I needed to get a standing reading lamp for my living room area since I have no counter space.  Again, as my title suggests, it functions well as a reading lamp.  Very bright.  I see that it also has the added bonus of imitating  for folks with seasonal disorder.  I got this lamp on sale for $39.99.  I'm glad that I didn't pay more of it bc the design looks inexpensive.  Also, the base is a little wobbly.  Lastly, as the other posts mention, it isn't a very tall lamp.  But luckily, the couch I have the lamp sitting next to sits low.  It was easy to assemble.  I did it in about 10min.  I got the brown color and it looks like an inexpensive, plastic brown.  Not dark brown.  Pros: Bight light.  Stand up lamp.  Cons: inexpensive looking.  Wobbly base.