeze. But if you need a bit more quiet, bring along a pair of headphones and plug them into your eReader. Find something without much in the way of distracting lyrics, but enough ambient noise to block out kids and people exercising. Better yet, find your own corner of the beach where the only sound is lapping waves and the rustling of dune grass.
With that, throw on your shades and take your time; your book isn’t going anywhere. If you need suggestions for summer beach reading, check out Blio’s new summer reading list. Are you a beach reader? Leave your tips in the comments.
Flickr photo (in order) by aafromaa and Randy Son of Robert.
