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buying by blurbs

venusunfolding

venusunfolding

New Member
How much do blurbs on books influence your buying?

For instance if a writer you really enjoyed has a blurb on the front cover of another book telling you how much they enjoyed it, are you more likely to buy that book?

I am. I was looking Stephen King's Bag of Bones trying to decide whether I really wanted it, and then I saw that Gloria Naylor said she enjoyed it, so I picked it up.
 
Blurbs don't really influence my choice of book. I might be a little bit influenced if there is a vast amount of positive raves written all over the book from various newspapers and review sites.

Mostly I just go by what the book is about rather than who liked it.
 
I do, but I will only pick up a book in the first place if I have heard a recommendation for it, or if it catches my eye in the bookshop, which happens rarely.

I read interviews in magazines and whatever the author recommends I will look out for... in Psychologies magazine they have a big section on books and book reviews, and a few of months ago, Jodi Picoult was interviewed and in replying to the question "which book do you wish you had written?" she replied Life of Pi by Yann Martel.

I hadn't even heard of it, but went looking for it, bought it, read it, and loved it!!

It's because of these influences that I have bought Brooklyn Follies by Paul Auster, Never Let Me Go by Ishiguru and tons more, recently. And also recommendations from TBF members.
 
I don't believe blurbs.

What do you call the inside of a dust jacket that describes what the book is about? I've called that a blurb, too.
 
I don't care for the blurbs. They're just distracting, and misleading sometimes if I'm not paying close attention. What really makes me want to yell is when there is no synopsis on the back or in the front of the book, and those spaces are reserved for pictures of the author and blurbs from God knows who from a gazillion newspapers and lists. What do I care if some unknown reviewer from some paper I've never seen, thinks the book is 'fabulous'? Just tell me what the book is about and let me think for myself.
 
I don't buy books exept by personal recommendation, reputable review or previous eperience with author. And never anymore from first-time authors. Sorry guys.
When I find a blurb that says "this book is nothing much but you might like it," then I might just buy it as a reward for the brave publisher. :D
Peder
 
I buy books by authors I've read and enjoyed, or if they're in a genre that I like to read. I'm sure I have purchased books after reading all the review excerpts so I can't say that I don't do that... but the blurbs aren't the main reason why I buy books.

And yeah, I don't like when there's no synopsis on the back cover either. I don't need a sprawling, heavily detailed explanation of the book's plot; just a few competent sentences explaining what the whole thing's about will do just fine :).
 
I don't pay heed to them. If the summary sounds good or it was recommended by friends who know my tastes in reading material and is not by an author that I despise, I will read it.
 
I totally ignore blurbs on books. In fact, I try to avoid books with blurbs by popular authors on them. I tend to get a higher quality book in that case. Besides, if you look closely, half the time the blurb isn't even about the book in your hand, but rather the author's last bestseller. It's complete false advertising.
 
Hey
I totally don't care about the blurb. Its just a waste of space.
I buy a books from authors I like, or authors they recommend. I read reviews in newspapers and interviews with authors and if I like the sound of them, then I'll pick up one of their books. If a friend has read a book they think I would like, I read it. Or, if I randomly go into a book store and pick up an unfamiliar book that I like the sound of based on the summary, then I'll get it.

Lani
 
It would probably be fair to say that blurbs are written by friends who are looking to help bring along someone they know. That's how it works in academia, I'm sure literature is no different.
 
mari said:
For instance if a writer you really enjoyed has a blurb on the front cover of another book telling you how much they enjoyed it, are you more likely to buy that book?
Click to expand...

I'm more likely to pick it up and look at it, yes, though I'm aware that for the publisher what these quotes are supposed to suggest to the unwary purchaser is "This book is quite like a book by [name of author whose praise is quoted]." By the same token there are certain authors whose quotes on a book will make me less likely to buy it, for example Michael Ondaatje: although I like his books, anything I've read that he has praised has tended to be dreary and overwritten.

I would disagree with those who insist on a plot summary on the back cover. I don't think the subject matter of a work of fiction is important at all, so I'd rather see critical praise telling me how the book's literary qualities stand up. Besides, I find that when the back cover is all quotes of praise, usually one of them is longer than the others and includes a summary of the storyline or setting.
 
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