The recessed lighting isn't a bad idea.
However, I highly don't recommend low voltage. The transformers etc are not very nice.

Your salesperson is right.
The only way to achieve the light levels you need to read is to use low voltage recessed fixtures.
They should be mounted close to the wall over your bed,to provide the light from over your shoulder ,with your switch controlling the fixture on the other side of the bed.
Then ,the recessed gimbal trim, or slot aperture, should direct the light over the shoulder of the person on the opposite side of the bed.
By using a 50 watt SPOT MR16 lamp you'll have more light than you'll ever need, so maybe you should consider a magnetic low voltage dimmer as well.
By the way ,we sell over 4000 low voltage housings a year in our stores and have maybe 2 or 3 defective transformers, which can easily be replaced.

that's what we're doing over our bed.

Are there now led trims that can handle this task?