Aussie Readers discussion

How do you choose which books to read? do you go by the cover art? title? do you only read certain authors? or do you go on other peoples recommendations? What makes you decide 'i'm going to read that book'

For me i would have to say i definitely judge books by their cover, if it catches my eye from on the shelf i'll read the blurb and then if it sounds good i'll read it. I also go on recommendations from other people.

I look at the "spine art" technically most of the time, an author I've read before will get me to look at it but probably my final decision hinges on the blurb.

I don't often read book recommended to me by my friends because I read a lot more than most of them and have probably read it already.

i go off the cover first, then the blurb. After that if i'm interested I'll flick to a random page in the book. if i catches me then I'll read it. It also depends very heavily on my mood and what i read last.

i very occasionally go off a recommendation but book choice is so individual that I rarely like what's reccomended to me.

I'm a bit haphazard with my choosing method. When I find an author I like, I look for all their books to read. Sometimes I hear of a book from a friend or in the media. I check out the New York Times bestseller list every so often. Then there's my book club which chooses a book every month - this is a good venue for me as they tend to be books I wouldn't normally read. I also find interesting books to read at my local Dymocks by reading their staff recommendations.

Hi all,
My book has just been released by Harper Collins and I'm hoping some of you might fancy it. But I don't know how to really make it known here in the site. It's The Gene Thieves (by Maria Quinn) nominated as a near-future thriller. I'd at least like your opinions as to whether the cover is enticing enough to make you pick it up. I'm also interested as to whether you go specifically to 'science fiction' sections in book shops. It's hard to get the genre displayed in 'new releases.' Thanks, Marai

mostly i go by recommendations, but if i'm just randomly browsing i'll read the blurbs of covers that catch my eye.

I'm the same, I am totally mood driven when it comes to reading. I have about 7 books going at the same time and choose which one I will read according to how I feel. It is very rare that a book captivates me so much that I have to read it consecutively and even rarer that I read it in the one sitting....I used to do this before I had kids and had the luxury of being able to sit up all night reading! I go off the blurb and the "feeling" the whole book gives me. I don't ever read reviews (until afterwards anyway) and if a book has a page of reviews before the first chapter I tend to get suspicious...

Again, I'm mood driven. I'll start thinking about my next book before I've finished what I'm currently reading! I tend to research a lot more on the internet nowadays for reviews and opinions. I can be sucked in by a fancy cover or a big name though.

i'm the same as you carin. definitely mood driven. i have books that i bought years ago that i havent read yet because its never felt right. i also read reviews on the net. and i go heavily by what my friends recommend also.

Unless I'm in the mood for a particular type of story, I choose by title, cover and blurb. If the title sounds interesting I'll look at the cover. If the cover looks interesting, I'll read the blurb and so on until I've either read the whole book or put it back on the shelf.

Depends on whether I'm looking at ebooks or actual books. :P For the latter...Generally it's cover, glance at the blurb, then a (gentle) flip test. Strangely enough (or maybe not so), weird font/spacing can completely put me off reading the book. Wonder if I'm the only one..

it's a horrible habit but usually by cover and then blurb. Sometimes, I search the internet for good books or my friends recommend some to me.

A book with a great plot would intrigue me, whether it has been told by word of mouth or by its blurb.

And by the way, I'd just got my own book published, now available at Amazon and Barnes&Noble, its title is Over Mount Fuji. I'm not interested in making money, but like a wide readership. I would like to know how best to make it available to all, online, FOC. Thanx for your thoughts.

@Helena: Why's it a horrible habit? I know they say don't judge a book by its cover, but some covers truly are gorgeous..XD

When I'm searching for a book I like to read I generally find one that looks bright or girly. A cover that captures my attention is usually the only type of book I will consider reading unless someone has bought me the book for my birthday, or if I am advised it is a good read.

I must say I don't like reading books where the pages are yellow or old looking. I like white pages with bold writing that is easy to read. Yes that's right! I won't read a book if the pages don't look good. Anyone else like that? Or am I just a bit weird?

Wendy wrote: "I must say I don't like reading books where the pages are yellow or old looking. I like white pages with bold writing that is easy to read. Yes that's right! I won't read a book if the pages don't look good. Anyone else like that? Or am I just a bit weird?"

-points upward- Similar to this? XD I don't mind old books, though. :) "Strangely enough (or maybe not so), weird font/spacing can completely put me off reading the book. Wonder if I'm the only one.. "

usually i choose from my favourite authors favourite authors and so on, sometimes while browsing i may get a feeling about a book and pick it up, this has only happened twice, once with pat rothfuss' the name of the wind and the other time with trudi canavans the magicians apprentice, both authors i had never heard of but i just felt the urge to pick these books up, turns out they have become two of my most favourite novels of all time

First I look at the cover, then I read other people's reviews, then if it seems good I will read an excerpt, then if it has ticked all the boxes I will read it.

I generally like books with a dark cover, or shinY! Who doesn't love a shiny cover? ha-ha

Hi folks, thought I'd drop in to your group. I tend to pick my books by my favourite authors but a lot of times its the cover that grabs me, then a browse though the book, if I'm undecided I will usually check out other readers reviews online to help me decide. Places like this are a big help to me and I suppose all book lovers :)

I've never been a judge-the-cover sort of guy. I assume the book is trying to compensate for something - maybe I'm just paranoid.

Recommendations are my main source that fill the 'to read' column, but now that I've signed up for Goodreads the community created lists occupy that spot. Now I've become the recommender.

My problem is that when I go looking I can never remember names of books or authors that I wanted to read. I tried keeping lists but (of course) never had them on me when I needed them.
I am big on browsing - usually cover, blurb, how I feel that day - are the things that influence me. I do have a habit of by passing the "top sellers" whcih is possibly to my detriment - as it would probably save me lots of time & money & means I might actually be missing out on some great books.
The biggest problem I have is once I am in a bookshop trying to get out without buying far too many books to add to the overflowing pile I have not had a chance to read.

I scan for hardcovers first. Especially first eds of things I want to read. I avoid the top sellers, why discount something that's walking out the door? Too $$ exxy and rarely first ed or anything like it.
My blackberry has a wicked amazon app that lets me log books in my wish list and recall when I am in a shop, saves my man memory from recall fail.
There may be one that works for other phones and pods etc?
And then there's the problem of getting out of the shop with only one book purchase....

Hi All,

I'm a member of two bookclubs, which I find introduces me to books and authors I wouldn't normally choose for myself. I've found some great authors this way, whose books I later pick up for myself. My family all read, so I quite often get given books either as a loaner or as a present. I'm also a big one for the artwork on the covers. Something that grabs your attention.

Glad to see that the problem of an ever-growing to read pile is not mine alone. I almost have to ban myself from even walking into a book store, which is hard because I love giving books as presents.

Hi all,

Books come to me many ways: sometimes just browsing in a bookstore, sometimes recommendations by friends, listening to book review podcasts, book blogs, and occasionally, from magazine reviews. Sometimes I'm attracted by the book's cover, but not always. Other times, the author will be a favourite, so I'll buy their book.

I am sensitive to reviews on the radio etc., and to friends recommendation. I certinly keep an eye out for those books or authors. Apart from that, when I am browsing in a bookshop, it is the cover that makes me take an unknown author's book from the shelf. Then I look at the cover blurb, including any serious reviews, before finally opening it and reading at random.
One thing that bothers me is the categorisation that shops often use. I recently saw one shop with a section labelled 'chick lit'. That was a turn off and I would not like to think of any of my books getting labelled like that. I'd rather be lumped together in General Fiction, that way readers can make up their own minds.

I have bought books on the basis of cover and blurb and a skim of a few paragraphs - and quite often I have been badly disappointed. But I have also been delighted with some wonderful "finds". What made me pick up those ones and buy them? Luck has to be part of the equation??!!

I look at the cover and if it catches my eye, i will read the summary on the back.
Most the time its what written in the summary, if the summary is interesting or sounds like a good story I'll give it ago, but i do have a couple of favorite authors i will read a lot.

Hi,..I'm a new member. I'm from Indonesian, and sorry for my english. I hope, I will have more friend from other country. For me, when I choose some book, I read for the blurb,or the summary itselff. No matter the cover looks like. If I like that book, I will read it, and never make some differentiate what kind of books or an authors. If you get interested for that books.. and go, read it. All books will open our mind, makes rich to our brain.

Earth wrote: "Hi,..I'm a new member. I'm from Indonesian, and sorry for my english. I hope, I will have more friend from other country. For me, when I choose some book, I read for the blurb,or the summary itself..."

Earth, don't worry about your English. Australia is a land of immigrants - me included. I was just lucky enough to move from one English speaking country (US) to another (Aus). You are perfectly understandable which is the whole point of communication!

Like you, I look at the blurb. But I also often look at the cover (which I know, makes no difference, but it does impact me). It's easier on a site like this to ignore the cover because it's all about the contents, not the looks.

And I agree that MOST books open our mind - some are pretty awful and make me close them before they close my mind :-(

Welcome to Goodreads!

I ask my Australian friends for reading tips.

Writers like Andrew McGahan and Murray Bail are not well known in Ireland, which is a pity. Their work is very mysterious and so well written.

With e-books you can't flick through, so the blurb is important and the cover influences me too. Since I've had my kindle I'm quite willing to give an unfamiliar author a go.

Hi Laura, sorry I can't answer your post immediately. Too busy to finished my job at my office. Haaaahh..makes me tired too.

So, I can't read n' finish my book quickly. For now I read national geographic-NG- (in Indonesian covers of course). I do really like that books. I buy NG every month. I must spend time if I want to read. Sometime I read my book on route (in the train). Yes, I go to my office by train everyday.

Is there anybody in Aussie reader's ever go to Indonesia? Have you Laura?

I have been to Bali twice. I know it is very different there than Jakarta and most of the rest of Indonesia, but I was living in Darwin and there were short, easy flights so I took my chance to go! It was lovely and full of friendly people but the best thing was the food. I don't know why all Indonesians aren't hugely fat with all those great spices :-)

hahahahah... no body wants to be a fat girl.. so do I. the taste of Indonesian food maybe a little hot/highly seasoned and spiced. Hmm..I'm living in Yogyakarta.. the city with java culture.. (I'm a javanese of course). So, you can add your list of your tourmap if someday you want to go Indonesia again.

.. (fact : I do shame with my english.. really do.. maybe it's grammatical not correct well..)

In aussie readers, are most of them come from Australia? hi.. I still in my office right now.. 'till 17.00 o clock

Earth,

Well, I'm Aussie (born in the US, currently in Scotland but Sydney is home) and I figure most people in this group are as well.

Yogyakarta is a pretty big city, isn't it? A place for business rather than tourism. Am I right?

Your English is great. All of us make grammatical errors, the main thing is to be understood. And since I can't speak any other language, I'm sure not going to ever criticise someone who can speak multiple languages and who is brave enough to really use their 2nd language!

I sort them by average rating on GoodReads, I also participate in a few challenges and have my blog readers vote on a weekly book for me to read.

I like the book reviews in the weekend newspapers. I also have particular genres I prefer so I look for new releases in those areas. The blurb is really important. That paragraph or two can really draw me in to a new author. Also I love the reading challenges on GR. I have read some amazing stories that I would never normally pick up.

when i buy books i look at their cover, then the blurb and then i'll buy the book. but if it is book thats in a series of course i'll buy that. but if it's of the same author as i've read previously, i'll buy that too.
ok so i'm not as selective as i thought i was.and its only taken me to try and explain it to people realise this fact!!!(embarrased now)

Don't be embarrassed! I have lots of favourite authors on autobuy. They could write a shopping list and I'd pay money for it. :D

I do like the covers for Gene Thieves and Over Mount Fuji, but neither story appeals to me, sorry.

Earth, I like your message about being open to reading books of any topic or genre, or by any author. Even bad books can teach us something about the kind of people who write and read those books. I'm lucky, because I'm one of those people who can stop reading a book once it gets bad enough. But I like to keep trying new things!

So - I get lots of recommendations in these discussion groups. I do use the cover and other quick-access info. like genre and title to see if I might be interested, then I read several GR member reviews.

And I too have lots of favorite authors but I still try to be careful to sample new authors, too.

I get a lot of non-fiction recommendations from the endnotes of non-fiction books I've liked.

I'm moving towards the portability of ebooks, but when I buy a paper book, on top of cover, blurb and sample page, I look at the binding. When I find a good book, I reread it many times so I like to get books with pages that don't fall out as I'm reading them. I've tended to stay away from American editions because of the low-quality binding and tacky covers.

I have changed the way I choose books since I joined goodreads. The book covers nolonger interest me, I go purely on book recommendations from friends I trust.

Like Murray, I also tend to reread favourite books (many times). I'm also leaning towards an ebook reader of some sort. I do most of my reading on the train, an ereader would be more convenient. I haven't decided which one to get as yet. I am still researching and talking to people.

My bookshelves at home are full to over flowing.

Gail "cyborg" wrote: "Like Murray, I also tend to reread favourite books (many times). I'm also leaning towards an ebook reader of some sort. I do most of my reading on the train, an ereader would be more convenient. I haven't decided which one to get as yet. I am still researching and talking to people.

Gail I just had the latest Kindle delivered 3 days ago. I just love it! I took about 2 years looking at what would suit me and what was coming on the market. For ages I just read ebooks on my minilaptop. But now I'm happy with my choice. I think a lot of GenX use their Iphones but my eyes can't handle it.:) If you want to ask me anything about my new baby kindle feel free.

LOL Mandy wrote: "my new baby kindle ..."

Are you able to down load pdf files onto your kindle? Can you access library books? A friend of mine has a Nook. (which presents problems as they won't sell them here. She is able to get around that some how) She is able to access library books with it.

Which Kindle do you have?

It's the latest edition, just released in August. You can email your pdf files to Amazon and they convert them and add them to your library (I haven't done that yet myself but many peoply on this site have and it works well for them). I don't know about library books, that could be a problem. I can buy ebooks from any ebook seller but have to get the "mobi" version which is compatible with Kindle. There are still some books that have geographical restrictions in Australia but that is changing all the time.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003...

Just to put in my two cents worth, I LOVE MY KINDLE. Great selection of books and with books costing on average $13 au it's saving me a bundle

Besides trusting my favourite authors, I try to read the first few pages, whether in the shop or online. Trying to read the first few pages doesn't always steer me onto books I will eventually like by the time I've finished, but I've discovered Jonathan Tropper that way (fun books, quick reads).

I read the first page of 'The Book of Joe' which made me buy it straight away. If you see it in the shop and read the first page, you might know what I'm getting at.

I go for the authors that I know as well as recommendations from sensible people who don't read trash.....howzzat! Sometimes when browzing, be it second hand book stores or booksellers, I will flick through a book that looks interesting, like reading the beginning and the end. That's how I purchased Alexander Fuller's Colton H. Bryant, which isn't an Aussie book but very good on the Wyoming oil rigs and juveniles. Loved that story which is a biography

Mandy wrote: "I can buy ebooks from any ebook seller but have to get the "mobi" version which is compatible with Kindle. There are still some books that have geographical restrictions in Australia but that is changing all the time.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003FSU..."

Thanks for the link Mandy. Haven't they come down in price. I think I'll put my order in for Christmas.

I lurk 4chan's /lit/ board. There's a (semi-)solid little community there and they know their stuff well. I've found it's best to check it out later in the afternoon/night when the other Aussies are on but the Americans are (mostly) asleep or at work.

But, of course, I thoroughly research a book before I buy it. Once I know I want it, I'll check all the currently available editions to see which has the most awesome cover and, assuming it's not TOO much more costly than the cheapest edition, I'll grab that one.

If a book really blows me away I'll start worming my way through the author's other works. For instance, I now own everything published by Jeff Vandermeer (that's currently in-print), and it looks like I'll be doing the same with China Mieville in the near future.