How to spot a real good book? Do you buy a book before or after reading it?

I know the authors that I collect. I will check out some on a website all about books. I read the back of the book and that is often enough for me. If I get a book that is not what I wish I trade it on another site. I don't have one favorite book, I read alot and have a small binder with all the authors in alpha betical order that I collect the books of. Fortunatly in my house there is a library. All bases are covered.

Well I do not have any favourite books or authors but tend to read what appeals to me at the time. I do not get a lot of time for reading more than the daily newspaper and organic growing magazines. Other than that I am too busy with many other things in my life. Sometimes though I will be told about a good book, or be with my partner when she is looking for a book. I will browse through the books, read the summary and if it appeals we will buy it. Having bought it, it might take me months to read though. My partner gets books from the local library sometimes, and if I have time I will read them. We do not have a large collection of books though, as we do not have a lot of space in our home. Still the few that we do have are ones that either my partner or myself really enjoyed reading. No, we don't always end up buying a good book, because as I said we do not have a lot of spare room in our home. So, rather than not read a good book at all, we will borrow it or something like that.

I usually buy a book if it was a really good book that I read already as part of a bookring on www.bookcrossing.com Or if it's a cookbook or spiritual or art book that I just saw at the store and want for my private collection. Often times my first stop is the bargain section - I have found a lot of really good books there that I had never heard of before.

I buy books after reading the backs of them. I'll actualyl go to book stores and read the backs on a bunch of books, which I add to my reading list.