How do you decide which books to get?
By Lena Kovadlo
@lovebuglena (52144)
Staten Island, New York
July 25, 2022 12:14pm CST
If you’re in a bookstore looking for some books to buy, or if you’re in the library looking to borrow some books to read, how do you decide what to get?
If it’s an author I’ve read before and I’ve enjoyed the books I will most likely get all their books without even reading what they are about.
But if it’s authors I don’t know I will read the blurb on the cover and maybe a few paragraphs inside the book to see if I’m drawn in. I will rarely get a book just based on the cover or title but these things can lead me to pick up the book and peak inside.
9 people like this
11 responses
@valmnz (17095)
• New Zealand
25 Jul 22
I love reading books that are new to me. Often the display at the library draws me to investigate a book further. And I belong to a book club where we choose our own books according to a monthly theme. I find recommendations from friends only work for me sometimes.
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@valmnz (17095)
• New Zealand
26 Jul 22
@lovebuglena we have several shelves called Librarians Choice and others relating to a specific theme for the week, where the covers are displayed.
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@lovebuglena (52144)
• Staten Island, New York
26 Jul 22
I like it when books are displayed so we can see the cover. Usually we only see the spine of a book.
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@lovebuglena (52144)
• Staten Island, New York
26 Jul 22
@valmnz Wonder if we have something like that at my local library.
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@Greencindere (674)
•
25 Jul 22
I just realized I never went to buy or rent a book without a recommendation lol. Whether from my teachers, family or friends. I always picked the books they recommended. Huh
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@lovebuglena (52144)
• Staten Island, New York
26 Jul 22
It's nice when someone recommends a book. You'd think they wouldn't recommend a book if it was not bad. On the other hand, people's tastes vary. One person may like the book while another may hate it.
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@lovebuglena (52144)
• Staten Island, New York
27 Jul 22
@Greencindere biographies can be interesting. Though maybe I’d prefer autobiographies or memoirs.
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@Greencindere (674)
•
26 Jul 22
@lovebuglena exactly. Made me realize I never developed my style. Thinking about it now I like reading biographies and will focus on those in the future.
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@ShyBear88 (59342)
• Sterling, Virginia
25 Jul 22
I read the back of the book and the title that’s how I decide some times I take recommendations
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@ShyBear88 (59342)
• Sterling, Virginia
26 Jul 22
@lovebuglena if it’s in the same genre I’m sure the recommendation would be a good one
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@lovebuglena (52144)
• Staten Island, New York
26 Jul 22
Recommendations are good to have. No guarantee we are going to like the books though. Everyone's tastes are different.
@DaddyEvil (174454)
• United States
25 Jul 22
If I'm in a book store, I look for favorite authors and see if they have any new books published since I was last buying books and then I look for favorite topics next.
If it's an unfamiliar author, I read the first chapter of the book. If I'm not interested by the end of the first chapter, I don't want the book.
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@DaddyEvil (174454)
• United States
26 Jul 22
@lovebuglena Yes, they can... I've also been forced to read books that started off really slow but got good later and had a satisfying ending, too.
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@lovebuglena (52144)
• Staten Island, New York
26 Jul 22
Sometimes I start reading the first chapter. Sometimes I just open a random page and start reading. A book can start off really good and then decline.
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@Scrapper88 (5980)
• United States
25 Jul 22
Sometimes; I read the back cover to see what the book is about. If I like what I read; I will buy the book.
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@lovebuglena (52144)
• Staten Island, New York
26 Jul 22
Do you ever read the author's bio or look at the list of books they've published? I like to look at the list of published books, especially if it seems the book I am looking at is part of a series. Don't want to read a book only to find out it's part of a series and not the first one in it.
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@Scrapper88 (5980)
• United States
26 Jul 22
@lovebuglena I will read the author bio. If they have a list of books the author has written; I will look at that too.
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@Nakitakona (59987)
• Philippines
31 Jul 22
I usually look for a familiar author and also the title of the book.
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@lovebuglena (52144)
• Staten Island, New York
31 Jul 22
I tend to be a bit hesitant picking up a book by an unknown author.
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@Nakitakona (59987)
• Philippines
1 Aug 22
@lovebuglena Well, some known author's books aren't available so I have to rely on the book's title.
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@psanasangma (7910)
• India
26 Jul 22
I prefer to read the back of the cover and if still not convince me, then I choose to read first page or random page.
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@lovebuglena (52144)
• Staten Island, New York
27 Jul 22
I sometimes read a random page instead of first page of first chapter.
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@FourWalls (86703)
• United States
25 Jul 22
This may shock you, but I don’t think I’ve read any fiction since college lit classes (1996-97). I find non-fiction and history so much more intriguing, fascinating, and downright WEIRD than fiction.
@lovebuglena (52144)
• Staten Island, New York
26 Jul 22
Non-fiction books can be great reads. And they are informative and even helpful. I usually don't read non-fiction books (aside from poetry; is it even considered non-fiction?) but I've read some and enjoyed them.
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@RasmaSandra (98005)
• Daytona Beach, Florida
25 Jul 22
That is also my method, First if a cover draws me then I pick up the book and read what is written on the front and back covers and then take a brief look inside,
@lovebuglena (52144)
• Staten Island, New York
26 Jul 22
In stores or even libraries we usually only see the spine first, so I guess it would have to be the title that would get me to remove the book from the shelf and look at it.
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@lovebuglena (52144)
• Staten Island, New York
27 Jul 22
If it’s an author I’ve read before and like I may not even read the blurb.
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@LindaOHio (222329)
• United States
26 Jul 22
I'm open to just about any book, especially if I'm at a library book sale because they are so inexpensive. I look at the cover, the author and the synopsis. There are some authors that I will pick up anything they've written.
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@lovebuglena (52144)
• Staten Island, New York
27 Jul 22
Great to have authors whose books you look forward to.
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