Thursday, September 1, 2016

So, what books are worth reading?




By Will Murphy at ThebookCellars.com


How many times have you read about all the books you've been missing in your life. There are literally millions of books available in print and now free or for a small fee online through JSTOR or the Guttenburg Project. With so many books at your fingertips, at the local library or online how could you possible know what to read? And really, let's face it; a lot of our choices depend on the mood we are in at the time. I mean, look at our cable television. Hundred's of channels and a familiar refrain: 'There's nothing good on tonight'. Try shopping at one of the supermarket megastores. How often have you stood in front of the cereal shelf with 50 different types of Cheerios (really?) and then walk away because you can't decide which one to buy. Too many choices often lead to one result - no decision.


This isn't much different for books. Books have been around for hundreds of years now, from Shakespeare to King. This means the equivalent of a supermarket megastore. There have been lists upon lists of what readers should read over the past several years. You know, '10 books you should read before you die,' '50 books you should read before you die' or '100 books you should read before you die.' So, how do you decide? There's a few sure fire ways.



You could rely on the old 'brand loyalty' idea and stick to an author or authors you know. That may not be a bad idea in the end. If you have a list of favorite authors, and you are a casual reader by all means savor all of their works. There are lots of people out there who would be content with reading all of Stephen Kings' or John Banvilles' works, for example. However, you may find you'll eventually finish their poetry or prose. Unless they can write as fast as you can read or you find a new writer that you like.

Another possibility is that other marketing technique to 'jump on the bandwagon'. In other words, read what everyone else is reading or popular at the moment. This can be a great idea if you have the same same taste as the majority of people reading these books. It can also make you look great at dinner parties. But for the most part, you may feel disappointed at what others consider a good book. You could get luck and get a popular book that is actually good.

You might want to consider the time honored 'New York Times Bestseller' list or other reputable review. This and other reviews can give you a little better information on whether you might like a book. Take reviews with a grain of sand, though. Even the reviewer will have some bias for or against a certain author or book. If you trust the reviewers opinion, well then, go for it. If not, it would probably be better to read two or three reviews to get a more balanced view. It's not unlike asking 5 friends about a movie they have just seen and getting 5 different opinions. In the end you might just have to choose yourself.

The Book Club. These clubs are often held at someone's home in a comfortable, non-threatening area. Being in this little group of avid readers is a great opportunity for you to discover new writers from the amateur critic. Get no nonsense views from both friends and acquaintances. Often you will go through an eclectic bunch of authors, one of which you are sure to like. And more often than not, book clubs help you gain a healthy interest in authors you may not have liked before (or maybe it's the wine that is served at the bookclub). In any case, get involved and find a new favorite book.

And lastly, the old adage,  'Don't judge a book by it's cover'. Now, that may be true about people, but it is certainly always the case for books  (in fact, book publishers definitely would love for you to judge the book by its cover). Terri Giuliano in a Huffington Post article 'Yes, We Really Do Judge Books By Their Covers', explains how, color, font and image all effect our buying decision. It doesn't seem to matter how good, bad or popular the book is. It comes down to how appealing the cover is. So, when you have an appetite for reading, keep this in mind. You might just pick up a bust.

It seems from all of this it is pretty impossible to find a book you will find interesting. I suggest that there are more books you should read in this world than is humanly possible. So, as to not overload you with descriptions, I will leave a few book suggestions with a only a one word adjective to describe it. Then, you can decide.

 The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time by Mark Haddon - Englightening
A Prayer for Owen Meany by John Irving - Insightful
1984 by George Orwell - Thought-provoking (technically, one word)
The Earthsea Trilogy by Ursala K. Le Guin - Memorable
Catch 22 by Joseph Heller - SNAFU
The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini - Heart-tugging
Kafka on the Shore by Haruki Murakami -Weird

And by the way, pretty cool covers.

Post from TheBookCellars, used, new and vintage books online


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