When I was 7 years old, I asked for bookshelves, a beanbag chair and a clip light to turn a small walk-in closet into my little slice of heaven behind a louvered door. Even before that, at age 2 1/2, Id read in bed with a pile of books next to me. My mother took photos of this, and the smile on my face is the one of a girl doing what she loves.

Not much has changed. Im still happiest with a book in hand. Reading in bed has always been a favorite activity. Or swap the bed for a bathtub, beach chair, hammock, airplane you get the picture.

I read with a pen in hand, taking notes, staring and underlining as if I were going to be assigned a dissertation on the book. I use photographs, boarding passes, to-go menus, postcards, and yoga class schedules as bookmarks, because I love the reminder of where and when I read a book.