But with reading e-mail on our smartphone or tablet becoming the New Normal , not the exception, Roth suggests what you actually need is an e-mail signature for the increasingly-special cases when you are actually desk-bound, reading Microsoft Outlook.

FORBES: Gartner Analyst on (Non)-Mobile E-mail Etiquette (Inspired Rant)

Born in 1791, Faraday started out as an apprentice book-binder, reading everything that passed across his desk.

ECONOMIST: Science

The two-story, English walnut-lined room has five reading nooks, a work desk that can be hidden behind two sliding doors, and a spiral staircase that leads to a catwalk of books and the master bedroom.

WSJ: A House to Look Smart In