MILAN, Italy—Reading in the bathroom, 1997. © Ferdinando Scianna / Magnum Photos

Sometimes when I think of book photos I picture images of historical libraries, rainbow arranged shelves, or even a novel next to a cup of coffee. I imagine a particular ideal of what reading is supposed to be or reading has elevated the way culture educates itself in an increasingly distracted environment.

A few days ago, this wonderful photoset showed up in my inbox from not just any Shalom, but the Shalom. It’s titled “Remember Reading on Paper?” and in going through the slides I was struck by this particular image. Though it felt somewhat out of place, not necessarily an image of a collective whole, the photo is still rather telling. It liberates the private into the public sphere, connecting the observer to a place of familiarity. I guess the real point here is that whether it’s on toilet or in the tub, I believe in bathroom reading. And let’s be real… you probably do too.