In the past, people had to make an
effort in order to get ahold of books they were interested in reading.
Nowadays, though, they have an entirely different problem. There are so many
books out there, yet there is not enough time to read them all. Of course, the
solution for this would be to make your selection narrower, and then work your
way down the list. But how do you narrow it down?
You can start by focusing on what you
want to read at the moment. If you are interested in sci-fi novels, or if you
want to catch up on your classics, read those first. But, if you are also
looking to expand your interests and check out some books that don't
necessarily fit into your current mold, here are several tips you can rely on when
choosing your next must read.
1. Look
for Personal Attachment
Each and every one of us has their own
personal beliefs, convictions, feelings, and interests, so why not use those as
guidance when choosing your preferences in reading? For example, if you have
always been interested in photography, but you've never got around to learning
it, despite owning a camera, then go out and get that book on photography.
2. Judge a Book by Its
Cover
While we are all familiar with the
saying that you shouldn't judge a book by its cover, you can make a few
exceptions every once in a while. Looking at a beautifully designed cover and
an intriguing title is tempting, and the reason why you should give into it is that
there is an element of surprise and excitement there. Not knowing much about
the book before reading it can be an interesting experience. Also, editions
with an appealing hardcover usually contain additional chapters or notes from
the book's author, so you get more.
3. Go Deeper to Know the
Author
Sometimes, you can find out all you
need to know about the book by checking out the author's bio, which should be
located on the back of the cover. But, according to Ronny Stewart, who is a
professional editor for Essaysontime, the general info about the author on the book cover
is usually just a short edited note to make you a bit familiar with the author.
If you are thinking of reading the works by this or that author, you should go
a little deeper to get to know the prehistory and the person who stands behind
it. Do a little research: get closer attention to the author’s life story,
other books, quotes etc. to help you make the final decision.
4. Inspect the Book More
Closely
Today the wealth of information you
can find online about each book is tremendous: you don’t need to go to a bookshop or library
to read the book’s description or table of contents. Everything is easy to find
online, as well as sales rank and likes. Although, a sales rank on Amazon does
not necessarily mean that the book is excellent, especially if it's relatively
new, but if it's constantly at the top of the list, it does speak about its
quality to a certain extent. Also, you can check user reviews for each one and
see if it would be the right choice for you.
5. Take the
Book for a Spin
Reading book summaries and reviews can
definitely help you see the picture more clearly, but where’s the guarantee
it’s the book which intersects with your expectations. Therefore, before you
proceed with buying another book for your home library, read a chapter or two
to see if the author’s style of writing and the scenario trigger your desire to
read further.
6. Look for the Bloggers
Reviews
It’s comparatively
easy today to find well-written and comprehensive book reviews on credible
blogs, like Fly High. Make sure you bookmark
these blogs and subscribe to their newsletters to receive the most interesting
offers and reviews to have your next read prepared for you.
7. Follow Recommendations
Amazon is capable of giving a pretty
accurate recommendation, based on the titles you have viewed, purchased, or
commented on. You can make them even more precise by actively participating and
rating the books you have read. Also, places like Goodreads
сan be useful when it comes to finding suggestions on what to read next.
Another approach to give a try is
learning what your favorite authors read, reviewed or mentioned in their own
books. Otherwise, you can go the old-fashioned way and ask someone whose
opinion you value to give you a book recommendation.
8. Compile Lists
And it doesn't even have to be just
one list. Keep track of the books that have been recommended to you by other
people. Or, you can list them based on the genre or their author. Whenever you
start to feel an itch for reading a crime novel, for instance, just open the
list where you have all the crime novels you are interested in, and pick one or
several titles. You can also come up with a checklist of sorts, and see if the
book you are keen on reading fits the profile in terms of genre, subject
matter, or some other criteria you find important.
The Final Word
Even though we are surrounded by
information everywhere we go, there is still no substitute for reading a good
book. Take some time out in the day and read a few chapters. You won't be
disappointed, regardless of your choice.
Rachel
Bartee is an ESL teacher in practice and a writer at heart. She would prefer to go without her lunch just
to make her thoughts into worthy writings.
She feels inspired by her morning yoga and creative writing classes she
is currently attending. Follow her on Facebook
and Twitter.
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