Choosing Books

I'm always interested in learning how people go about selecting books, especially people outside my field. We librarians have infinite resources that alert us to titles new and old. Sometimes, though, having such access can discourage me from reading a book I might actually enjoy. For instance, if I see a less than enthusiastic review of a book that initially appeared to be interesting, I usually pass it by and look for something else. Is it wise, though, to rely so heavily on the opinion of one reviewer? After all, if you look hard enough, you can find both good and bad reviews of the very same titles.

Summertime brings out the browser in me. When I'm heading out on vacation, my selections are heavily influenced by reviewer quotes that say something like, "I couldn't put it down." I love the idea of being swallowed up by the writer's world when my own life takes a quiet and lazy turn. One of my vacation books this summer was The Sister, by Poppy Adams, a modern Gothic with odd characters, a creepy old house, and plenty of twists in the storyline.

Come fall, though, I begin to look for the nominees for literary prizes. I print out the lists and use them as the basis for my library reserves for months to come. The National Book Awards, the Pulitzers, PEN/Faulkner, and the genre awards provide hours and hours of great reading. Early in the year, the professional library journals post their lists of notable titles, and they carry me right through the spring!