What’s better than snuggling up with a good book in your bedroom? Doing it on a pile of down pillows in a place where you don’t have the make the bed.
This summer, the Capri Southampton (281 County Road 39A, Southampton) became the latest hotel to offer Bedside Reading, the seasonal page-turner of an amenity where best-selling books are offered, bedside and gratis, at select hotels on the South Fork. And this week is your chance to pop in, sans reservation, to meet the authors of this year’s nightstand page-turners.
If you didn’t get enough hardcover happiness at last week’s annual Authors Night from the East Hampton Library, head to the Capri Southampton on Wednesday, Aug. 21, as they’ll be hosting a special, complimentary event to celebrate summer 2024’s best-selling Bedside Reading roster of writers.
“It’s hard to believe that it’s been seven years since the creation of Bedside Reading,” Jane Ubell-Meyer, the founder of the hotel-based reading and podcast series, said in a statement. “And the Hamptons is where it all started and that is why it will always be special to me.”
The series was, in fact, born in a hotel on vacation when Ubell-Meyer found herself cozying up to a good book instead of the then-boyfriend she was meant to spend the trip with. She ditched the guy, but kept her love of diving into a great story.
From that experience, Udell-Meyer, a best-selling author herself, dreamt up the idea of partnering with boutique hotels around the country for which she curates a select group of books offered complimentary to hotel guests. In addition to the Capri, other Hamptons-based hotels participating in her wordy mission are Mill House Inn, The Maidstone, Journey East Hampton, Baker House 1650, Southampton Inn, 1708 House, Marram and the Beachcomber Resort. Nationally, Udell-Meyer also works with the Waldorf-Astoria, Conrad, Fairmont, Kimpton, Marriot and others, totaling more than 50 hotel partners in the mix.
“What started as a fun way to get people into the beach season mood on the buses going to the Hamptons with a bag of best-selling books, has grown to a wonderful community of 50 luxury and boutique hotels across the country and hundreds of authors,” she said, “All sharing the joy of reading and relaxation.”
This season’s mixed bag of books has a ton of suspense and historical fiction in the mix — tales that are easy to become engrossed by. And you don’t need to be a hotel guest next Wednesday to pop into the Capri and meet the authors in person on this season’s reading list, who include:
- John Valenti and Evelyn Kandel, authors of Poets from Long Island (from the book poet Lila Edelkind will also be on hand)
- Valerie Nifora, author of The Fairmounts and Mary Whitcomb
- Aggie L. Jae, author of The Water Door
- Nanci Lagarenne, author of Scape Ghost
- Elizabeth Birkelund author of A Northern Light in Provence
- Sarah P. Blanchard author of Drawn From Life
All book worms are welcome to attend the event, which runs from 4 to 6 p.m. at the Capri Southampton; however, RSVPs are necessary. Complimentary bubbly will be served along with other goodies. Reservations can be made at bedsidereading.com/capri.html.
