This lamp is the perfect compliment to my reading chair in my living room. The cord is long enough that it doesn't need to be right next to an outlet, the shade allows for light to shine both up and down, so it adds nice ambient light to the room in addition to illuminating the book below. I was a little concerned at first that it was not perfectly straight, but then I realized I had twisted it on with the threading slightly off. I took it apart and reconnected it and it was perfectly upright.