Article: How To Select A Book To Read

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Heather
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Re: Article: How To Select A Book To Read

Post by Heather »

Great ideas! I often get excited when I find I have extra money to go buy a new book, but end up wandering around the bookstore stressed out because I don't know which one to get... and it has to be the PERFECT one. I tend to get in the mood for certain types of books also, so one I saw and wanted previously might not be the one I'm in the mood for that day.

These are the ways I go about choosing what to read:

I wander around Barnes and Noble, paying special attention to the new releases or tables of books that are set out. I look for interesting titles or covers, then read the back (or inside flap) and see if it sounds good, and if it's the kind of book I'm in the mood for that day.

I go to the library and do the same thing as at the bookstore.

I get recommendations from my favorite author. I don't always like everything she suggests, mostly because some of it's just not the type of book I read. But for the ones that are, they are always amazing. I've learned that if I find a book I want to read that was recommended by her, I might as well just buy it, because I certainly won't want to give it back to the library!

I also wander around the bookstore and library even when I'm not going to be getting a book that day. I use the Goodreads app on my phone to make a list of all of the books I see that I want to read. Then, on the days when I can't seem to find one, I can go back to that list and pick one of those.
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Fictionfairy10
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Post by Fictionfairy10 »

Great post! Useful information.
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Post by Fran »

I think I may have shared my fool proof method here already but it's worth repeating:

Pile all the books you have on you TBR somwhere accessable but not causing too much of an obstruction (you don't want any insurance claims!) - I find a corner of the living room works best. Then you take your vacuum cleaner and you proceed to vacuum your floor on the way you accidentally (and gently) nudge the pile of books and the one that falls to the floor is the one you read next. Couldn't be simpler and works for me everytime. :wink:
I don't recommend trying this in your local libary or bookstore though & so far it has not proved useful on Amazon :roll:
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Post by emilyjane234 »

I remember as a kid I kept telling my mom that heaven would just be a giant library so I would never run out of books to read! Now as an adult I am an avid reader and involved in quite a few book clubs.
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Heather
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Post by Heather »

Fran wrote:I think I may have shared my fool proof method here already but it's worth repeating:

Pile all the books you have on you TBR somwhere accessable but not causing too much of an obstruction (you don't want any insurance claims!) - I find a corner of the living room works best. Then you take your vacuum cleaner and you proceed to vacuum your floor on the way you accidentally (and gently) nudge the pile of books and the one that falls to the floor is the one you read next. Couldn't be simpler and works for me everytime. :wink:
I don't recommend trying this in your local libary or bookstore though & so far it has not proved useful on Amazon :roll:
Now I'm picturing someone pushing their vacuum all over Barnes and Noble, running into shelves, to see which book falls off! Haha!
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Post by tracy19 »

I usually pick a book to read according to the description and cover of the book.
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Post by Ibanezakame »

Don't judge a book by its cover.
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Post by cathjade »

I usually use the best seller list
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Post by BRUSHPAINT »

Normally, the synopsis on the back cover of the books and a significant title chosen by the author for the cover, might throw some light on the written content of a publication, establishing a relation on the first visual impact, with the readers' mental needs influenced by their educational background, gained from earlier life experiences.
Even so, the curiosity can make anyone want to verify the value of a book, and the only method to get some idea of the writer art style, is by reading a few sentences chosen randomly, and in the same time, this can help you decide if you want to buy or not to buy a book.
Anyway, I don't think it's a must to win a prize award for literature, to become a very skilled writer loved by the readers.
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Post by feyindie60 »

Wow! I have never thought about how to select a book to read. I have read 1000s of books. What did I do when I picked them?

Words are what got me. Beautiful rolling, flowing words. If I could open the book and read a passage and it came off my tongue easily, it was my book. If I didn't understand a word, out came the dictionary. I do like art and the print font can make me leave a book if that book is boring, but the good written word will keep me reading.
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Post by Kalamazoo »

Great article! I have found many favorite books over the years based on recommendations from friends, family members and book clubs. I sometimes end up with a new favorite book or author that I wouldn't have picked up on my own, because it didn't look like my "type" of book.
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Post by gali »

I find books based on recommendations and a personal taste. If I like the plot and the writing, I give a book a chance.
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RadiantColour
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Post by RadiantColour »

I use recommendations by Amazon and Goodreads and then check out the reviews and the blurb to see if it captures me.
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Post by Njkinny »

Thanks for the great suggestions and a very well written article..:)
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Post by Meg0169 »

Scott wrote:Ask Friends - Ask friends, family members, and other people you know for recommendations. Friends work especially well for getting book recommendations, because they usually share the same interests as you. Also, friends know your personality well, so they can better guess what books you personally would like. Asking your friends for book recommendations will probably help your friendship also, because your friends will feel complimented that you want their opinion.
I wish it were that easy. My friends and I have been close since we were in elementary school, but we all share a completely different taste in books. Every time I do ask for a recommendation, they say things like "Fifty Shades of Grey" or Nicholas Sparks books. Those are great for some people, but I have no interest in those.

Oddly enough, the recommendations that actually end up being books I like have come from my friends significant others.
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