Challenge: 50 Books discussion
How do you pick your next book?
I will read everything from an author I like. However, I know I'm not the only person who has a hard time reading something from an author they haven't read anything from. I got out of that a slump a while back and what I found the best way do that was use http://www.literature-map.com/ for author suggestions. I've found a bunch of authors that I have since read and they've become new favorites I would never have thought to try.
When I buy a book from Amazon I also look through their recommendations and also read the reviews - I've picked some little gems that way! Oh, and from fellow 'goodreaders' of course!
Funny enough, lately I look at what all of you are reading, then I reserve them at the library & read them in order of return date. I'm going to have to rethink that though as I currently have about 15 books on the pile. Since there's a time crunch I'm neglecting the books I actually bought. Which I buy based on author.
Donna wrote: "Since there's a time crunch I'm neglecting the books I actually bought."I also have that problem. That's why there's a bunch of books on my currently reading list. I had to return them and I hadn't finished.
Thank you Simkine.I've just logged on to the GNod Literature Map site and it's great! I'm already adding to my to read list.
Simkine wrote: "I will read everything from an author I like. However, I know I'm not the only person who has a hard time reading something from an author they haven't read anything from.
I got out of that a slu..."
My reading is eclectic. I have shelves of unread books that are waiting for me to get to. I recently added "The Red Tent" to what I am currently reading. I know I have had it for years. But I will fall in love with an author or a genre for a time and that is all I read - either from the library or buying on line. I read Amazon lists and Borders lists, and now the lists on here. If I could quit buying and keep reading it might take me a year to empty my shelves. I call myself a bookaholic.
My husband and I have a library of about 1200 books, so I have been picking a shelf and trying to make my way through all the unread books on it. I am weeding out the keepers and posting all the others on bookmooch.com. Usually I pick book based on the cover/blurb on the back, or on recommendations from friends and all you guys.
I'm a bookaholic too. When we moved 12 years ago we had close to 100 boxes of books. Can't even imagine what it would be now. I'm trying to work my way back through the unread pile now because there's more than usual. Unfortunately, I'll see a book somewhere and now that I have to read that book RIGHT NOW.
I typically choose a book based on the the synopsis on the back cover and I have certain authors I tend to read more than others. I do have to laugh, I have noticed that I am choosing books based on the ratings here on this website. I have come to terms that I am officially a follower when it comes to choosing a book.
I'm a real bookaholic too. I have tons of unread books on my shelves, books that were recommended to me, about which I read interesting reviews or by authors I like. Whenever I finish a book, I check out my collection to find something I'm in the mood for. That way I'm eclectic as well, constantly switching between genres and authors, depending on what I feel like reading at that moment, and I never read several books from the same author at once. Either I loved their work and want to keep the rest for when I feel like reading something I know will be good (usually after reading a book I really didn't like), or I didn't like it enough to read more. For example, I love the Discworld series from Terry Pratchett. I read only one or two books of that series each year. That way, it will take a long time before I run out of Discworld books! :-)
Let me count the ways. The unread books by my favorite author is one choice. Then there are 3 book clubs which challenge and introduce (or re-introduce)me--sometimes successfully--sometimes not so much. Reading the posts here gives me good suggestions.Then there's my oldest and most favorite way to pick books--browsing the stacks at the library--covers, titles, size--something catches my eye and I have to read it.
Mod
I got out of that a slu..."
That Literature Map link is really cool. It helped me ID some more "To-Reads." Thanks!
Usually I stroll through postings to find books that other people have liked, check the ratings (close to, or higher than a "4" average rating,) and see if the library has it. I think that's how I ended up reading so much Young Adult recently... I think they might get more enthusiastic raters on average.
I have lots of books sitting on the shelve waiting to be read. I tend to choose mine by my mood but also recommendations from friends and goodreads as I love to find new authors.
it depends. I get recs from friends and the librarians who know me well. If i'm in a book store, it's usually the cover art that grabs me
but mostly i belong to many book clubs and it's their write ups that make me at least look at a book.
Also when i poke around my online book communities, I find things that you all have read that strikes a chord and I go look it up
And of course I do have authors that I follow everything they put out
Many of the titles I read are required by whatever course I happen to be taking or what I am teaching.Covers and jacket copy are important. Some book just stand out on the shelf.
I have been making more of an effort to read works in translation and have taken suggestions from various authors' Top Ten or Top 100 lists.
I check IndieBound for recommendations or I go to Amazon and check the if you like this you might like this. Before I read a book though, I do check with GoodReads for it's rating and what my GR friends may think. I have been very happy with the results.
I have loads of books sitting on my shelves waiting to be read. Whenever I read a review or get a recomendation from a friend I tend to go out and buy the book straight away. Even thought I'll have 20 or 30 already sitting there I haven't got to yet. Recently I've decided not to buy anymore till I get through what i've already got.
Confession: my husband and I (and now our oldest son, who is 10) collect books, too . . . I can't hazard a guess at it's size!! I usually pick a book because it's interesting. I read some non-fiction (mostly psych/soc/education/politics), memoir, and fiction -- the premise just has to grab me.) He'sa WWii buff who only reads fiction on recommendation -- my son loves to read everything by an author and hates to part with part of an author's collection.).
Used bookstores are our favorite place to be!
There seem to be NO rules on what I read next: bookclub selections, goodreads suggestions and BOOK REVIEWS!
I choose my books several different ways. I am in the Victorian group as well as classics and Jane Austen and am reading their books of the month if I have it already or can get it in the library. This way enables me to participate in the discussion groups and analyze the books to maximize my enjoyment. Family and friends know I like to read and often get me books and I try to read those. I like to read best sellers and contemporary also. There are no rules. I also am trying to read books that have been on my bookshelves(real) for years so I can share them.
Simkine wrote: "I will read everything from an author I like. However, I know I'm not the only person who has a hard time reading something from an author they haven't read anything from. I got out of that a slu..."
That literature map is really cool! Thanks, Simkine.
I have so many unread books on myself too. Usually because I read a book and bought others by the author. I'm trying to get through a bunch of those before I get any more from the library.
I read everything and anything that has been recommended to me. Sometimes I will browse reading groups to see what everyone else is reading for new reads.
I pick a book based on an interesting review I see here, friend's suggestion or it could be an author I love or something I just know I have to read in my lifetime (like War and Peace for example which is my favorite book now). Sometimes a book just catches my eye and I have to read it...
I work in a bookstore, so I inevitably get a lot of books recommended to me by staff and clientele. I also buy a lot of books as the result of a killer employee discount. However my selection of books is entirely arbitrary, sometimes books have to sit on my shelf before I am drawn to reading them....they call to me when I am ready :)
I really like to change up what I read. My bookshelves at home are organized by what I have read, then what I haven't read. In each of those categories, I have alphabetized the books by authors last name, and then by title. ((can you tell I'm a little OCD)). I also recently received a kindle as a gift. So lately I have been going to the "unread" bookshelves, and I will pick any book out from there, and then switch to one on the kindle.
I have different methods when it comes to picking out new books. I get recommodations from friends. I also tend to get "stuck" on an author. If I like one book I'll read almost anything I can come by. Since I also believe in second chances I often read at least two books by an author, even if I didn't like the first. And it depends on mood. Sometimes I just want the funny light-hearted books. Other days I want something I can reflect upon. I also like book stores. I can walk around for hours just looking through the shelves, and often buy books just by looking at the cover. (Alot of surprises; good and bad)
And I like classics. I mean, they're classics for a reason, right?
If I can't decide what to read next, I'll set my TBR shelf here on Goodreads to "random" and read whatever book comes up first. I've only done this a few times. Usually, I already have a book in mind when I go to look for one to start.
Eva wrote: "Do you pick your next book by author, genre, friend recommendations, best sellers lists, the best cover in the book store? How do you do it?I have noticed that I obsessively read by author. I..."
Eva I def do the same although I go crazy buy them all somehow i never finish and move onto next author.
Tiffani wrote: "My husband and I have a library of about 1200 books, so I have been picking a shelf and trying to make my way through all the unread books on it. I am weeding out the keepers and posting all the ot..."I don't have as many but i am at about 200. I also and refusing to purchase until i make a nice tent. I have not purchased a book in about 6 months unless it came from bookmooch.com paperbackswap.com or my new favorite bookins.com (there is a fee on this one but I get bestsellers while they are still in new out in stores) also you can trade more then books on their site. It's about $5.00 a trade but everything ive done has been pratically shiny new.
Either browsing in Borders, reading the NY Times Book Review or my book club which is Doubleday.
I also read by author. One of my self impossed challenges over the summer was to read all of the fiction books that won the Pulitzer Prize. Finished the last one in September. Anyone have any suggestions on reading a new category??
I generally read by genre and then specific authors within that genre and only if it a series and only that series. If there are no new books by authors I like to read, then I look for a cover that would be illustrating a storyline that I might find interesting, then I read the back cover and that is when I decided to purchase it or not.I don't know anyone who reads the genre's I like so I never take recommendations and I don't look at best seller lists.
If it's a library book then I wander the shelves until I find something of interest.
Well my newest thing is I am following the Alphabet with titles. I figuired that would get me to 26 atleast. Umm I like to browse the barnes and noble bargain section to try new authors. Atleast if the book suck it was only $5.00. I am also a big series reader.
I read a lot of different things but my kids are in different library groups. So I tend to read alot of what they read. My favorite books tend to be in the sci-fi/fantasy realm. I do read alot vamp books because that is what my kids like. I find most of them to be really good. I find I like the way YA books are written. The author tend to get to the point. They know that they have to hold the attention of younger readers so they dont fill their books with needless info.
I rotate - a light fiction book followed by a classic, then another light fiction followed by a non-fiction book. THe light fiction could be anything - a mystery, sci-fi, fantasy etc.
Badlydone wrote: "I rotate - a light fiction book followed by a classic, then another light fiction followed by a non-fiction book. THe light fiction could be anything - a mystery, sci-fi, fantasy etc."I alternate between classic, contemporary, and non-fiction also an epic. It can take me a long time to read an epic since I will a only read a small section at a time.
As I read the various posts, I see myself all over the place. I guess I am a real book"ie". I love books, old ones, new ones, by the same author, by authors I just found (oh, I love finding someone new either at the bookstore or in the library), children's literature, classics and not so classic. So to answer the question of how I pick the next book, it too changes. Right now, I am picking the next book because we are in the season of Lent (in the Christian church calenaday) so I wanted to be reading something with a Christian theme...and I picked two authors an old favourite J.I. Packer and someone I had read about Dietrich Bonhoeffer. I am reading them as I receive them. Meanwhile I am also, reading something light, and something motivational.
I usually try to keep reading in a number of areas so my reading can suit my mood and the time I have to devote to reading. Sometimes I just pick a book because I have finished one, and just need another...so the closest book will do (I sometimes find wonderful ones on my own bookselves that way).
I tend to go to my local library to get my books. I go to the new books section and pick my books from there. I get e-mails from the PA library group that lists the best sellers in non-fiction, fiction, and other categories of books which gives a description of the books. I look for them. If they aren't available, I'll ask and I rely on the good old judging a book by its cover. If it looks good, I'll give it a try.
How I pick my next book is by reading the NEW yOUR Times Book Review, Going to the library and sometimes I just pick a subject and read all about that. Some fictions ideas were Hurricane Katrina and it effects on the city. World War II. My latest one is trying to read all the books that have won the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction. Start at 1949 and work my way forward. I have read some of them though before I took on this challenge. I just love to read.
I feel overwhelmed sometimes because I have so many books I want to read! My goal this year was to read all my unread books on my shelves. But then people give me some to borrow, so I feel like I need to read those first, and then I have a book to read for book club. I usually pick by subject though, I tend to get obsessed with a part of history and read alot of fiction and non fiction in that subject. For a year now it has been Tudor England and I'm still not tired of it :)
Thank you for mentioning the Literature map, that gave me several new ideas! Although I thought it was funny that I entered Elizabeth Haydon and one of the Authors on her map was Bill O'reilly!! lol I usually read by author as well and once I find an author I like, I quickly devour all their books and am then kind of sad when there are no more.
Another little quirk I have is that once I'm finished reading a book or series that I am completely involved in, I have to read a something light before I can dive into another series.
I normally find my books through amazon. What I normally do is I'll go onto the page of the book I just read, and look through the 'customers who bought this also bought' and have a look through and see if there is anything I like the look of, then when I've found something, I'll read through the reviews etc, sometimes complete this process a few times, starting on pages of new books I've found (if that makes sense).Then I'll log on to the library website and get the books I liked the sound of, ordered, wait a few days, and then go and collect them :) x
Hi,My choice goes with the seasons.In The Spring I like to pick inspirationnal fiction like Eat,Pray and Love.
Reading reviews also help me to pick the next one and Books Addict Monthly reading will guide my choice.
Eva wrote: "Do you pick your next book by author, genre, friend recommendations, best sellers lists, the best cover in the book store? How do you do it?I have noticed that I obsessively read by author. I..."
I do that too...however I also tend to take a few hours once a month or so and just immerse myself into the shelves at the local books store. While there I wander the isles and pick up numerous books checking out the covers and story blurbs. Lots of times there will be books that wouldn't have caught my eye but happened to be by one that did ...and I end up looking at those too. I rarely will purchase at this time (ok maybe a treat of one or two) but I write all the titles and authors down in a notebook along with the price, then when I return home I compare Amazon prices (and kindle prices) and add the books to my book swap lists here and on paperbackswap.com
Usually I get what I am looking for without a long wait and much nicer on my wallet!
I pick most of my books from Barnes and Nobles website and some friend recommendations. But I am a book addict and I also frequent the book store and Library shelves. If the cover is interesting I will give it a try.
I try to alternate between actual books and ebooks, but that is just so i can make space on the bookcase for more books. Everytime I remove a book from the bookcase there is at least one waiting to take its place.I also pick by my favourite authors and books that I've seen mentioned on goodreads, plus I like to browse in the library,bookshops and charity shops if the cover of a book catches my eye and the blurb on the back sounds interesting then I'll either buy or borrow it.
I almost always have a pile of books I have to read because another author sent it to me or gave it to me at a conference or a book I need to read to participate in a discussion. That's okay though. It's almost easier than having to choose from the zillions of books out there I want to read. I do make some time for books that I hear about from other readers who I know have similar tastes as mine. For example, I'm hoping to squeeze in The Lock Artist sometime soon, just for fun.
I'd never heard of The Lock Artist until you mentioned it and now that I've read the synopsis I'm going to have to add it to my tbr pile.
Karen wrote: "I'd never heard of The Lock Artist until you mentioned it and now that I've read the synopsis I'm going to have to add it to my tbr pile."I read one other Steve Hamilton book and liked it. Then he came to my library to speak about this book The Lock Artist back in February and the day before I got an email from Amazon with their picks for February's books and The Lock Artist was one. Unfortunately, I haven't read it yet, but I may push it to the top of by TBR pile.
I'll have to wait until July before it is available in th UK.
Challenge: 50 Books
Books mentioned in this topic
The Girl Who Played with Fire (other topics)A Gate at the Stairs (other topics)
I have noticed that I obsessively read by author. I will read a book I like (some times from a friend rec, or an interview, or because the back blurb sounded interesting), then I will read EVERYTHING (and I mean everything) else that the author has written.
What about you guys?