The invention relates to electronic devices, in particular consumer electronic devices, including an electrophoactive display, as well as to electronic document reading devices, sometimes called e-readers, such as electronic books. We describe an electronic device including an electroactive display and a light to illuminate said display, wherein said display has a viewing surface, and wherein said light is configured to illuminate said display from in front and to one side of an edge of said viewing surface, across said viewing surface and through a front-most surface of said display.