As I've started looking for more to read, I've become more conscious of the decision process I use to choose among the options. There are too many books out there for me (or anyone) to read, so I rely on some heuristics in an attempt to filter out the good ones without having read them. Here are some of the things I've realized about how I choose reading material:
I consider more seriously anything referenced positively by a work I enjoy. This might be as simple as a book's mention on a blog I frequent, or a recommendation in a book by an author whose work I respect.
I also will likely read anything recommended to me by someone with similar book tastes to mine. even in the course of a dinner party, I might get to know that a new friend is a reader, and we might swap books. I take care to jot down any suggestions, and usually follow up on those later.
I have a few lists that I consult every once in a while. The list at the end of "How to Read a Book" is one such list---it's full of works that were deemed (by the author) to have intrinsic merit, and to be books that are readable multiple times. It is an interesting way to get suggestions from an informed source.
I will shy away from books that have titles similar to books I have really disliked. A title like "How to Get Rich" really turns me off from reading it, despite recommendations to the contrary.
I tend to switch topics after a while of reading in one vein. After going through a good number of books on personal finance, I have largely decided that I will read other things instead. At the moment, I am leaning toward social commentary and fun reading.
All of these simple rules obviously don't filter out every crummy book written, and I also probably pass on reading books that are in actuality excellent. Nevertheless, they help filter out the sheer volume of books there are to read.
What kinds of tests do you all use to determine which books are worth your while?
Perhaps I'm less picky than some, but I have a hard time finding a book that I don't enjoy. I also don't feel any shame in putting down a book that I don't feel is worth my time. There's no point in finishing a book, just to say you read it. I think the first few chapters are an excellent indicator of whether I will like the rest of the book.
ReplyDeleteOne of my favorite methods is mentioned in one of Hugh Nibley's books. It says "as a student at Berkeley, in he began reading the southwest corner of the ninth level of the library and worked his way down to the northeast corner of the first level, studying every significant book that caught his eye."
So there's +1 for "judge a book by its cover." ;) In his defense, though, I must say I'm sure the "catch his eye" test was more related to the title than the cover.
I go to goodreads and see what others have highly recommended, then look at their comments and judge if I think these people's comments are worth giving any credence too or not. I have an account there and post reviews myself. Sometimes I read biographies, sometimes finance books, sometimes getting organized books (they've helped a little bit, but I won't lie and claim to be any sort of organized though), but if a large base of people really hate a book then I will have hesitations to reading it, whereas if people like it and have intelligent things to say about it. That's often a good way to go as well.
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