Question: How do you find new books to read?
What draws me to a new book is either story, subject or familiarity- I'm guessing I am not all that unusual in this.
For fiction, I rely on blogs and
Shelfari. There isn't just one blog that makes me run out and look for a book- that happens when six or seven of the blogs that I regularly read keep mentioning the book . It's the same idea with all my Shelfari friends. I figure that people who like books know what they're talking about.
Almost any book with a history of controversy ends up in my TBR pile. Banning a book is a good way to get me to read it. Cuz I'm nosy.
I also like lists of important books- I can be a literary snob when I want to, so lists of important philosophocal works or a book review that uses the word
bildungsroman appeals to me.
Nonfiction is about subject and voice. There's a misconception that a truthful telling of a story requires a dry, nasal tone (think Ben Stein in the "Clear Eyes" commercial).
But ideas themselves are exciting. When I first read or hear about a nonfiction book I get excited- because you can do so much with just a
thought.O Magazine is a good place to look for new books. I'm not always crazy about the Oprah book selection- either I fall madly in love with it (
The Poisonwood Bible) or I hate it (
Back Roads).
In the magazine, however, are two columns-
Books That Made A Difference To and
Reading Room. The first one usually features a prominent person- often a celebrity, but just as often some influential, yet fascinating person you've never heard of. The second is a series of brief reviews of new books.
I also love the authors featured on
The Daily Show and
The Colbert Report. The most interesting part about these shows is seeing who can convey their ideas while engaging in the running gag (especially important on The Report.) You don't have to try to catch these shows, either- check out their websites at
ComedyCentral.com and search for specific guests.
