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When you look for a new book . . .

novella

novella

Active Member
what are you thinking? Bear with me. If you are willing to answer this, there's a lot to talk about.
 
It's a difficult question to answer. I guess I usually look for something that is going to take me somewhere new and teach me something in the process.
There are times when I have a vague idea about what I'm looking for, that is something that is going to satisfy a particular curiosity about say a new author.
But most of the time I'm open to practically any new book - and find the idea of having a set criteria a bit absurd.
 
What I'm thinking when I look for a new book:

Is this going to make me feel something - is it going to strike an emotional chord? I am a sucker for writing that makes me feel an emotion - happy, sad, it doesn't matter. I've got to feel it in my gut.

Is it something that will make me think in ways that will challenge my usual comfort zone.

Sometimes, I'm looking for something entertaining to pass the time - but I'm finding this to be less so.

Is the writing lyrical and magical, the writing so sumptuous and the images so real that the plot becomes almost
secondary.

Is it a writer I know?
 
Wow, what a good question! There are a lot of factors that I consider before buying a book. I'm a sucker for a sale, so I check the bargain tables first. Then I read the synopsis on the back and see if it looks at all interesting. I will read just about anything, but I hate feeling like "I already read this book" so I try to look for original topics or a unique voice. I also look for books that have won an award like the Man Booker Prize, or for positive reviews that are quoted in the front/ back pages of the book. The reviews strongly influence me, and if there are no positive reviews included in the book, then I usually won't buy it.

I just came back from the bookstore, so here are the books I bought and why I bought them:

Everything is Illuminated, by Jonathan Safran Foer- I just finished his other book, Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close, and I loved loved LOVED it. I originally went to the bookstore just to buy this book.

The Last King of Scotland by Giles Foden- I enjoyed the movie, so I figured the book would be twice as good, since books usually are. It also has 3 pages of positive reviews in the front and won the Whitbread First Book Award. And it was on sale. :)

The Good Life by Jay McInerney- I have read 3 of his books and enjoyed them all. (Plus it was on sale! :p )

Poppy Shakespeare, by Clare Allen- 2 pages of positive reviews plus the Guardian First Book Award. And yes, it was on the sale table.

The End of Iraq, by Peter W Galbrath- This looks fascinating and I can't wait to read it. I picked it up specifically because of this quote: "Galbrath knows more than most westerners about Iraq, and maybe 5 million percent more than any member of the Bush administration." It cracked me up and intrigued me, so I read the first few pages. I didn't want to put it down, so I bought it (even though it wasn't on sale. Grrrr)

This is probably way more detail than you wanted, but I hope it helps.
 
Just a couple more things (it was late last night).

I also keep in mind books by authors that I've read good reviews about or that have been recommended to me, but haven't read yet; as well as award winners (I seem to have the most luck with the Giller and Man Booker).

Novella, any particular reason for asking?
 
I often think to myself "Will it be any good?". Usually I just read the summary and make a decision from there. Sometimes I'll take into consideration the response from readers/critics as well. Of course I will buy books from authors I've read before, but I don't think that counts in this case.
 
Ell said:
Novella, any particular reason for asking?
Click to expand...

Yeah, I'm just trying to pin down the process most people go through. I find it hard to describe myself.

For instance, while winning an award may indicate some level of quality, I don't think it's a reliable indicator that I would actually enjoy a particular book.

There are some interesting answers here. Actually opening the book and reading some of the language helps me to figure out whether to commit to it. I love the Amazon 'see inside this book' feature.

Most people's casual recommendations I find very unreliable.

imhere4beer seems to have some similar approaches to mine: Do I like the author already? Is the subject something I'm attracted to learning about?

Lately I've been into 'real life' type books, which is not to say strictly nonfiction, but books that try to get into the space people really inhabit mentally and socially.

A couple of recent reads:

Dreaming by Caroline See (really excellent)

Another Bullshit Night in Suck City by Nick Flynn; Some Ether by Nick Flynn (both really great. He's on my list to watch.)

Work and Other Sins by Charlie LeDuff

Sleeping Where I Fall by Peter Coyote (rather pretentious and righteous)

But this is just a phase. I also read the new LeCarre and am reading the newest Rumpole (John Mortimer). These are both a case of always reading these authors, but neither lives up to the writers' previous work.

In fact, I think the new Rumpole was ghostwritten or at least cowritten by an anonymous writer. Something about it isn't right. I'm going to look into this, as I think it's a dangerous and deceitful trend.

More on all this to follow.
 
When browsing the shelves or online catalogs, I ask myself if I am going to find a book interesting. Although I will read just about anything, there are certain topics that usually catch my immediate interest. Things like geisha or pharaohs, for example, typically make me want to read something. Books that have sypnosis on the back or the inside flap are wonderful for this question.

Also I might open to a random page and scan the prose style to see if it is something that I am going to like. It also helps me to decide whether I would wish to buy this particular book or just check it out from the library.

Occasionally I find myself purchasing books on a whim.

If I am browsing through book selections online, I will usually read reviews while scouring to get an idea of the general opinion held by other readers regarding a particular work.
 
Just to elaborate on this a little, here are some factors that might determine whether you commit to a book or not:

the cover
the blurbs on the cover
having read the author before
prizes won or nominations for prizes
genre (e.g., reading all vampire books)
how long it is
how new it is
looks impressive on public transportation and in cafes (yes, you know the guy with the goatee and beret ostentatiously reading Dostoyevsky over a bowl of steamed milk)
educational potential (as in, e.g., reading all the so-called classics)
first paragraph or page
reviews in major media
recommendations from friends
trendiness or buzz (e.g., The Beach and A Million Little Pieces)
price
availability (e.g., it's being pushed by stores and ads and is everywhere)
online reviews by regular readers (thanks to Fantasy Moon for reminding that these are sometimes insightful)


I'm sure there are other factors. I would not, BTW, put these in this order. Price is rarely a factor for me, because I use the library a lot.

My order would start with:

read the author's work before
first paragraph or page
 
I often look for authors whom I've read before. Usually, when I find an author I enjoy, I end up reading all of their books in time.

I also look for interesting titles, which leads me to read the blurb on the back. If the blurb seems interesting, I will pick up the book (assuming I don't find anything more interesting while browsing); if it seems semi-interesting, I usually read the first several pages or so to determine whether I want it or not.

I use recommendations a lot, both online and offline. I especially use recs from my father, since our reading interests run very parallel.

I also sometimes use recommendation sites online....I have found several new authors this way.

Because I teach 7th grade, I try to keep up with books they're interested in, as well. When they're working on something in class, I circulate the room. When I see a book that looks interesting, I ask them about it. I've found several really interesting books this way.

For non-fiction, I look for topics of interest (science - particularly the natural sciences). I usually look up the author to see if he/she is reputable. I also use the book blurbs in the magazine Science News.
 
I look for:

authors I've already read and enjoyed
interesting titles (if the title isn't creative, then book most likely will not either)
jacket design
genre (I hate most adventure stories because they're so overrated and overdone, so I avoid those.)
If its part of a series (I love series, so I always look for some)
Description on back or inside (most influential)
Does it catch my interests (I like vampires, so most vampire stories, I'll at least try once. I think novella had me in mind when she mentioned those :D)
Recommendations by friends who like things I like (not random people off the internet)
Popularity (most popular books are horribly rushed and not as good as those who have more to gain from their work)

What I never do:

Read reviews (Often, the companies only pick the good reviews and leave out the bad ones)
Look at awards its won (Might be good for most, but maybe not for me. I am an individual. I have my own thoughts)
Writing style (I like nearly all writing styles, so it really doesn't matter to me how it's written)
 
I guess the questions that I would ask would be:

Does the title interest me and if the title interests me, does the blurb about the book hold my interest enough to make sure that I will want to read it?

Also I look at what the cover looks like. I know people say don't judge a title by its cover, but I do do that.

I suppose the advertising of various book awards that the book has won also catches my eye.
 
I would have to agree with most of what others have said above (title, synopsis, reader's recommendation, favorite author, etc.). However, I might hold back from buying if I feel the price is high. I'm willing to wait for the price to go down, or look for a used copy instead.

If there is a story with a character that I really like and if the author brings that character back in other stories, I will definitely buy the book. The character doesn't have to be the 'main' character. I did this with Sandy Stern in Scott Turow's novels, VI Warshawski in Sara Paretsky, and a few others.
 
I normaly will look online on forums for peoples recommendations. Then go onto amazon and see what is said about the book, and if there search inside facility is available I will have a look at that. If I like the sound of it I add it to a list of books to look out for.

Next I will look to see if my library has it, there I can go and read a bit before taking it out. If the beginning doesn't grab me normaly I will leave it and put a question mark next to the book, to tell me it isn't a book I would buy, unless cheap! I will also read the blurb. I don't pay attention to awards because I have found myself being dissappointed with many books which have won awards.

I do go through phases where I will look for books about the same thing, for example I am intrested in mental health so I may go through a phase reading about eating disorders be it fiction or non fiction.

I guess I look for books which are on topics I find intresting and try and read enough reviews to find out if it is what I am looking for - Amazon is good for this.
 
What's the buzz at the online book review sites? This can help me avoid or latch onto a title or author. Not whether anyone likes the author, but what is said in the discussions.

Another thing that I haven't seen mentioned yet is author interviews which can totally sway me into a book. Obviously this doesn't always work, but it introduced me to Patrick McGrath and a couple others. Sometimes it just stimulates the nosy button and the impulse is fleeting or not that strong... but I still really like these.

I'm one of the oddballs that will read some (easy) books even if they're not that great. I do it to try and understand why I don't like it. I do try to finish difficult books I don't like, but - it's too hard. Wastes more time.
 
Interesting question Novella. I, like others, find it hard to put into words the exact thought process that I go through when choosing a book as it isn't something I have analysed before.

I guess the first thing I look for when standing in a bookshop is a new book from an author I have read before and enjoyed. Actually before that I tend to visit a section, depending on what mood I am in - normally Sci-Fi and Fantasy first, then General fiction (though I will sometimes browse the 3 for 2 stands first, if I am in Waterstones, as they tend to be right at the front). Then I look for Authors whose work I have enjoyed in the past and if there is nothing then I tend to scan the titles. Sometimes something will jump out and i'll pick it up for a closer look. By a closer look I mean reading the back cover and then possibly the blurb. If it still looks vaguely interesting then i'll flick through the pages to check if the writing style is something I would enjoy (this can be a little hard to explain, even though I enjoy fantasy - too many peculiar/unusual names can really put me off a book). If I am still interested then I would probably purchase the book, if not then I would generally repeat the process in General Fiction (looking for Historical fiction if possible).

I rarely, if ever, read reviews or go on personal recommendations. Though, saying that - the last book I read was lent to me by a friend and I enjoyed it immensely :)
 
Good question. I’ll try and explain my process for buying new books.

Firstly, the kinds of books I like have a baring on how I go about selecting them. I don’t read much contemporary fiction, so media hype, glowing reviews in newspapers or recent awards hold little interest. I do buy contemporary non-fiction, but again I can’t remember media buzz having an effect. If it does, it’s on a subconscious level.

My taste is more towards 20th century world lit, which can be hard to find and means most of my book purchases are selected in advance and ordered, either online or through the local bookstore. I still have the habit of wondering into a bookshop only to appear half an hour later with books I had do intention of buying, but there are probably others here who succumb more often than myself.

When I am buying on spec, promotion has no effect as I walk past all the staffs’ hard work and head straight for the fiction section. That can be more difficult than you think, as my two favourite stores in London – Foyles and the Waterstones outlet housed in the beautiful corner building in Bloomsbury – seemed to have adopted a policy of ‘lets keeping moving the start of the fiction section so no one can find it’. Bless ‘em. Anyway, once I’m there I work my way through from A to Z. The design of the spine is important, as that is what catches my eye first, followed by the cover itself. A beautiful cover can influence me quite a lot, but mainly into getting me to look at the book in more detail. I’d like to say it had no effect on whether I actually bought it, but I suspect that would be a lie. Recommendation from fellow authors don’t effect me as I’ve probably never read them either, whilst good reviews from respected sources, London review of books etc, will get me to look further. The thing that finally hooks me in is reading a random page or two from the text, mixed with a synopsis that catches my imagination.

When rooting round for the stuff you don’t find on the shelves of the high street store, I use Amazon quite a lot. The ‘people who bought/liked this also bought/liked this’ feature has helping in pointing me in interesting directions on a number of occasions. I also use recommendations from people I know or have met. Some of the great Czech authors I really like were discovered by asking a local when on holiday in Prague, in fact I still have the bookmark on which someone wrote the name of Bohumil Hrabal. He became on of my favourite writers.

As for some of the other factors you listed. I’m not a fan of really long books, so that can put me off. Neither do I go out of the way to read a certain percentage of classics. Although there are some books I’ve read because I felt I really should, Ulysees etc. At some point I’ll get round to more of those, but not to the extent where they stop me from enjoying my reading.

I’m gunna leave it at that for now. I’m sure there’s more I could add later.

Regards,

K-S
 
As well as listening to recommendations, I'm also a list and "best of" recommendations person. Not because I'll necessarily agree with someone else's book list, but because it forces me to think outside of my own tried and true favourites and genres.
 
Normally bookshops and libraries overwhelm me-
for I often dont know where to start: unless Im looking for a specific book(which doesnt often happen)- generally land up finding books I want to read while browsing!~

But when looking, read the synopsis' and just see if they catch my fancy!~
Dont often go in for prizes, though do often take up people on their recomendations and so far havent got a bad book in the bargain!~

Books Ive read recently-

Eleven Minutes- Paulo Cohelo

For One More Day- Mitch Albom

Like a flowing river -Paulo Cohelo ( Am still reading)
 
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