Namen: Namen prispevka je obravnavati branje kot fizično dejavnost, ki je vpisana v prostor in nosi številne sociološke konotacije. Branje analizira kot utelešeno (angl. embodied) in družbeno prakso in ugotavlja medsebojno sodoločenost teh dveh dimenzij. Metodologija/pristop: V fokusnih skupinah smo izvedli pogovore s študenti iz šestih evropskih držav in jih spraševali o vplivu oziroma vlogi, ki jo vrsta besedila, namen branja in bralna naprava igrajo pri izboru konkretnega bralnega okolja. Sodelovalo je 21 deklet in 15 fantov različnih do- in podiplomskih programov s povprečno starostjo 21,5 leta. Rezultati: Izkazalo se je, da sogovorniki večinoma niso brezbrižni do svojega bralnega okolja. Kot prostor branja so najpogosteje navedli dom, knjižnice oziroma čitalnice, poleg tega pa še druge javne kraje, npr. kavarne in parke, okolja, kjer ljudje pogosto berejo, čeprav prvotno niso namenjena branju. Na tej osnovi članek poroča o zaznanih bralnih smernicah in premišlja o njihovih morebitnih implikacijah za akademsko raziskovanje in vsakdanjo prakso. Omejitve raziskave: Vzorec raziskave je majhen, izziv sta predstavljali skupinska dinamika in neverbalna komunikacija. Izvirnost/uporabnost raziskave: Študija se razlikuje od prevladujočih pristopov k branju, ki »bralni um« praviloma obravnavajo kot začasno odvezan od vseh dražljajev v fizičnem okolju. Kot pokaže, prav teh ne gre ignorirati ne v praksi ne v kontekstu raziskovanja. Purpose: The article addresses reading as a physical engagement, inscribed in space and carrying many social connotations. It analyses reading as an embodied and social practice, and focuses on the way these two dimensions relate to each other and determine the reading experience. Methodology/approach: We used the focus group method and talked to 36 students from six European countries, focusing on the effect or the role that the type of the text, the purpose of reading and the reading device play in selecting reading environments. We talked to 21 females and 15 males from various (under)graduate programmes with mean age 21,5. Results: Far from expressing indifference, participants turned out to be very perceptible and sensitive towards their reading environments. Most frequently, they mentioned home, libraries and other public spaces, such as coffee shops or parks, as places where people often read, even though these are not explicitly dedicated to reading. The article reports on the emergent trends and discusses the potential implications for research and practice. Research limitations: The sample was small; main challenge was group dynamics and non-verbal communication. Originality/practical implications: Different from the prevailing approaches to reading, which tend to study the reading mind as if temporarily detached from all stimuli in the physical environment, this study shows how the latter is exactly what should not be ignored – neither in practice nor in academic research.