Books from a genre that you don't usually read
By Porcospino
@Porcospino (31365)
Denmark
July 3, 2012 7:38pm CST
What you do when you receive a book as present and the book belongs to a genre that you don't usually read? Do you return the book to the shop and find something that you think that you will enjoy or do you keep the book and see it as a chance to explore something new? Why?
I have done both things. Sometimes I return the book and find a book from a genre that I usually enjoy and sometimes I keep it and decide to see it as a chance to broaden my horizon and read something I wouldn't have bought on my own. I have actually discovered some pretty interesting books that way. When I pick my own books I am quite conservative and I tend stick to certain genres that I always enjoy, and sometimes it is nice to be "forced" to try something different. In some cases I discover that I enjoy books that I didn't imagine that I would enjoy.
1 person likes this
9 responses
@riempie9 (1021)
• South Africa
6 Jul 12
Over the years I have received many books from readers and other writers in a genre I don't really read. However, I do look it over and if it evokes any interest I read the first two pages and then the last page and the back cover and make a decision as to whether I will read it. I have come across many books this way. Paulo Coelho's The Alchemist was one such book. I don't really know what genre this falls under, but I read the book in a few hours and felt really good. I personally met Coelho at the Dubai Film Festival and he and I and Danny Glover did a talk on bridging cultural gaps. I would never otherwise have known Coelho's books if I had not received it from someone as a gift.
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@Porcospino (31365)
• Denmark
7 Aug 12
It was interesting to hear about the way that you came across Paulo Coelho's book. Sometimes we find books in unexpected ways. I have experienced that, too and it has taught me to give the book a chance if I receive a book that belongs to a genre that I don't usually read. Sometimes I discover that I enjoy books that I wouldn't have chosen to buy or books that I had never heard about. Of course there are also cases where I don't enjoy the books that I have received, but I am usually willing to give them a chance and read part of them before I make up my mind.
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@riempie9 (1021)
• South Africa
8 Aug 12
Life is amazing, how people connect, how we learn. Go online and look for Confessions of a Gambler. Read the first page, see if you like it. It went into five or six reprintings. The main character is something else. Read this story about Muslim women trying to stop gambling and the things Abeeda gets into. It won several prizes. It became my first movie.
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@CaptAlbertWhisker (32760)
• Calgary, Alberta
4 Jul 12
I dont usually read romance, i did read some that I liked but I abhorred most of them.
But its understandable why I found them boring cos I am a dude. specially teen romance.... I remember when my English teacher forced me to read one of them...
I hate Fictionalized history, Its different from Historical Fiction... when you say Fictionalized History, the biggest example will be The Abraham Lincoln Vampire Hunter movie. Historical fiction is just fiction in Historical setting but no historical figure gets ruined.
I also hate Psychological thriller, I cant stand Psychological movies, let alone books.
But its understandable why I found them boring cos I am a dude. specially teen romance.... I remember when my English teacher forced me to read one of them...
I hate Fictionalized history, Its different from Historical Fiction... when you say Fictionalized History, the biggest example will be The Abraham Lincoln Vampire Hunter movie. Historical fiction is just fiction in Historical setting but no historical figure gets ruined.
I also hate Psychological thriller, I cant stand Psychological movies, let alone books. 1 person likes this
@Porcospino (31365)
• Denmark
5 Jul 12
I remember reading romances when I was a teenager. At that time I loved them... Today I usually read other kinds of books. I once received a book that belonged to hístorical fiction. I thanked the giver politely, but I never read it, because at that time I found history very boring. Today I sometimes read historical fiction. I don't think that I have read any books that belong to the fictionalized history genre, but it doesn't like something that I would like to read. I like some psychological thrillers, but some of them are too weird and hard to understand
1 person likes this
@ElicBxn (64177)
• United States
6 Jul 12
I'm listening to Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter in the car. The roomie asked me if I liked it. I told her that it was written rather like it was real history with all the historical references to dates and the like, but it was okay. I don't think it "dis"es old Abe any, but it sure does take liberties!
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@ElicBxn (64177)
• United States
4 Jul 12
I will read just about anything, depending on what's around...
I've read romances because they were there, tho they aren't my favorite. I've read a western or two, even less enjoyable then romances... I'll read non-fiction, if its written so someone not familiar with the subject can read it.
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@Porcospino (31365)
• Denmark
5 Jul 12
I don't think that I have read any westerns, but I have read other genres that I don't usually read because I received those books as presents. Sometimes it is nice to read something different and when I receive a book that I probably wouldn't have bought I often choose to keep it and read it anyway. I agree with you about non-fiction. The books that you can read when you aren't familiar with the topic are the best. Sometimes I borrow some non-fiction books at the library and when I start reading them I discover that they are too hard to understand without the background knowledge. When that happens I don't usually finish the book, because I find it too hard to understand.
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@allyoftherain (7208)
• United States
4 Jul 12
I'm pretty genre-picky towards high fantasy, I rarely stray from it when I'm picking out books to read for myself. However, I have been trying to break out of my little box and read more books outside of the genre. I think I've been doing pretty well too, read a bit of non-fiction, inspirational fiction, etc. If someone gives me a book as a gift, then I try to read it. I haven't enjoyed too many books that I've received from other people that went outside my genre, but I think those were just those particular books and not the genre.
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@Porcospino (31365)
• Denmark
4 Jul 12
I think that it is a good idea to to read books outside our favourite genre sometimes. I often find it tempting to stick to the genres that I already know that I enjoy, but that way I don't learn something new and I might never discover that I actually enjoy othër kinds of books as´well. Sometimes I receive books from another genre as a present and that way I have discovered some interesting books that I wouldn't have bought on my own. I have some friends who also like to read, but we don't read the same kinds of books when they give me a book as a present they sometimes introduce me to some of their favourtie books from their own genres.
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@allyoftherain (7208)
• United States
5 Jul 12
I'm much the same way, I have friends who love to read but we don't read the same kinds of books. I've got one friend who all she reads are romance novels. And she gives me a romance novel every once and awhile. I have yet to really find a book of that genre that I've particularly liked. lol But it is a good thing to branch out, I've been able to learn a bit by going to non-fiction books I really wouldn't have read normally.
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@Porcospino (31365)
• Denmark
7 Jul 12
I would not be happy to receive a diet book either, because I would interpret it as a message from the giver and I would get the impression that he or she thought that I needed to lose weight. Most of the books that I have received as presents have been novels. In some of those cases I decided to return the book to the shop, because I knew that I wasn't going to enjoy that book, but quite often I decide to keep the books that I receive as presents, because I see them as a chance to broaden my horizon and read something that I wouldn't have bought myself. Sometimes I get a positive surprice and discover that I enjoy books that I didn't think that I was going to enjoy.
@Shazooo (296)
• Malaysia
7 Jul 12
Well, i usually don't read the book that i receive if they are like horror stories or any science-fi book. I don't like horror stories cause they just give me creeps and i won't be able to sleep or actually do anything at all. I don't like science-fi book because well, i just think its really boring. When i receive these books, i usually just stuff it behind my book shelve and never touch it again. Some other times, i'll donate it to charity.
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@Porcospino (31365)
• Denmark
7 Aug 12
You can donate the horror stories to me if you don't want them No, I am just joking, but I like to read horror stories especially the really scary ones I agree with you about the science fiction. I have read a few science fiction books, but it not one of the genres that I usually choose to read.
No, I am just joking, but I like to read horror stories especially the really scary ones I agree with you about the science fiction. I have read a few science fiction books, but it not one of the genres that I usually choose to read.
@Tina30219 (82978)
• Onaway, Michigan
4 Jul 12
I have never received a book from a genre I don't read. The only people that buy me books is myself or my mother in law and we read the same genre so we swap books all the time.
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@Porcospino (31365)
• Denmark
5 Jul 12
It is great that you and your mother-in-law like the same kinds of books. I don't really swap books with anyone, because my relatives and I don't like the same kinds of books. My mother and my husband sometimes swap books because they both like detective stories a lot. I don't read detective stories, but it is great that they have something in common and it is nice to swap books with people who like the same kinds of books as you.
@joneilromana (226)
• Philippines
4 Jul 12
I do not return books that was given as a present even though it is not my genre, thus I read it, sometimes I just store it somewhere. Well, for me, It would be offending on the part for the one who gave the book. Well, If I read the books I do not usually read, it is fine. I enjoy learning new things, just like you said. It broadens my horizon. :)
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@Porcospino (31365)
• Denmark
4 Jul 12
Like you I think about the person who has given me the book. I know they have spent time on picking out a book that I would enjoy and I appreciate their efforts. Sometimes I get a book that is very far from the kind of books that I usually read, because it is from a person that doesn't know me very well. He or he knows that I like to read, but the person doesn't know what kind of books that I usually read. Some of the books outside my genre that I have received are a fantasy book and a historical novel. At that time I didn't read historical novels at all, but today I sometimes read them.
@anachroniSaM (191)
• Philippines
8 Jul 12
Before, I was much picky when it comes to reading books. I learned to love the habit of reading at a tender age, but I have tended to become choosy in the genres I read then. I even had a distaste for romance. Well, maybe it was just a part of being much young and innocent and at the same time, ignorant of several matters in life. Now that I have gotten a little older, I came to realize that I do not look upon the genres anymore. That, I do not stick to a particular genre when it comes to books. Be it romance, suspense, mystery, or memoirs or biographies, it doesn't really matter, as long as the story and the content keeps my attention well. Even my favorite books come from different genres, as well.
