Bookshelves create a cozy atmosphere : Affective and emotional materiality in bookreading practices

Abstract

A bookshelf full of printed books is an assembly of objects, which can create affective reactions and a sense of atmosphere. Yet the atmosphere is not experienced in the same way by everyone. For many readers it can be very positive, inviting, or cozy. This chapter explores why the materiality and presence of books and bookshelves can make a positive impact, and what kinds of elements the idea of a bookish or a cozy atmosphere may contain. The analysis is based on written narratives, in which Finnish people describe their reading habits in different stages of their lives. The concept of atmosphere will be analyzed in its cultural sense.