Everyone is familiar with the situation when you want to buy a good book to read, but in a bookstore, you have a huge number of options, and it becomes difficult to make a choice. What to read and how to choose a book to your liking? How not to fall for the advertisement and buy a really worthy product? We have prepared the top of proven tips to help you in this matter.
Nobel Laureates
Of course, it is not unreasonable to say that politics and tribute to the public interest play a role in selecting candidates. Nevertheless, the Nobel Prize in Literature is not given for no reason. Indeed, nowadays, the choice of candidates is broader and more diverse. If the author is a Nobel Prize winner or laureate in literature, then feel free to pick up this book. You will be fascinated by the variety of themes and genres of works written by laureates. Especially noteworthy are the titular writers of recent years – their books are current and contemporary. Moreover, if you read the laureates from different years, you will notice the evolution of literature.
Another tip: If you are interested in the culture of a particular country, check to see if there are Nobel Prize-winning writers who represent that country. If so, their books are a godsend, because by reading their works you can see the whole panorama of the country’s life.
Book Adaptations
You’re considering a book that the movie was based on? That’s a good sign because the movie producers saw potential in the book and a plot that the audience would enjoy. Most movies are based on exciting books with vivid characters and decent ideas. People who enjoy action and less pondering in a book should definitely consider some adaptations. The movie holds on to the action, the constant motion, so a book where the characters just sit around and philosophize is no way to screen, no matter how fascinating the book is. If a dynamic plot is essential to you, look for books on which the movies were based.
Theme
The theme is the main thing when choosing a book. It’s important not to get caught up in the advertising, because it is always written in the synopsis, as if this book is the most exciting in the world. But if the theme does spark much interest in you, it’s not worth buying even a very “praised” book. It can be mentioned on the cover of the book that this masterpiece is “The Greatest Book of All Time,” according to Times Magazine. That may be true, but you shouldn’t be influenced by such high-profile advertising. Always keep in mind that if you’re not interested in history, then “The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire” is not for you. Always pay attention to anthologies and compilations. Just a simple example: “The Anthology of Silver Age Poetry” – there are many such anthologies of works by different writers. They are compiled according to various criteria: genre, era, country, theme, etc. Anthologies are useful because, despite having some similarities, each writer is unique, and their works are different, which means that the collection will contain works for all tastes and can impress even the most demanding reader.
Classics
The writer is considered a classic, but you don’t like his books? Don’t hurry to give up on him. Perhaps the author wrote in different genres? Learn more about their other works; you may not like just the first one, but all the others will prove fascinating, and you will change your opinion dramatically. However, if the other books by this author don’t excite you much, don’t hesitate to put them down; it’s just not your writer.
Recommendations From Your Favorite Authors
If you have some favorite writers whose books you read voraciously, then it’s worth listening to their advice. Often fiction writers compliment their colleagues’ successful books. The same goes for other genres: a good poet will recognize a talented lyricist, a detective genre author will appreciate exciting stories written by his colleagues, and so on. As an example, in the list of books recommended by Stephen King, you can notice many great mystical novels because he’s an expert in this genre.
Publishers
Readers are often not interested in the publisher that printed the book they bought, but they should try it. So always pay attention to the publisher, making conclusions: whether you like the book or not. After all, there are different publishers, some print mountains of junk without proofreading the text of the future book, and others treat their business responsibly and check every step. The latter publishers have everything perfect, from quality translation to a beautiful cover.
Sooner or later, every reader finds their favorite publisher whom they can trust and feel free to purchase anything new. By the way, speaking of the cover, even the most beautiful covering does not convey a tiny part of the book; it’s only about design, nothing more. You should never judge a work by its cover. Moreover, many start-up publishers skimp on the book covers, limiting themselves to minimalism. At the same time, they choose the texts carefully, so a cover with only the author’s name and the title of the book or a gray cover with no pictures or geeky design should not scare you away. The publishing house will evolve – and over time, it will have more artists and designers, but for now, just enjoy the excellent texts:)
