On Mon, 26 Feb 2007 14:11:21 +0000 (UTC), Jonathan Grobe
wrote:

Anyone care to discuss the advantages of various lighting methods
(a bright light enough to read a book by which would last for
many, many hours) using kerosene, white gas, batteries...


A decent candle-lantern with a reflector is fine to read by.
Assuming you've got tapers, and not tea-lites.
(tea lights are decorations, not a light source).

But a good kerosene lamp is easier to find.