How do you choose your books?

Step 1: Take book off shelf, crack open.
Step 2: Skip all the useless pages, locate prologue(s), skip prologue(s).
Step 3: Read the first sentence.
Does it make sense? If yes, advance. If no, place back.
Step 4: Read first paragraph.
Does it intrigue or generate anything? If yes, advance. If no, place back.
Step 5: Read first page.
Is the writing to your liking? If yes, advance. If no, place back. If maybe, sit in the middle of the isle and find out.
Step 6: Read until bored, or attendant annoys, or finding a good stopping point.
If you made it past the first three chapters, close book and plan to buy. If not, think about it. Or remember it if you'd like to revisit it.


Everything else is secondary.


What sways my decision is competent writing, and something to entertain and to my liking. Nothing other than the writing influences my decision.

1 - Read or hear about a story/author I want to investigate
2 - Scrape together enough money for a book store run
3 - Promptly forget the name of said story/author the moment I walk in the door
4 - Wander down the aisle of the genre I think they write in, hoping against hope my brain plays nice and regurgitates the information before store security becomes concerned
5 - Oooh... shiny cover! I'm 99% sure it's not what I came for, but... shiny!
6 - Read the cover info, not only to determine if I'm interested in the story but to figure out if it's part of a series (I won't come in halfway through a series if I can help it)
7 - Look inside at the first few pages, even if it's just hype (especially if it's just hype - I often recoil if there's too many pages quoting reviewers, like they're trying too hard to get me to buy before I even see the story proper)
8 - Take a peek at the first page or two of story
9 - Stand there for another several minutes while I weigh gut reactions against price
10 - Make my purchase, while an irritating voice in the back of my mind reminds me that not only do I still have a reading backlog in the double digits, but I work for a library where I could read the thing for free

Note that the preceding process can be interrupted at any time by bad vibes, second-guessing my budget, and store employees pushing me out of the way. (Three displacements in a single visit equal no sale - and it's cost the local B&N more than one sale.)

I usually go to my favorite genre's section, skim across the covers (avoiding all Conan style men, or scantily-dressed women) and find one with an engaging title. I flip over the book, read the summary, glance at the first page, and then flip to varying points throughout the book.

I usually check a random couple of pages in the first third and second third of the book. If the characters have a strong voice, if I feel like the story is coherent and well-written, I buy the book. The first few pages hardly ever determine whether I will buy a book, unless it is clear to me the author has a poor grip on the language (which I've never seen in a bookstore). Then again, I read fantasy. You can usually expect the first 2-4 pages will be entirely exposition.

I rarely choose books "at random", there are so many authors I know I like, and so many recommendations out there. I often find that authors suggest other authors - who has inspired them, what they're reading and so forth (and I'm included authors on AW in this). Recently I bought 'The Right Stuff' by Tom Wolfe, for example, just because I've never read anything by him before.

If the book is about a very narrow subject matter I'm particularly interested in (professional boxing, the battle of Stalingrad, computer science, whatever it may be), I'll take a chance on it. Otherwise I find that there's rarely any need.

Sorry, that answer probably isn't very helpful is it!

If I've read something by a particular author before, I'm more likely to check out their other works, especially since I end up reading a lot of series. If I really like them I just preorder their new stuff.

I go very heavily by recommendations. There's a couple of review blogs I'll browse when looking for new reading material, as I know the reviewers have taste similar to mine. I pick up a lot of recs, especially for more obscure titles here. And I'm much more likely to consider a rec from an author whose work I enjoy.

And if both of those don't turn up anything, I'll just plain browse. Cover/title/name recognition tend to get my attention in more or less that order. Then I'll read the summary. If it still has my attention I download the sample and go from there. Sometimes the samples are too short though and I end up relegating 'maybe' books into the 'if they go on sale' virtual pile.

1 - Go to charity books shops.

2 - Peruse shelves.

3 - Look for authors I like already.

4 - Look for authors recommended by friends/family.

5 - Look for authors/books I have heard of via TV, Print, tinternet and radio (especially if they have been name checked by someone I respect -- this is more likely to be another author, or maybe a musician, filmmaker, -- but it can be anyone.).

7 - Look for books by Awdubbers.

8 - Look for books well known to be lauded.

9 - Look for books well known to be critically dimissed.

9 - Look at spines and titles to see if they take my fancy.

10 - Look for books who have won certain awards/have a good review from a paper/person I respect.

11 - Look for books on a subject/genre I am interested in.

12 - Always follow the Baader Meinhof Phenomenon.

13 - Look for a variety of book types (Non-fiction, novel, short story collection, etc).

14 - Look for books in a genre I am interested in or want to learn more about.

14 - Occasionally I will do a lucky dip (close eyes and pick at random -- but this is only very occasionally).

15 - Look for books that may be rare and valuable and have been under priced.

16 - Look for books that have been adapted into Television or Film (I like to compare and contrast the different ways in which the same story is presented across the different platforms.)

17 - Very, very occasionally, I read the blurb.

18 - Very, very, very occasionally I will read some of the book.

19 - Look for shorter books & look for books with a sensible sized print. (I have, in the past, come across two versions of the same novel. One 400 pages with decent sized print and the other 250 pages with tiny print. I had to go and have a sit down to decide which one to get. )

20 - Choose a book I haven't already got -- this is difficult, I have quite a large library and occasionally pick up duplicate books.

21 - Buy book.

22 - Get home

23 - Phone up Will Sauger.

24 - Ask him if the book is worth reading.

25 - If he says yes, It goes in the TBR book cases.

26 - If he says no I take the first flight to Chattanooga, where Sauger an I perform a ritual burning of the book just outside the Wendy's on 46th and Wabash. After that, we go for a king size slurpy and a chilli dog from Hot Tony's Macaraca Shack on 3rd & Vine where we discuss the possibility of the colonization of Pluto (the dog, not the pseudo-planet.)

njmagas said:

For the sake of the premise, let's not include recommendations. You're in a book store, searching out a new author in your favorite genre. What sways your decision?

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So, aside from recommendations or authors I like, I judge a book by its title and cover first. If neither catches my attention, I'll usually pass on it. If I like either one, I'll read the blurb on the back cover or inside front flap. Next is the first page.

Well, most books I buy are based on recommendations or reviews, sometimes big name authors whom I wonder what all the fuss is about. Especially in romance, nearly everything I buy is: 1) an author I've read before, or 2) based on a review, esp. one by a reviewer who has similar taste to me, or 3) free/very cheap (on the off-chance the deal is actually available in Canada).

I have an e-reader, so I don't do as much browsing at the bookstore these days. I rarely look for romance novels this way but sometimes I do this for general fiction. Usually it is the cover that catches my eye, then I read the blurb. I occasionally read the first page, but often I'm not in the mood to do much actual reading in a bookstore.

Sometimes I go to the Samhain or Carina (epub) websites and browse. Then I choose the subgenre I want (usually contemporary romance) and read the blurbs for the most recent books until I find something interesting. Usually I follow this with a quick peek at the reviews on Goodreads.

I almost always go to a bookstore blind, with no idea what I want.
I shuffle along the table piled with new books and suggestions. I avoid anything fantastical, cheerful looking, or with embossed covers with gold lettering and spot varnishing. If the book looks geared to women or book clubs, it stays untouched. No spunky females from any era, no westerns, no sci-fi, and for god-sakes- nothing inspirational or redemptive. Books with movie posters for covers also get the stink-eye. Ditto for those which I believe are going to attempt to change my politics or religion. If there are reviews on the back cover from people or writers I disrespect, down it goes. If I think the author is an academic first and an author second, it stays on the table. A lot of dialogue will cause me to close the cover.
If a book seems long, lyrical, introspective and not much happens ( as in real life), then it goes with me out the door.

Brightdreamer said:

1 - Read or hear about a story/author I want to investigate
2 - Scrape together enough money for a book store run
3 - Promptly forget the name of said story/author the moment I walk in the door
4 - Wander down the aisle of the genre I think they write in, hoping against hope my brain plays nice and regurgitates the information before store security becomes concerned
5 - Oooh... shiny cover! I'm 99% sure it's not what I came for, but... shiny!
6 - Read the cover info, not only to determine if I'm interested in the story but to figure out if it's part of a series (I won't come in halfway through a series if I can help it)
7 - Look inside at the first few pages, even if it's just hype (especially if it's just hype - I often recoil if there's too many pages quoting reviewers, like they're trying too hard to get me to buy before I even see the story proper)
8 - Take a peek at the first page or two of story
9 - Stand there for another several minutes while I weigh gut reactions against price
10 - Make my purchase, while an irritating voice in the back of my mind reminds me that not only do I still have a reading backlog in the double digits, but I work for a library where I could read the thing for free

Note that the preceding process can be interrupted at any time by bad vibes, second-guessing my budget, and store employees pushing me out of the way. (Three displacements in a single visit equal no sale - and it's cost the local B&N more than one sale.)

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That... is nearly identical to how I select books. Except I also have an eleventh step: remember what I went to get in the first place halfway home from the bookstore.

bulldoggerel said:

I almost always go to a bookstore blind, with no idea what I want.
I shuffle along the table piled with new books and suggestions. I avoid anything fantastical, cheerful looking, or with embossed covers with gold lettering and spot varnishing. If the book looks geared to women or book clubs, it stays untouched. No spunky females from any era, no westerns, no sci-fi, and for god-sakes- nothing inspirational or redemptive. Books with movie posters for covers also get the stink-eye. Ditto for those which I believe are going to attempt to change my politics or religion. If there are reviews on the back cover from people or writers I disrespect, down it goes. If I think the author is an academic first and an author second, it stays on the table. A lot of dialogue will cause me to close the cover.
If a book seems long, lyrical, introspective and not much happens ( as in real life), then it goes with me out the door.

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Funny, I'm sure I must have written this, but it's posted by bulldog

Except I'm ok with some book club books.

Title, cover, length (I like some heft, I'm a fast reader), back and jacket copy. Certain authors I'll always buy.
I almost never read the first page when standing in the bookstore, because then I HAVE TO BUY IT, just to see how the rest goes, even if it's uninteresting to me.

ap123 said:

Funny, I'm sure I must have written this, but it's posted by bulldog

Except I'm ok with some book club books.

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Know what I REALLY hate about book club books? Those lists of suggested book club questions at the end. You know the ones:
Saralena got into the VW with the missing front seat with the guy she thought looked like the artists sketch from the newspaper last month. Do you think SaraLena made a wise choice? Why or why not?

bulldoggerel said:

Know what I REALLY hate about book club books? Those lists of suggested book club questions at the end. You know the ones:
Saralena got into the VW with the missing front seat with the guy she thought looked like the artists sketch from the newspaper last month. Do you think SaraLena made a wise choice? Why or why not?

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A kindred spirit! I always skip that section, especially if I liked the book. Don't tell me how to like it. hrumph!

HarryHoskins said:

23 - Phone up Will Sauger.

24 - Ask him if the book is worth reading.

25 - If he says yes, It goes in the TBR book cases.

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26 - If he says no I take the first flight to Chattanooga, where Sauger and I perform a ritual burning of the book just outside the Wendy's on 46th and Wabash. After that, we go for a king size slurpy and a chilli dog from Hot Tony's Macaraca Shack on 3rd & Vine where we discuss the possibility of the colonization of Pluto (the dog, not the pseudo-planet.)

Click to expand...

Ah, now I understand. But, we have to get them dirty, rotten fleas off our sacred homeland first. I'll advise my advisers to advise me to advise your advisers to advise you to seek my advise on soiling the flea's watering hole with imidacloprid, cut off food stuffs supply lines by combing more, and put a restraining unit on the our homeland (for only a short time) to keep the disastrous affects constant. But I cannot go into detail here. *shifty eyes* There might be fleas reading the forums. Only after that, then we can reclaim our homeland and start the colorization process in hope we can sustain ourselves after being forced off decades prior.

I buy all my books on Amazon or check them out from the library for my Kindle. If there is a big, hyped up book that everyone seems to be reading, I'll check it out from the library. If I like it, I usually end up going down the rabbit hole of "If you liked _____, then you'll love _____"

For example, every book I've read within the last two years is within six degrees of The Hunger Games. Not all dystopians, or young adult either. Sometimes the rabbit hole takes you to some strange places. I've even recently read a little sci-fi (which was never, ever, ever my thing) based on point A to point B recommendations.

Currently,
Price
Book Blurb
How easy is it to put on my Nook

so only e-books right now.

I admit, a good title and a good cover will make a book stand out from the hordes. I tend to go for books with the really long titles--they just stand out to me for some reason. After that, if the blurb is interesting, I'll read a chapter. After that, it gets to the point of convincing my sister to buy it for me.

Hmm.

Having read all of this makes me unsure if there's something not-quite-right with me in my selection of books. I recently bought (too many) books to take on an upcoming trip. The small bookstore I went to didn't have a section for my genre-of-choice, but I didn't have the time to track down another bookstore, so I wandered through the rest of the store.

I read back-covers, glanced at the interiors at random pages to see if the style was abhorrent...

...but probably about 45-50% of the purchase decision was how the book *felt* in my hands.

And this isn't a new thing for me. It's why I can't bring myself to switch to an e-reader. Books are too *physical*, and I've been turned off books that I ultimately get through and find good because there was something off about the way they felt in my hands.

Am I just weird?

#1. Stick the title of a book I loved into every major site that has good 'similar to' search functions.

#2. Download iBooks samples of 50 heroic and epic fantasy novels.

#3. Spend a month reading all the samples I downloaded, deleting a lot of them halfway through. I have to be interested in the characters, feel like I can see the story happening (good description) and not be bored by the end of the sample to keep it.

#4. Buy the four books I really loved the samples of and read them.

#5. Read the abundant sequels (this is fantasy, after all).

#6. Put the title of the book I liked best into Amazon, Goodreads, and every other recommendation site on the internet.

#7. Find 50 more iBooks samples to download . . .

I'll give anything that doesn't look totally terrible a sample reading now that I'm using the e-reader. Samples are free and easy enough to delete. And I'm very bad at guessing what I'll like best based on the cover and blurb. I think this is because cool concepts make for great blurbs, but they don't mean shit in the actual story.

I do that Monk thing and follow the energy.

Normally, I look at the cover art; if it or the title appeals, I'll scan the cover and then read the first page. If I want to keep reading, I buy it. Fro me, the first page is the deciding factor - UNLESS I am in love with the cover art. I have bought books for cover art (EF Benson's Lucia series comes to mind) and have not yet regretted such a purchase.

Reviews in newspapers (I read The Guardian daily and The Independant On Sunday.) If there is a new author I want to try out, I go to the library as I waste far too much money on books I never get past page 50 of, at a push I'll buy from a charity/second hand shop (which is what I've done with Gone Girl.) I paid £30 for a book yesterday I discovererd by chance on the BBC News website.

Artwork only gets me to pick up the book. It's been a long time since I bought a book on a whim based on a blurb. When it comes to historicals I do look at the author profile, if the author has some work/education credentials I am more likely to be swayed.

... date of publication.
1951 is as modern as I'll go.

Book weird

Kateness said:

Hmm.


Books are too *physical*, and I've been turned off books that I ultimately get through and find good because there was something off about the way they felt in my hands.

Am I just weird?

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Oh Kateness, I don't think this is weird at all. I agree it might not be the best way to judge the quality of the writing in the book- but it is important to the entire experience that it *feels*nice to read.
Last fall I ordered a book I thought would be interesting and it came with a strange rubbery paper cover- the paper was coated with a soft rubbery coating that felt awful to me. I quickly flung the cover into the fireplace and laughed as I then watched Henry James ( whose face was on the cover) melting, great beads of rubbery book coating dripping like sweat down his jowls..... and I never could quite like the book.
I also must secretly confess to once cutting the photo of an author off another book jacket, just because I did not like his face, and didn't want to see it everytime I read. Hee Hee
Weirdness rules.