By Carleton Varney- Special to the Palm Beach Daily News

Have you read a good book lately? That’s a question I often ask a friend, and it’s one I’m sometimes asked, as well. It is summertime, supposedly the laziest time of the year, when the living is easy and folks look for reading material. And that means a good book.

These days, if you ask for my help in selecting a good read, I’m likely to suggest Dorothy Carvello’s inside story about the music business, “Anything for a Hit: An A&R Woman’s Story of Surviving the Music Industry.” This book is a page-turner and will make any plane trip — say one across the pond — go fast. As for myself, I couldn’t put the book down as I traveled recently across the country.

If you’re not reading on a plane and want to relax with a new book, you’ll need a comfy chair. I always recommend to our clients and friends that they sit and experience the size and comfort of a chair they’re considering, especially people who are taller than average. They need a chair for reading or television-watching that has a high back.

Father’s Day is just around the corner, and a chair fit for a king may be on your gift list. But choosing the right chair for people’s height and comfort is like purchasing a custom-made suit. There is a difference. Off-the-shelf suits and jackets usually need alterations.

And remember: If Dad doesn’t have the opportunity to actually experience the chair before it’s delivered, you’ll want to purchase one that can be returned for either cash or credit.

Perhaps you’ll be in the market for a chair with a reclining back or a foot riser. There are many recliners on the market, but most of them are a tad awkward-looking and bulky. Shop around, and you may find one with more style than you might expect.

Whether you’re buying a recliner or simply a comfortable chair with an ottoman, my advice before purchasing is to look at the construction of the chair. You’ll want a chair with a seat of tied springs. And if the chair swivels, so much the better.

You’ll also want to consider the room where the chair will find a home, especially if you’re not working with a professional decorator. You won’t want the chair to look strange, so keep the other furniture in mind as you shop. You may ask also whether the chair can be purchased “C.O.M.,” which means it would be covered in the “customer’s own material.”

Many retail stores do not offer in-stock items in a wide variety of fabric choices, although there are exceptions. Instead, you’ll often find chairs covered in browns, blacks, grays and naturals. Those coverings may be practical but perhaps they won’t be the happiest choices for your home decorating. Shop around so that you’ll have a choice of color and pattern. You may find a happy and colorful option to your liking.

Once you’ve made your choice, why not also present Dad with some reading material. As I said, I don’t think you could go wrong with Carvello’s hit.