Past Imperfect

Literature in the Loo

Aside

In a recent comment box both Zinnia and Four D agreed that it is preferable to have reading material in the smallest room. Zinnia said:-

‘Books in the loo is an essential if you ask me. Poetry, mostly, or books of letters, or flash fiction, that kind of thing. Novels or books of longer stories or essays are a bad idea because if someone gets interested you can't get them out of there and end up with a crowd of people hopping up and down outside.’

I thought it would be interesting to see what others thought and I went to check what I had in there at present. Here’s what I found:-

1 Life’s little treasure book on Wisdom
2 Eats Shoots and Leaves by Lynne Truss
3 Beat Stress by Leslie Kenton
4 Selected poems by TS Elliot
5 Warning by Jenny Joseph
6 Best of Blogs by Peter Kuhns& Adrienne Crew
7 Escapes from Dartmoor Prison by Trevor James
8 How to take pictures by Kodak
9 Photographer’s Handbook by Michael Busselle and John Freeman
10 Quotations – Concise Dictionary.

Something for all tastes? What about you?

I am in the middle of reading ‘Charlotte Sometimes’ by Penelope Farmer and enjoying it (aka Granny P), and have saved ‘My Boy friend is a Twat’ by Zoë McCarthy to take away with me at the week-end.

16 comments:

f:lux said...: Captain B keeps his biker magazines next to the bog, which means being stared at by various busty, semi-naked women while you pee... But I might try replacing them with a copy of 'Beat Stress' - has to be the best throne room literature suggestion ever!; 11:04 AM
Pat said...: f:lux: yes we must have equality in the loo else why did we burn our bras?; 11:46 AM
Anonymous said...: I have loads of books by my loo - but I agree with Zinnia - nothing too engrossing or long winded (!!). An illustrated semi-educational 'Where Babies Come From' book for young children is always popular - people will frequently wander out of the loo still reading it...; 1:48 PM
Pat said...: lizzy: I like the pun - so would Zinnia.; 4:07 PM
Kim Ayres said...: Our loo also contains the bath and shower, so books don't get left in there. However, the Radio Times seemsto be the magazine of choice to take in, in our household; 5:08 PM
Pat said...: Kim: you should take a marker pen to mark the things worth watching. That should take a nano second.; 5:35 PM
kenju said...: I keep home decorating magazines in the loo here, Pat. I used to have a book of short stories and also one of Calvin ahd Hobbes cartoons in the guest bath, but I had to move them and everything else extraneous out of there when mr. kenju came home from the hospital. :-/

Re your comment: that mountain is closed for both conservation and safety reasons, we are told.; 6:29 PM
Pat said...: Judy: those magazines are ideal. Hope Mr Kenju is settling into a workable routine. It does take a lot of adjusting but you are coping admirably and it will get easier. Now if that mountain were over here there would still be some who would try to climb it willy nilly.; 7:13 PM
FOUR DINNERS said...: My lavatory humour is :

Owt by Tom Sharpe

Any of the 4 Red Dwarf books

Any picture of Peter Mandelson for use if supplies of loo paper fail.; 8:54 PM
Pat said...: 4D: very similar to my sons's choices.; 10:58 PM
Sam, Problem-Child-Bride said...: Contrary to almost every other room in the house, our smallest room is book-free. I am very brisk and no-nonsense when about my bodily functions and reading would be too pleasurable a distraction form the work at hand. I think it's to do with coming from a Presbyterian place. Business, so to speak, and pleasure should not mix, in such a world view. One's bodily ministrations should be an unadorned rite. One should certainly never smile in there.; 6:58 AM
Pat said...: Sam: is it OK if I read and don't enjoy it?; 7:17 AM
Sam, Problem-Child-Bride said...: Is it a religious text stamped with the approval of the General Synod? I think that might be OK and I guarantee you won't enjoy it.; 3:50 PM
Pat said...: sam: well can I do it til I need glasses?; 4:39 PM
neena maiya (guyana gyal) said...: I read magasines and comics in the loo and bad fiction. Or books that I think I must read but don't reeeeally want to read but because others write about them or talk about them I think I should read them.

The really good books I read lying on the settee or sitting in the verandah.; 7:00 PM
Pat said...: Gg: that makes good sense and the latter is very civilised - I might join you:); 8:03 PM