I am a voracious reader and one of my most important reading times is the lunch hour. I can’t stand eating by myself without something to read, but I have spent many a happy hour at lunch with a book open on the table beside me.
But reading while eating is problematic. You can’t hold the book easily while eating and it’s too easy to stain or spoil the pages. And a book lying flat on a table or propped up against something will not keep its pages open neatly at ones’ current spot.
The solution to this problem is using something to weigh down the pages, hold them in place. My favorite tool for this is the Levenger Bookweight. I highly recommend it.
I’ve had mine for years and Levenger has recently brought it back in its original (and my preferred) design. It’s a simple strap of leather with weights sewn in both ends. The side you place on the book holds in place well, even when the book is at a slight incline, but moves easily when you need to read the section it currently covers. It is heavy enough to hold the pages down in a slight breeze. The leather strap is very flexible, so it’s easy to fold it over and place it in your pocket or bag.
I’ve carried mine many miles over the years. It is a very handy tool. Like virtually everything from this catalog company, it is well made, has lasted for many years, and has many uses.
But when I travel by air I either pack it in my luggage or leave it at home. Why? Because to the uninformed it isn’t a tool for readers, it’s a nasty little weapon. It is for all intents and purposes a sap or blackjack. I’m sure the manufacturer would argue that it’s just a simple and inoffensive reading tool, but hold it in your hand with one weighted end in your palm and the other loosely dangling and you’ll instantly see that you could do a lot of damage with it. I urge you to use it for peaceful pursuits, but you might feel comforted with it in your pocket when you’re out and about. Just be sure to also be carrying a book so you can explain that it’s only a simple reading tool and nothing to be concerned about.
Levenger also offers another version called the Reversible Bookstop, but I have not tried it. I suspect it is too rigid to fold and carry easily.
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