chesilbeach Posted August 24, 2009 Share Posted August 24, 2009 Yes, I like to pick up authors I've never read before, as although it's nice to have books/authors recommended, it's sometimes nice to go in blind with no expectations and hopefully find a gem I can then spread the word about Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adam Posted August 24, 2009 Share Posted August 24, 2009 I love discovering new authors. As someone else said in this thread, they all deserve a chance to "wow" us. It helps create variety in my reading. I normal go by the cover, title and blurb. If all that is a go, then so is the book. You don't know what you like and don't like, unless you try things. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Genevieve Posted August 24, 2009 Share Posted August 24, 2009 Darling Adam, you are from Alberta and you are cheering the Canadiens eh? To me that is very funny oui, and unexpected. Me, I look at the cover, how old it is, that is , when the book was first written, and the country. If it is Russian or Nordic, Celtic or whatever I will usually read the work , even if I do not know it. Now much with modern writers unless I am hearing good things from those I think are a little like me in taste. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adam Posted August 24, 2009 Share Posted August 24, 2009 Darling Adam, you are from Alberta and you are cheering the Canadiens eh? To me that is very funny oui, and unexpected. LOL I know I get that all the time. My Dad's side of the family is VERY French. It is a family thing. I was born into it and had no other choice Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paperplane Posted August 25, 2009 Share Posted August 25, 2009 (edited) I have only twice bought something completely unknown to me, one of which has become one of my favourite books (Nightwork - Thomas Glavinic). I normally search online first by scouring here, goodreads, amazon, the bookdepository, booktopia, dymocks, the lot! before buying anything. edited: for spelling mistake! Edited August 25, 2009 by paperplane Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kylie Posted August 25, 2009 Share Posted August 25, 2009 I tend to be a very safe reader. I stick mostly to authors I know, or authors of classics, which usually guarantees me a pretty good read. I'm wary of trying an author I've never even heard of before because, with the price of new books over here, there's too great a chance that I'll be forking out a lot of money for a dud book. If I see a book that I'm curious about, I won't buy it on the spot, but rather I'll come here or visit other online sources and read some reviews to determine whether or not I think I would like it. Then I'll look for it secondhand or something. That said, my reading has branched out quite a lot since I joined here, and I tend to use the BCF (and occasionally Goodreads or LibraryThing) to find out about new authors that I might enjoy. That's my equivalent of searching randomly through the bookshop. Basically, I have far too many books on my TBR pile without adding random books from random authors. I don't necessarily like it being that way, but that's the way it is! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kate Posted August 25, 2009 Share Posted August 25, 2009 That said, my reading has branched out quite a lot since I joined here, and I tend to use the BCF (and occasionally Goodreads or LibraryThing) to find out about new authors that I might enjoy. That's my equivalent of searching randomly through the bookshop. Yeah I have found my reading has branched out too since joining here - this is a very useful reading site! Now when I'm looking in the library or a book store/charity shop I look for authors that I recognise from here, the ones with good reviews so I try them out Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ben Posted August 25, 2009 Share Posted August 25, 2009 My reading has certainly branched out since I joined BCF. It's unsurprising really the amount of recommendations and whatnot, there's bound to be something different for everyone. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anisia Posted August 25, 2009 Share Posted August 25, 2009 Usually when I go to the bookshops I'm looking for a particular author. If I don't find what I'm looking for than I just pick something random and a lot of the times an unknown author if the book looks interesting. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
notbryan.ryan Posted August 26, 2009 Share Posted August 26, 2009 Usually when I go to the bookshops I'm looking for a particular author. If I don't find what I'm looking for than I just pick something random and a lot of the times an unknown author if the book looks interesting. +1 to this. Another method I use if I do resort to picking up a book by an unknown author is to see which publications supply the reviews on the back. Without wanting to come off as too much of a snob, if it's Heat or Marie Claire etc. it's probably not my kind of book. If it's times literary supplement who have something good to say about it & it's already piqued my interest, game on! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlackStar Posted August 26, 2009 Share Posted August 26, 2009 I tend to pick up books and read the blurb first, if that sounds interesting then i read them. Most books I own are from authors I like, but I do go out there and introduce new authors to my collection. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ben Posted August 26, 2009 Share Posted August 26, 2009 I tend to pick up books and read the blurb first, if that sounds interesting then i read them.Most books I own are from authors I like, but I do go out there and introduce new authors to my collection. Same as the majority of people then. The synopsis / blurb is definitely a major fact when deciding whether you want to read a novel. If it disappoints me I will be sure to not pick the novel up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BookJumper Posted August 26, 2009 Share Posted August 26, 2009 (edited) Without wanting to come off as too much of a snob, if it's Heat or Marie Claire etc. it's probably not my kind of book. If it's times literary supplement who have something good to say about it & it's already piqued my interest, game on! SNOB POWER!! I mean, ditto . Also, if an author I admire has something good to say about the book, I'll more often than not either buy it on the step or add it to the wishlist of doom. What clinched the acquisition of my first Jasper Fforde book was Terry Pratchett's statement that he would "be watching Jasper Fforde nervously". The only problem with this approach is that Neil Gaiman, bless his generous soul, has endorsed so many authors I've never heard of... how am I supposed to find the time to read them all, eh Neil?? Edited August 26, 2009 by BookJumper Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
s.gal83 Posted August 27, 2009 Share Posted August 27, 2009 I will sometimes randomly pick up books from the fantasy genre by authors I had not known to read. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlackStar Posted August 27, 2009 Share Posted August 27, 2009 One of the best random book I have picked up and read was called 'Daddy's little girl' by Julia Latchem-Smith. This is somebody's life but made into a story to make it more interesting. Its really upsetting but I found was a good read. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Babe*With*Brains Posted August 28, 2009 Share Posted August 28, 2009 I always pick books from un-known authors! Every time i visit the library I usually pick up a ton of books by authors most people wouldn't even have heard of. It's the content that matters isn't it? Ofcourse I own some well-known authors books too (Tolkien,Fay Weldon,Bill Bryson etc) but ultimately, it really doesn't bother me! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KW Posted August 28, 2009 Share Posted August 28, 2009 Only if highly recommended. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jewell Posted August 28, 2009 Share Posted August 28, 2009 I tend to read what i want, whether the books popular or not. In fact there are a lot of well known books on my TBR list at the moment that, although most people have read some if not most of them, i have only just thought to give them a try. And that's because of the good reviews i have since seen on here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
page turner Posted August 29, 2009 Share Posted August 29, 2009 Yes all the time. I'd never given it a second thought but now that I do I relise that the author has never been the draw card to a book. I pick books firstly on the cover and spine because lets face it that's what we see first - so all those books that are a little different looking will always get a look in from me. Then it's the title and blurb if they grab me I don't give it a second thought it's mine now and you can't have it. I've found many fantastic authors that way including Jasper Fforde, Derek Landy and Sara Douglass. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pickwick Posted August 29, 2009 Share Posted August 29, 2009 (edited) If I'm tempted to buy two books in Waterstones 3 for 2 the third book is usually something by an author I'm not familiar with.Have got a few little gems like that. Charity shops are also a good affordable way to try out authors. Edited August 29, 2009 by pickwick Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pontalba Posted August 29, 2009 Share Posted August 29, 2009 I'll pick up an unknown author, if the synopsis and reviews jive for me. Someone above thread mentioned going by favorite author's recommendations. Yes, I can go along with that. The only reason I picked up The Sea by John Banville was because there was a bit on the front that compared him to Vladimir Nabokov....that sold it to me. And it was true. Otherwise, I go by friends recommendation, sometimes when our tastes are similar, or Amazon recommendations work occasionally. I read the customer reviews on Amazon, and can usually tell if I'll like it or not. Or if it's the 'same ole, same ole'. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blithe Posted August 29, 2009 Share Posted August 29, 2009 I like to try new authors but I'll read a few reviews before I buy the book - just to make sure! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mac Posted August 29, 2009 Share Posted August 29, 2009 I'll often pick up books by authors I've not heard of and read the first page, see if I like their style and purchase said book on the strength of that. I enjoying the browsing aspect of book shopping. I was in Waterstone's some years ago, browsing away quite cheerfully, when this heavenly (and I mean - heavenly) girl came and stood next to me, smiled, said "Hello" and picked a book from the shelf. I grabbed another book in order to remain standing by this vision of loveliness and perhaps spark a conversation up. The book was Only Forward by Michael Marshall Smith, his debut, and it turned out to be one of the best books ever. So. Thank you, fleeting angel of bookshops. *sighs wistfully* Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SueB Posted August 29, 2009 Share Posted August 29, 2009 I often pick up books by unknown authors just by reading the back of the book......more often than not they turn out to be a good read. I do have authors I regularly browse for though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mysterioso Posted August 29, 2009 Share Posted August 29, 2009 I have a thrill for the unknown and can't imagine just reading what everyone else is reading or what's populist or fashionable. When I have joined the herd I've usually been sorely disappointed.... There's some absolute gems out there if you are brave enough to try them.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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