6 Ways to Choose a Book to Read

Books have always been my passion. The list of the books I have read is a huge one. On the one hand, the busy life and the everyday rush at this period of my life make me skip reading books as much as I would like to. On the other hand, the fast flow of information on book reviews just comes forward to help you in making a right choice of a book (the spare time one has is really valuable when there are thousands of things to do during the day). Each person has his or her own way in choosing a book to read. Accordingly, I have developed my own way, presented below.

1. Check libraries and bookstores. When you rely on your personal preference on a book to read, skipping recommendations by friends, family, the best way is to roam in libraries and book stores and try to find the titles (read descriptions) that catch you most. It’s not by chance that many people make a successful choice of their favorite books on their own.

2. Read book reviews and blurbs. By doing so, you obtain a list of trusted sources that will help you to keep on making use of them for further reading. These can be a few book review magazines which will become your friend in recommending what books to read.

3. Make it a game. You have already chosen a few books; which one to read? You have read the descriptions of the books, and you still hesitate which book to start with. Make it fun for you by asking others to help you in making the final decision. Write down the book titles on small pieces of paper and ask a friend to pick out the one he wants (if you have children this technique is perfect, when you see the little ones making a  choice for you). And here it is; the problem is solved.

5. Use your friends resource. Almost all of us have a friend or two who have got all the movie and book review updates in their head. Whenever you ask them for a recommendation on a book they are quite there to suggest you one, two and more books, with their own comments, likes and dislikes on the experience they had when reading that particular book. 

6. First sight choice. The quick and the first sight choice is most often the right one when you have to dig in piles of books. The cover catches your eyes; the title is interesting; you start reading the first page. What about the last page? You like it, as well. It’s so interesting that a huge number of people choose books to read according to this step, as if relying on the instinct and the first reaction.

My own way of choosing a book to read is the last step. However, I am interested in how other people choose their books. Does covers, publishers, ratings and reviews matter? Or do they give much weight to their friends’ opinion?

You are welcome to leave comments to have a fruitful discussion, where each of us can share our own experience on it.