Ed Lynskey's Blog: Cracked Rearview Mirror - Posts Tagged "to-be-read"

If you're like me, your To-Be-Read pile is a mountainous one. So many books to read, and so little time to get to them. So, if given the bewildering number of possibilities, just how do you decide which book will be your next one to read? There must be some method to your madness. I'll try to explain mine a little here.

Every week I review our public library's new order list, and I put a hold on any titles coming in that appeal to me. It's smart to patronize the public library in these lean economic times, so the zealous lawmakers don't get the bright idea to slash the library budget (they do it anyway).

Sometimes I do background reading, especially in nonfiction if I'm writing something in a novel. An example might be a police procedural book. I also like to read nonfiction for the variety it offers me. I don't like memoirs, but I'll read a biography of a sports or historical figure.

I like to follow the big buzz different books generate. The Stieg Larsson trilogy, for example. I generally ignore the bestseller lists. If I borrow a recommended book from a friend, I'll go ahead and read it. If my wife borrows something that she likes, I'll read it. Our tastes often converge. Reviews on Goodreads are more relevant to me than other places for getting my suggestions.

But to be honest, it's mostly a gut or mood thing with me. I don't like to lock in on any next specific title to read next. I like to float and let my whimsy or mood choose for me. A title I see while browsing a shelf might strike my fancy. Or if I remember a book I've always meant to read and haven't (such as James Dickey's Deliverance). There's so much going on here. Maybe I'll carry this talk into my future blog posts.

Happy reading to you and yours!

By Ed Lynskey
Twitter: @edlynskey
Author of Lake Charles
"Definitely recommend you take a fictional journey to Lake Charles."
Elizabeth A. White's Musings of an All Purpose Monkey