Kylie Posted May 8, 2009 Share Posted May 8, 2009 Would you care to elaborate or would it cramp your one liner style? That's terrific, Frankie! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Loopyloo100 Posted June 27, 2009 Share Posted June 27, 2009 I am so glad I did not judge Once Upon a Time in England by Helen Walsh by its book cover. It really did look like some old wallpaper covering to me that I didn't appreciate. If anyone enjoys a harrowing tale then it's one to read. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nollaig Posted June 27, 2009 Share Posted June 27, 2009 In response to all you nuts rambling about what's to do with dustcovers, I was talking to Sarah (Chrysalis_Stage) earlier, and told her my plan. Over time, I'm going to upgrade all my favourite books to hardbacks, take the dustcovers off ALL of them (because I love the look of shelves filled with bare hardbacks in their usually-muted tones with no identification beyond some shiny writing on the spine, it looks old and classic and I love that), put the dustcovers into a box for safekeeping, and keep everything safe, pretty and happy that way. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jewell Posted June 27, 2009 Share Posted June 27, 2009 I must admit i find a cover can put me off. For example i have just bought Marley and me second hand through the post, and because it doesn't have that cute picture of the dog on the front, i found myself feeling disappointed. It never moves me to not read the book though. I try to ignore the feeling, knowing it doesn't really make sense. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BookJumper Posted June 27, 2009 Share Posted June 27, 2009 I just received the first book of "Sookie Stackhouse" as a belated birthday present; it's something I'd never thought of buying for myself, off-put by the rather tacky cover. Then I get shown internet piccies of the US version, which wasn't procured at this juncture due to the expensive nature of transatlantic shipping - and it's just the right mixture of cute and intellectual, something I definitely would have picked off a shelf. Which goes to show that in pandering to the masses, cover designers are alienating a potential readership made up of people who are actually readers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sadya Posted June 28, 2009 Share Posted June 28, 2009 Oh boy, many people can't even stop judging by their looks when it comes to books, where the inside is even more important! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chimera Posted June 28, 2009 Share Posted June 28, 2009 Over time, I'm going to upgrade all my favourite books to hardbacks, take the dustcovers off ALL of them (because I love the look of shelves filled with bare hardbacks in their usually-muted tones with no identification beyond some shiny writing on the spine, it looks old and classic and I love that), put the dustcovers into a box for safekeeping, and keep everything safe, pretty and happy that way. Weird... I find those bare hardback spines TOO classic I prefer my shelves to look colourful these days, and I love clever book covers such as those which reveal everything about a book without you noticing (the american version of HP for example). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Suzanna Addison Posted June 28, 2009 Share Posted June 28, 2009 I love dustjackets and buy hard back books for those alone - especially really interesting covers like the David Eddings Elder God series and the Redemption of Althalus. I love to look at the cover before I open the book - to me it's part of the story. I judge by the title first of all, if I like the title then I will read the blurb at the back - then, if I am in a shop I tend to read the first page. If I am on Amazon and it has that facility I go inside the book. Lastly reviews, I like to discern what I read - words that put me off a book are 'Feminist book for our times', as I am a rather old fashioned woman and prefer old fashioned issues being tackled. Phrases that makes me want to buy a book are: 'Haunting,' 'ethereal', 'evocative', and 'sensual' - 'darkly comic by turns' is a phrase I'm sure I read somewhere as a review on one of my books. The cover is important but I am more drawn by the title - and if I have read the author previously. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nollaig Posted June 28, 2009 Share Posted June 28, 2009 Weird... I find those bare hardback spines TOO classic I prefer my shelves to look colourful these days, and I love clever book covers such as those which reveal everything about a book without you noticing (the american version of HP for example). Well to each their own, naturally... but I love old things. As you know, I collect old books because I want the authentic classic thing - I love Victorian things too. So it's just in my nature to want my books to look like a part of an old collection Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kylie Posted June 29, 2009 Share Posted June 29, 2009 I saw a terrific table on the weekend that I think you would like Roxi. It looks like a stack of old books sitting on top of each other. I took a couple of photos and my partner suggested he might try making me one. I'll try to remember to post the photos in my album. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rosalind Posted June 29, 2009 Share Posted June 29, 2009 For me it's mostly the combination of title and cover. If the title seems good but the cover bad or the other way around I tend to think "do I know of this author?" If I don't I probably won't buy the book. On the other hand when I'm reading books by certain authors that I like a cover or a title doesn't matter at all because I know that they write good books. So the cover/title thing is only a guideline for me when I'm looking for new authors to read Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chimera Posted June 29, 2009 Share Posted June 29, 2009 Well to each their own, naturally... but I love old things. As you know, I collect old books because I want the authentic classic thing - I love Victorian things too. So it's just in my nature to want my books to look like a part of an old collection Well, I have to admit there are some beautiful books in that collection of yours! I guess I feel like that because my dad has always been into collecting authentic classic books, furniture, decorations... and at times it's made me feel like I lived in a small 'museum'. I just want functional, colourful, comfortable, modern stuff now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Janet Posted June 30, 2009 Share Posted June 30, 2009 I am so glad I did not judge Once Upon a Time in England by Helen Walsh by its book cover. It really did look like some old wallpaper covering to me that I didn't appreciate. If anyone enjoys a harrowing tale then it's one to read. I picked this up when wandering round Waterstone's last week but then put it back. It sounded really good though so I might go back and get it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
page turner Posted August 10, 2009 Share Posted August 10, 2009 Some of the best books I've read are because of the cover art. I one of those that will buy anything and everything by an author I've had a good read with - until I find a bad one. Plus if I start a series then 9/10 I'll finish it no matter how much it annoys me. I also read somewhere that if the author's name is bigger than the title of the book to be aware - they're big noting themselves more so than the actual story they have to tell. I also tend to look on the lower shelves as that it where authors with their real names hide ( they haven't changed their last names to move up to eye level on the shelves) and I like to show them some love. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chrissy Posted August 10, 2009 Share Posted August 10, 2009 I also tend to look on the lower shelves as that it where authors with their real names hide ( they haven't changed their last names to move up to eye level on the shelves) and I like to show them some love. That is just so lovely! I know what you mean. The flashy 'namey' ones haven't necessarily written a better book. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BookJumper Posted August 10, 2009 Share Posted August 10, 2009 (edited) My most recent "judge a book by its cover" exploit consisted of Reif Larsen's "The Selected Works of T.S. Spivet", Edited August 11, 2009 by BookJumper Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adam Posted August 11, 2009 Share Posted August 11, 2009 I normally look for books by author, and if the back of the book sounds good, I'll go for it. However, there are times when I just browse the isles and will only pick up a book if the cover looks interesting. I think there is a lot of truth to this old saying. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jewell Posted August 11, 2009 Share Posted August 11, 2009 I've been looking through all the charity shops recently and i noticed i only look at the books that have an interesting new look about them. I'm proberbly missing out on many interesting books there! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lissy85 Posted August 11, 2009 Share Posted August 11, 2009 i started choosing books from their cover, it lead me from romance to true life to horror, it opened up my views and now read a varied selection instead of sticking ti what i know Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jewell Posted August 14, 2009 Share Posted August 14, 2009 i started choosing books from their cover, it lead me from romance to true life to horror, it opened up my views and now read a varied selection instead of sticking ti what i know Thats an interesting way to look at it. Instead of it narrowing you selection it widened it. I'll try that. I always read the back to see if it's the type of book i would read. But i guess the title and cover pricked up my interest enough to look, so maybe i'll give the next one a go. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
poppyshake Posted August 15, 2009 Share Posted August 15, 2009 I must admit that I do tend to be attracted to books with nice covers and vice versa ... though I wouldn't buy a book on that basis alone .. that would be a bit nuts really. It's the thing that makes you pick up the book in the first place, if the cover appeals you automatically think 'that's my sort of book' .. which is nonsense really but often it is your sort of book. I love beautifully illustrated books too ... and often buy a copy even if I already have it in a plainer format .. there's that beautifully illustrated 'A Christmas Carol' illustrated by P.J. Lynch .. now, I already have at least two other versions but when I saw how beautiful that one was I had to have it. I will overlook my aversion to hardbacks for a nice cover too .. 'I Coriander' had a beautiful cover in hardback .. as did 'The Tale of Despereaux'. I've even got some American and French 'Harry Potters' to go with my British ones .. cos I liked the covers! (I can't even read the french one!). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BookJumper Posted August 15, 2009 Share Posted August 15, 2009 I will overlook my aversion to hardbacks for a nice cover too... what she said. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sirinrob Posted September 12, 2009 Share Posted September 12, 2009 Feel like im going to get flack for this but the plainer the cover the more I'll go for it. in my view its the innards which are more important. If I find a book which really speaks to me then I keep it, rather than get a 'pretty cover' version, my logic being the words havnt changed so why bother. I do tend to seek out less popular authors as well and these tend to be in less pretty covers, but im interested in whats inside not the external decor. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anika Posted November 12, 2009 Share Posted November 12, 2009 Must admit, I get influenced to pick up a book and have a flick through by what's on the cover sometimes, but I think I'm meant to. I mean, those marketing people aren't just sitting around playing chess all day. I think they know which images will resonate with certain readers. In my case they are sometimes close, but then I subject the book to other tests; first of which is opening it randomly and reading a page or two. Then I see if it's a time/place I want to read about, and does it have elements I enjoy, or ones that turn me off.....? I try not to be too exacting or I could miss out on something really good. Aways pays to have an open mind, especially with genres I normally don't like. I usually ask someone who reads that kind of thing to recommend their favorite and mostly I'm not dissapointed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
courtneysadancer36 Posted January 8, 2010 Share Posted January 8, 2010 I have a very bad habit of just buying a book because of it's nice appearance. I especially love paperback books, which is just silly because sometimes i come home with terrible books! But mostly i read books because of recommendations or nominations/prizes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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