Question Home

Position:Home>Books & Authors> How do you choose which book to read next?


Question: How do you choose which book to read next!?
Do you have a list you go by!? Do you "sample" several books before deciding which one is next!? Or do you just grab the nearest one and dive in!? I do all these things!.Www@QuestionHome@Com


Best Answer - Chosen by Asker:
I check my mental state to see what I feel like reading!. It's just like deciding what you feel like eating!. Sometimes you know you want steak and salad and other times you want a big bowl of soup!. Sometimes I have no clue, and that's when I reach for the Cheetos of literature!. After that useless snack my mind is generally able to settle on something a bit more wholesome!. I do scan my bookshelves, just as I scan my refrigerator and cupboards but sometimes nothing seems right and that's when I have to go out for dinner!. Usually I settle for something I have at hand though!. Old standbys, the comfort food of reading, or a brand new dish I've never tried before!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

I seem to buy more books than I can read, so I actually have a backlog of 20 or so books to choose from at a time!. I am usually reading 3-4 books at a time and I read a lot of series books and different genres, so when I choose the next book, I look for one that isn't in the same series or genre as any of the other books I am reading!. I try to keep reading them in proper series order, but mix up the genres so I don't get confused between similar story lines, characters or plots!. Www@QuestionHome@Com

I read what strikes my fancy!. I will often read the synopsis of a book (and curse authors who feel they don't need one) and see if it is one that I like or sounds interesting!.

I will often also read the first couple of pages, if it hooks me it gets read and if it doesn't hook me then it goes back onto the shelf!. Www@QuestionHome@Com

I've been a voracious reader since I was 3 yrs old, and I'm !.!.!. well !.!.!. really old now compared to most folks here on Y!A!. :-)

I have three distinct approaches to choosing books to read!.

First, since I'm in the middle of my master's thesis, I have about 50-60 books I'm working my way through!. I've skimmed all of them already, made some notes, and now I'm going back to pick up the details I need to support my thesis as I'm writing it!.

Then, there are my cookbooks!. I collect cookbooks -- I have somewhere around 2700 or so -- and I always page through every new cookbook and mark recipes I want to try (eventually) with post-it flags!.

Finally, reading for fun!. I tend to read "groups" of related books, picking a topic or an author and running with it!. For example, I spent about 6 weeks working my way through about 10 different biographies of Elizabeth I of England!. I spent a week reading the entire "Camber of Culdi" series by Katherine Kurtz (I think that was 10 books)!. I love Sharon Kay Penman's historical novels, and read all of them one after the other in about a month!.

Right now, I'm reading Mark Schweizer's wonderful and hilarious series of "liturgical mysteries": The Soprano Wore Falsettos, The Alto Wore Tweed, The Tenor Wore Tapshoes, The Baritone Wore Chiffon, The Bass Wore Scales, and The Mezzo Wore Mink!. If you've ever sung in a church choir, especially in an Episcopal church, you'll love these!.
Www@QuestionHome@Com

Most of the time Ill go to the store and grab one that the cover and description on the back catch my interest!.!.!.

For example!.!. A few months ago I literally just randomly grabbed a book off the shelf at walmart and it happens to be Twilight, which turned out to be my favorite book!.!. :)Www@QuestionHome@Com

I browse the shelves for titles that jump out at me!. I also sample recommended novels!.

I'm trying to finish a long list of stories!. I'm currently reading "Things Fall Apart", by Chinua Achebe for my AP English class!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

I just dive in and read something that seems to capture me!. I usually go into a book store, go to my favourite shelf in the back and pick up anything, real the back and just seem to get hooked!. Www@QuestionHome@Com

I've got a list but I've also got a secret weapon!.!.!.my sister is a librarian and she hooks me up with the good stuff! She has wonderful taste so when she tells me what's worth reading, I read it!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

I have an ever-growing list of books to read, so I pull from that!. ^_^Www@QuestionHome@Com

All of the above really too!. I have about 6 on the go at the moment and go from one to the otherWww@QuestionHome@Com