What Do I Want Books To Do For Me?

I look for different things from books, depending on which genre I'm reading, but there are things in common across the spectrum.

A good book for me must:-

1. Entertain me. (I want to be gripped by its pace and narrative. I don't want to be sent to sleep by it!).

2. I want to learn something from it and this applies to fiction as much as non-fiction.

From the former, I can learn something about behaviour and choices depending on what the characters do.

Learning from non-fiction books is obvious but it is a good idea to read outside the subjects you might usually choose (and this is something I need to do more often).

I love history and that is my "go to" for non-fiction reading but I always used to like geography so maybe I should try some travel writing books etc. Hmm... might look up some ideas to put on my Christmas present wish list then!).

3. I want to want to read the book again in due course. Good books call for repeated reading (and I find I pick up more details on a second or third read). I also wouldn't undermine the comfort of reading a familiar book. There is much to be said for that.

So what do YOU look for in a good book?