how do you discover new books?

Question

you always hear about the REALLY popular stuff like harry potter and lord of the rings, but what about other good books or old best-sellers, etc.? i find it really hard to just go to a book store and pick out a new book to read by an author i've never heard of. so how do YOU discover new things to read (even if the book isn't new, it's still new to you)

Answer 1

I take a historical approach to finding new books and authors. For example, a few years ago I was really into the work of Henry James. When I had finished reading one of his novels, I wanted my next novel to be just as good, if not better. I looked into his biography and discovered that one of his close friends was Edith Wharton, a fellow author. Naturally, I headed to the bookstore where I picked up a couple of Wharton's best sellers. One thing lead to another and I became hooked on Edith Wharton for an extended period of time. Of course, her writing style, particularly in The House of Mirth, reminded me of Jane Austen. So, I started reading Austen novels for a short while. Do you see a method to this madness?



I hope that answers your question.

Happy reading!!!

Answer 2

Word of mouth, mostly. That said, you may want to surf through the listings on amazon. Choose a keyword that you're interested in -- dragons, elves, magic, chivalry etc -- and surf through. Usually, you can find some decent information in the reviews. If you find a book you think you might like, ask around. Usually, you can find someone else who's read it. What's really cool is finding undiscovered talent. Sure Harry Potter and lots of other big books get a huge amount of press so It's easy for other writers to go unnoticed despite the fact that their stories are really good. It's one of the reasons why I've been mentioning Luthiel's Song to my friends and on the boards. It was written by a little guy -- a self-published author -- and it has already been nominated for three teen fiction awards. The story is fantastic if you like fantasy. If you want to read something that's not mainstream but that really kicks butt, you can't go wrong with it.

Answer 3

Browse bookstores like Borders.



Read book review magazines like New York Times book review, Publisher's Weekly.



Browse your local library's bookshelves.(new releases and fiction, mystery, etc section that appeals to you.)



Ask friends/family what they are reading and see if they liked the book.



Browse a list like the 101 Great books recommended for college bound students.(This list has some old, classic best

sellers. www.greatschools.net)



I am one person who has not read the Harry Potter series or

Lord of the Rings and don't plan on reading that series,



On Thursday in USA Today they have the top 50 books and have reviews of new releases.



I hope that this will give you some places to look or get ideas for new books.(One more thought have you joined a book club that might be available at your local bookstore or library.)

Answer 4

Every year when The Best American Short Stories and The Best American Mystery Stories come out, I buy them and look for authors that I like. Then I will buy books by those authors. Some of my favorite writers were discovered that way. Usually, by the way, a short story writer will eventually write a novel. Also, you can subscribe to The New Yorker, Zoetrope, The Paris Review and other literary magazines to see what writers you like. A good question.

Answer 5

I love just browing bookstores or libraries. Often a cover will catch my eye, or I heard or read about a book. Bookstores will put out popular, in the news or classic books out.



Borders used to have a paper magazine which talked about new books. They got rid of that but you can apparently sign up for emails tailored toward your interests.



Amazon.com will make recommendations based on what you rate and buy.



Sites like LibraryThing can recommend books or even unrecommend books.



You can also always ask a bookseller or librarian. Although they'd probably appreciate it if you recommend more than the "Suggest a book to me," sort of thing!

Answer 6

Lots of public libraries now have e-newsletters about new publications along with old titles similar to the new ones. I also find Amazon's recomendations to be very helpful. Another interesting way I find new titles is at used book sales. 25 or 50 cents isn't that expensive of a risk to try out a title that catches your attention.

Answer 7

I go mostly by word of mouth, currently my favorite author is Robert Jordan, author of the Wheel of Time series. I'm a science fiction and fantasy fan. I also like the work of Isaac Asimov, John Zakour, Neal Stephenson.

Answer 8

I like to go to my local library and start at 'A', then pick up and check out any book that looks interesting. Next time I'm in the library, I continue my alphabetical quest. You can also ask the library staff, they are usually very well-informed.

Answer 9

Mostly word of mouth...



I read a wide range of genres...



What peaks your interest? I could probably suggest something.