Reading

As I was updating my shelves on Goodreads.com and Shelfari.com I found myself wondering what determines our choice of books. The type of books we enjoy make us even more unique as humans. That which makes a book a great read for some is too boring or too depressing for others. In a recent article about ebooks there was a discussion about book design influencing what one reads. Layout and font choice as well as the book cover make a difference in book selection. I always check the covers out but the blurb is more important to me than the cover. I am not going to be buying a kindle or an ebook very soon. I love the good old fashioned way of reading. I reserve the right to change my mind however. So what else determines what readers choose for their pleasure reading. Many readers love the romance genre. They can escape the realities of life and enter a world of glamour and exotic places. Others like a good mystery in which they can immerse themselves in finding out who dunnit. Adventure and intrigue are the choice for many while some only read nonfiction. When I read I want to learn more about lifestyles, areas of the world, or events that have effected us over the years but I want fiction rather than nonfiction. In my opinion the little tidbits that a good author uses in describing the setting of the novel or introducing you to the characters add to ones general knowledge. The plot may contain tidbits of information that one may or may not have known before. But back to the question of what is it that initially determines what a reader enjoys. I'm not sure we will ever know the answer to that question but I do know that with Google, Amazon, Goodreads, Shelfari and good librarians everywhere, someone looking for a good read ought to be able to find a book just right for them.