How do you choose books?

[floppit]

I buy second hand and always have a backlog of reads. Maybe once a year I'll fancy a book enough to actually plan to buy it but it's rare and to be honest not as much fun as second hand jaunts.

I choose books by author primarily, I'm hopeless at remembering film star names but find I'm good at remembering a name of people who express an opinion in a way I find engaging. Reading online, magazines, tv and radio are all places I find I come across people who's view interests me. I quite like it as a way of buying books because it has a little randomness thrown in - because I like Tony Benn I bought 'Dare to be Daniel' THEN discovered my favourite part was the political essays - not something I'd ever have bought deliberately! A.C. Grayling was s similar find, I knew the author through the New Scientist so picked up the book in a charity shop - that's what made me think about this.

I rarely read fiction, I used to but at some point in life (can't remember when) I ended up with such a backlog of non fiction I wanted to read that the fiction just disappeared. I use telly for fiction, mind you with a V box and endless recording documentaries are starting to take over in the same way.

So how do you choose books?

[Gawdzilla Sama]

"Do they have explosions"?

[AshtonBlack]

"Is it sci-fi" ?

[Animavore]

I just float around the book-shop like a fly until one just jumps out at me. So far this has worked. I have only ever bought 2 or 3 duds.

[Gawdzilla Sama]

I just float around the book-shop like a fly until one just jumps out at me. So far this has worked. I have only ever bought 2 or 3 duds.

Subconsciously processing the information and making a decision based on that processing.

[Clinton Huxley]

If I know I definitely want to get a particular book, it goes on my Amazon wish list. Othertimes, might bounce around Waterstones like a pinball until something gets my attention. Nothing burns a hole in my pocket like a Waterstones gift voucher...

For randomness, usually go to Hay every year and buy a boot (trunk for our resident Merkins) full of books.

[Rum]

Almost exclusively at random by reading the reviews on the back cover of paperbacks. Also mood plays a part.

[klr]

If I know I definitely want to get a particular book, it goes on my Amazon wish list. Othertimes, might bounce around Waterstones like a pinball until something gets my attention. Nothing burns a hole in my pocket like a Waterstones gift voucher...

For randomness, usually go to Hay every year and buy a boot (trunk for our resident Merkins) full of books.

.. or to be more accurate, the fact that your appetite far exceeds the value of said voucher . Maybe it's the voucher tempting you into Waterstones in the first place is the problem.

[FBM]

Erasmus: "When I get a little money I buy books; and if any is left I buy food and clothes."

If it's not about either philosophy, science or language, I'm not interested. If it's not about Pyrrho, Feynman, Buddha, Lao Tzu, or a couple of others, not interested.

[Sisifo]

Usually, I go or order based on recommendations, or if I see any new book from my favorites authors.
Then I go through the first 4 or five pages, and three at random...
Last, -and this is weird- I smell them. It must smell like "book". Some books smell like plastic, cardboard, or photographic paper, and I don't like that... Actually that has made me reject many hardcovers in preference of paperbacks...

One of my favorite smells, the one that brings warm memories, is the smell of second hand bookstores... Smells like happiness.

[Animavore]

I just float around the book-shop like a fly until one just jumps out at me. So far this has worked. I have only ever bought 2 or 3 duds.

Subconsciously processing the information and making a decision based on that processing.

I guess I could say that the books choose me

[Bella Fortuna]

I have a backlog of hundreds so I rarely buy one at the time for reading then - I try to buy mostly secondhand, so that's hit or miss anyway.

I just look at what I've got until one seems to draw me in. Real scientific.

[floppit]

I think it's my backlog that's made me start to get fussy - it's reaching critical mass and at this rate some will have to be given away unread!

[Shaker]

Large print and pretty pictures on the front.

[The Curious Squid]

I'll usually check the sci-fi section and if I recognise a name I'll read the synopsis.

As far as underrated pleasures go, stumbling across a book in a second hand book shop that you've never heard of before and getting so engrossed by it that you read it from cover to cover in one or two sittings is up there for me.