The Reader beautifully captures people from around the world lost in the timeless act of reading. Featuring over 120 intimate images from 19 photographers, The Reader invites you to pause and reflect on the quiet beauty of reading, both as a solitary act and a shared human experience. From cozy cafes to serene parks, city benches to sandy beaches, these images capture moments from all corners of the globe, from India to Colombia, Italy to the United States, and each photograph portrays the universal yet deeply personal connection between a reader and the printed word.
We asked our photographers four questions: Where is your favorite place to read?; What is your favorite book?; Is there a book that changed the way you think about the world?; and What is your local bookstore? Hear from 7 photographers in this two part Q&A series below.
The Reader is exclusively available at trope.com and will be in stores early December. Order your copy today.
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Selene Sarı
Where is your favorite place to read?
I don't get to do this very often, but any cafe in Istanbul with a cat next to me
What is your favorite book?
Einstein's Dreams by Alan Lightman
Is there a book that changed the way you think about the world?
The Myth of Sisyphus by Camus and No Exit by Sartre
What is your local bookstore?
In Istanbul, it's Minoa Pera; in London, Librairie La Page; and in Los Angeles, Pages
Oliver Bunica
Where is your favorite place to read?
One of my favorite places to read is a cozy little cigar bar in southeast Portland off Hawthorne Boulevard. Many dark and rainy nights spent there with a pint and a cigar behind a good book.
What is your favorite book?
"The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy" series by Douglas Adams
Is there a book that changed the way you think about the world?
Telling the Truth: The Gospel as Tragedy, Comedy, and Fairy Tale by Frederick Buechner
What is your local bookstore?
My local bookstore is Powell's Books in Portland, Oregon. I can be found there about once a month wandering the rooms trying not to walk out with another stack of tomes for my shelf at home.
Greg Goyo Vargas
Where is your favorite place to read?
I would have to say reading in bed or on my couch. However, ultimately my favorite place to read would be where I have my book with me.
What is your favorite book?
I am sure this is a difficult question for many readers. I simply could not pick one out of so many wonderful reads. I can say my favorite author would have to be Paul Auster. As far as a favorite book goes however, I am compelled if not forced to present a short list:
In the Country of Last Things by Paul Auster
A Piece of My Heart by Richard Ford
Letters at 3AM by Michael Ventura
RL’s Dream by Walter Mosley
Days Between Stations by Steve Erickson
Austerlitz by W.G. Sebald
Love in the Time of Cholera by Gabriel Garcia Marquez
"Vic Valentine" series by William Viharo, particularly Love Stories are Too Violent for Me, and his novel in dialogue Lavender Blonde
Other favorites writers include Don DeLillo, Thomas Pynchon, Christopher Hitchens, and Gore Vidal
Is there a book that changed the way you think about the world?
To answer your question specifically, I would have to say Letters at 3AM by Michael Ventura. It is important to state that there are many other 3AM critical essays that are not included in the book. Ventura is very much an observer of American culture who examines and considers the state of affairs derived by the particular subject he ponders, even from his most personal experiences. Ventura’s unique perspective is something I believe has influenced me deeply in how I view and interpret the world.
What is your local bookstore?
It is sad how so many bookstores in the area I live have closed over the years. I am happy that Small World Books in Venice, CA is still in business.
Christian Dumont
Where is your favorite place to read?
In a quiet place, often at home, rarely outside
What is your favorite book?
I don't have any favorite books. I can mention A la recherche du temps perdu by Marcel Proust, all of Patrick Modiano's work, but also Une saison en enfer by Arthur Rimbaud or Les fleurs du mal by Charles Baudelaire
Is there a book that changed the way you think about the world?
All the books we love influence our perception of the world.
What is your local bookstore?
It's a very small bookstore called "Mot à Mot" and it's located in the town where I live, very close to Paris.
John Michael Rivera
Where is your favorite place to read?
When I read, I like to be in a tranquil place. When the weather is pleasant, I usually go to Villa Borghese and sit on the grass, surrounded by nature. Otherwise, I enjoy spending time at Terrazza Caffarelli, where I can gaze over the rooftops of Rome. If it’s raining or too cold, I love going to the Musei Capitolini and reading on the steps of the Esedra of Marcus Aurelius.
What is your favorite book?
I don’t have a single favorite book, but I have a deep fondness for Rick Riordan’s “Percy Jackson” series. A dear friend reawakened my love for reading through those stories, and we shared so many wonderful memories talking about books and seeing each other as the main characters.
Is there a book that changed the way you think about the world?
The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho is the book that changed something inside me. I read it during a time when I felt lost and uncertain about where I was going. It helped me slow down and look at my life differently and to believe that dreams are worth following, even when the path isn’t clear. It still reminds me that sometimes, what we’re looking for is much closer than we think.
What is your local bookstore?
Rome is a large city with many wonderful bookstores, but my favorite is Spazio Sette Libreria.
Andy Shigekawa
Where is your favorite place to read?
I like to read in my study.
What is your favorite book?
One of my favorite books is Franny and Zoey by J.D. Salinger.
Is there a book that changed the way you think about the world?
Reading the Bible has shaped my worldview and provides me guidance and hope in these troubling times.
What is your local bookstore?
There is still a Barnes and Noble in my neighborhood, but sadly, bookstores are becoming more and more scarce.
Judit Prat Martí
Where is your favorite place to read?
On my couch, laying down and looking out the window with daylight. Especially during the weekends after I wake up or after a short nap after breakfast.
What is your favorite book?
I don’t have a single favorite book, but one I particularly enjoyed recently is the biography of Yoko Ono, Yoko Ono: The Biography, by David Sheff. I wasn’t aware of her extremely interesting story, and I also didn’t know she is such an amazing artist! Also, it turns out just now the Museum of Contemporary Art in Chicago is showing a major exhibition by her, I would really recommend everyone to go see it.
Is there a book that changed the way you think about the world?
In the past year, a book that gave me some new perspectives is Utopía no es una isla, from Layla Martínez. Unfortunately, I am unsure whether there is an English translation for it. I learned that for a good future to happen one must first envision it, reminding us about the power of imagination, especially in this case for political and social movements, and about the power of being positive and believing in a better future.
What is your local bookstore?
Depends on where you ask about :) I live in Stockholm, and here there’s a bookstore called the English Bookshop which is pretty nice. In Chicago I love Exile in Bookville in the Fine Arts Building in the Loop, and also Seminary Co-op Bookstores in Hyde Park. In my hometown Terrassa, sadly two of my all-time favorite local bookstores closed in the past few years. However, I just discovered two other ones that seem very cool, which I am eager to learn more about when I visit: La Temerària and Llibreria Synusia.
