BASIC COURSE INFORMATION
As an online course, the writing that we do in English 305 is substantially
different from a face to face course. As such, it is imperative that you
understand the course style from the start. Nearly all of your work in this
course will be posted on the course blog. EACH WEEK YOU WILL HAVE THREE BLOG
ASSIGNMENTS:
1. A BLOG ENTRY,
2. A READING, AND
3. A WRITING ABOUT
THE READING.
Your reading and writing on the blog must be completed by
the Friday (by midnight) of the week in which the reading falls. You have all week each week to complete the reading and writing for that week, but there are no late assignments accepted, so be sure to be disciplined about the
work from the start.
Let me re-state that point; if you do the assigned
work before or during the week it is due, you will receive full credit. If you do the work after the Friday of the week it is assigned, you will get zero credit for that week.
I actually do not read many book reviews, or books at all for that matter. The advent of technology has made it much more preferable to simply browse the internet for forms of media. However, when I do read a book I tend to skim over the back side of it and read about the author. The number of pages in the book do not cross my mind until a while later, as I am perusing the text. Sometimes I will actually go onto amazon and check out the book reviews either while I am reading, or shortly after I finish the book. Other than that, I will often try to make sure I can finish a book in one or two sittings, as half read books are one of my pet peeves. On a related note, I will not read a book more than once. I am the same way with films and other media. Sometimes I might revisit a film but it won't be until years or decades have passed.
ReplyDeleteI used to be the same way with books. I generally never went back and reread a book. I reread Wuthering Heights after I saw the movie version and I couldn't believe how differently I interpreted it the second time around. I completely understand why people don't generally reread books though. With most it seems repetitive and unnecessary.
DeleteI tend to do the same thing as well of not re-reading a book or re-watching a film after I get through with it the first time. Alot of time must have passed by for me to revisit them, simply I think I tend to do this because if I re-read something or re-watch it more than once I feel as if they lose their intention. Also like Amy said it becomes repetitive and boring.
DeleteI have a very strange habit when I pick up a new book for the first time. I only do it with fiction books, but I flip to the very last page and read the last sentence of the book. I started doing this when I was in high school. A friend of mine lent me a random book and told me it was a good read. I did enjoy the book and was about a quarter of the way through when I lost the book. I looked at the libraries and some used book stores, but I couldn’t find a copy. This was before Amazon and Barns and Noble didn’t have a copy either. I was so mad and frustrated that I didn’t know how the story ended that I started reading the last sentence of new books that I picked up. I figured it would be enough to give me a general idea of how the story might end in the event that I lost it but not too much information that it would give away the ending. Years later I managed to find another copy of the book and finished reading it, though oddly I did not feel compelled to read the last sentence. Although I remember why I have this odd habit, I can’t remember the name of the book or the author. I remember it was a good story and worth reading. My friends and family laugh at me because I do this, but I don’t mind. It’s my quirky habit and I don’t plan on changing it anytime soon.
ReplyDeleteWhen I read a book I usually tend to try to read the first 30 pages and if it doesn't get interesting then I discontinue from reading it. I also have a tendency of reading books that were recommended to me by my fellow peers. I also have this mentality where if a book is made into a movie and if I like the movie then I WILL LOVE the book.For example, I enjoyed the twilight saga and knew that I would enjoy the books beter. I also have a tendency of liking fictional books thus is why I will also walk into Barnes and Noble go into the fiction section and browse around for a title that catches my attention. Once a title catches my attention then I will read the first couple of pages and if I am really sucked into then I will buy the book. In the end, I am a random reader but I LOVE reading but at the moment I have no other option but to stuff my nose in my nursing textbooks.
ReplyDeleteI am the same way about reading books that were made into a movie. First, if it is worth making into a movie then it must have been that awesome of a book to make a movie about. Second, if I love the movie, than the book will be 10 times better and have even more detail because books are always better than movies. I too am a random reader, but for the most part my favorite genre is fantasy - I absolutely love fantasy!
DeleteI also read some of the pages to determine whether or not I like the book. If it hasn't interested me by the third chapter then I stop reading. I also read books that I was recommended to by friends, and if a book is made into a movie I also like to read the book if I liked the movie. I also like to read fiction books, they've always been the most interesting books to me.
DeleteI am also the same way. If someone recommends a book for me to read, I'll try to make an effort to read it or at least skim through it. Also, if the first chapter puts me off, then I will most likely drop the book. I've actually heard that the Twilight books were pretty good by some female sources. As a male, however, I feel that reading Twilight would be an attack on my masculinity, and therefore have not ventured anywhere near the book nor the film. The previous sentence is a bit of an exaggeration, however, the feeling stands.
ReplyDeleteVery interesting because I have met quite a few guys who have read the books but just to read and be aware of what the excitement was about. Also, they read the saga to have their own perspective of the books but are not into it as the girls that I know.
Deletehaha, I like how you say that reading Twilight would be "an attack on my masculinity". It's funny because my husband works at UPS and he has talked to other male co-workers in his hub that actually admit to reading the series and enjoyed it. However, it still has not made him read the series, let alone watch the movies. I agree, if the first chapter does not capture my attention then I cannot read the book. Thanks for your post!
DeleteThe first thing I do when I begin to read a book is, oddly enough, read the back inside cover, where the author is talked about. I guess I just feel like I 'll be even more into the book, if i have an idea of who is telling the story. Then I read the decription of the story, wherever it is on the book jacket. I then read the first 5-10 pages of the book and somtimes i'll flip to the last paragraph to get see how the story will end. I know for many people that would be a spoiler, but it usually isn't for me. I still want to kno the full story of how the end came to be. As far as reading reviews go, I don't really give other people's comments opinion that much weight because ultimately that doesn't matter. The only thing that matters is how I feel about that particular book. Sometimes it takes a while to sell me on a book. I remember when The Harry Potter book first came out, I thought that it was a "little kid" book and never thought about reading it. One day I finally read the first page, just to see what all the talk was about and I was hooked! I've read all seven since then and was very sad when the final came out. I like good books, but I don't have the time to read as much recreationally as I used to, hopefully I can get back to that.
ReplyDeleteKassandra,
DeleteYou really get a lot of information before ou read a book, that's great. Gathering a lot of information before hand is good because you will have a good idea whether you are going to like the book or hate it. You gave me some great ideas. Thank you!
I am pretty similar about spoilers because no story, no movie or book could be spoiled because like you said I still want to know the how it ended up the way it did. And I kinda thought like you about Harry Potter because a friend was like you should read this book it's awesome. I was not eager but I was willing to give it a try and I remember our library had the second book available and not the first one. I was going to start the second book first but my friend suggested not to do it. And after reading every wonderful book, I am so glad that my friend had told me about it unless I never would have been exposed to the greatness of the world of Harry Potter.
DeleteI like to read about the author as well. I feel that is an important part to the book, it is the background on who wrote the book and gives you a little more insight. I like to read the jacket sleeve/back of the book as well, to see what it is about and if the story is interesting. I agree whole heartdely about the Harry Potter series! I didn't start reading it until the Deathly Hollows Part 1 came out into theatres. I started watching all the movies, and I loved the movies so much I decided to read the books. To this day, it is by far my favorite series! I too, thought it would be a kiddie book, and rented the first movie for my kids. When i finished the last book, I was actually depressed that it was all over. I didn't know waht to do with myself, and then I remembered - thats right I have a life - ha! Thanks for your post!
DeleteI also like to read the back cover. I am always curious to know what the book is about. The old saying is to never judge a book by its cover. I try not to follow this but I always end up doing it. My first impression of a book is usually wrong. I pretty much have to read a book to pass judgement on it.
DeleteI love reading and I take advantage of every spare minute to read. I read various types of books, such as the bible, tales, and textbooks, to balance between spiritual, mental, and informational needs. How to read a book depends on the type of the book I may select to read. As we all know, there are books such as novels written just for entertainment purposes, and there are many other books such as textbooks written to provide mere data and information. When I read a novel, I start reading from page one and If the story has fascinating scenes and engaging events, I continue reading it word for word. If the novel was not quite interesting, I may skip parts and hunt for the end of the story. However, reading textbooks is completely different than reading fictions because the purposes are far apart. Reading textbooks is usually for overwhelming ourselves with information which we will not even use half of it in future careers. It is just to pack in our minds with data needed to pass a test or a quiz, and to make the author rich. When I read a textbook, I always glimpse through the contents page and the index to find the best match to what I am looking for. Nevertheless, some textbooks, like chemistry books, require me to read step by step in order to learn the basic and proceed until I gain the full scope of it. So, the strategy I follow in reading differs according to the type of book or topic I am interested in.
ReplyDeleteAs horrible as this sound I only read books, when I really need to; like for a class. Not that I don’t like to read, but I do not have enough time in the day to read. If I were to have time and I did read books, I would most likely read book reviews. I read reviews for everything before I either buy something or watch something, or even take a class with a particular professor. I love reading reviews because I receive more information on what I am interested in. there is a particular book I want to try and read over the summer; I have heard so much about this book and I want to know what the big fuss is about. The book I want to read is 50 Shades of Grey; it seems that everybody is reading it and I am behind. Basically, that is the only way someone could get me to read a book; sad but true.
ReplyDeleteI completely agree with your point of view. Reading books for me are usually out of necessity. I usually try to read reviews for products that I am purchasing as well, as I feel that I have to be informed. I actually have never heard of 50 shades of gray, but this has piqued my curiosity and so I will have to check it out. If everyone in the entire world was reading a book that I haven't read, then I would feel as if I was missing out too.
DeleteAs students, I'm surprised that anyone has time to read for leisure. I'm usually rushing to finish readings for classes and don't have to time to pick up a novel. Maybe summer will allow some free time to read for fun instead of because I have to.
DeleteBefore starting a new book, I will first search by genre. Then I read the back cover, and read the reviews. I do find that the reviews aren’t necessary because a lot of times there could be two extremes to the likes and dislikes of the books. For instance, the book twilight- there are those who rip the book apart explaining how awful it is, while others are obsessed and in love with the book. I for one will admit that I loved the series, and I felt reading the reviews would influence my view of the book and ruin my opinion of it and make me look at the details that others who did not like the book are explaining. So yes, I do read reviews, but I do not base my whole decision on whether I will read the book or not. What I tend to do the most, is use recommendations on books I have already have finished. If I really enjoyed a book, I will look at forums on what books are recommended based on my interests in other books. I will also go to the author’s websites of books that I enjoyed and see what they recommend. Also, one thing I like to do is read a book that is a series that way I can read many more books based off the original story that I loved so much. Page numbers are neither here nor there with me, actually I prefer when a book I love is longer. That way I get much more out of the book! Oh and by the way, Harry Potter was one of the best reads, and had soo many books in the series. Harry Potter was probably one of my favorite series.
ReplyDeleteI promise that I did not read yours before I wrote mine. I have no beef with either series. They just never interested me. Perhaps the books are better than what I have seen o the movies. I will probably never read them. I don't blame this soley on the crappy movies, but they definitely are not persuading me to read them. "The Hunger Games" did; however make me wish that I had read the series.Though, I probably will not do that either.
DeleteHaha, no worries. Everyone has an opinoin, and believe me I know a lot of people who refuse to even give the movies a try, let alone the books. I haven't seen The Hunger Games yet, but I think I will read the series firt after reading your post. Thanks for the comment!
DeleteCurrently I read books that are require of me to read. However, back in my pre-college days I read books that I heard were good from my brother or friends. They would read a book, and I would borrow it afterward. It was a cheap way to do things. This would spark interest in particular writers. I would then purchase books written by those authors. Reading books in high school would also spark interest in particular writers. I have never bought or even read a book just because it was a best seller. The "Twilight" and "Harry Potter" series never peaked my interest. Most of the books I buy myself are art books, therefore my reasoning is mainly based on who the artist is and if it is well put together. I am a visual person, so I must admit the way the cover looks can sway me. When I was younger, I bought "Breakfast at Tiffany's" because I liked the movie. I don't do that anymore because one always ruins the other.I hope to get back into reading once I graduate. There are always distractions, but reading can be a nice escape.
ReplyDeleteBefore I read a book, assuming it is a book I am reading for pleasure, because if it is a required text, then I'm just reading it because I have too, I generally first see if the cover catches my eye. I know you're not supposed to judge a book by its cover, but something about a wonderful book cover really intrigues me and makes me want to find out more. From there, often times I will read the back cover of the book and if the description is too my liking, I'll start reading. Now, in my later days, I will check out book reviews first and maybe even look at some critical essays about the book before I actually start reading. The key is to make sure you don't read to far in, otherwise the plot is often given away and the book is ruined. I also find myself more excited about reading since I bought a Kindle. I think it has something to do with the time we live in, where everything is so centered around technology, but for me it's the convenience of being able to download any book I want in a matter of seconds. Often times the books are free, so if I start reading a realize the particular text isn't for me, no harm done. I can just delete it and move on. I also think Kindle has helped in a big way in that you can instantly read peoples reviews of the book before you purchase or view.
ReplyDeleteWhat I usually tend to do before I start to read a new book is that I look at the title and the cover to see if it grasp my attention by first glance. Even though you’re not supposed to judge a book by its cover it tends to happen once in a while. If the cover seems attracted, next thing I do is read the back cover of the book, see the reviews it has received and read what the storyline of the book is. If the back of the book seems interesting enough or it seems that the book is going somewhere, I tend to read the description inside the book and perhaps a few pages to go along with it. If I continue to read the first few pages then I’m hooked on a book, if it’s really good the amount of pages doesn’t really matter. Once I start a book it’s mostly because I’m interested in reading it and once I begin reading it’s hard to stop. I tend to take the book with me everywhere because I’m so intrigue by it that I want to know what’s going to happen next. I might usually finish a book with in a couple of days of the first week. For example, I finished the Twilight book series in about a week and the book Dear John like in three days. It’s usually easier to read something that I’m interested other than if it was a book assigned then I would have a harder time to try to get through a chapter.
ReplyDeleteI agree that once I find a book that captivates me I just can’t put it down. Even though I hardly have time to read out leisure, I really enjoy reading whenever I have a chance. I can literally sit for hours reading a book that I am interested in. I always try to find books that I can read within two to three sittings because I do not like to spend more than a week reading a book. You are right that the books we choose ourselves to read out of pleasure are obviously way more exciting and easier to read than the readings that are assigned and required.
DeleteI hate to admit it, but I am not a big reader. Throw in required class readings and I am pretty much at my limit. I seriously run out of time daily to get things done in my life, so I don't have any down time to read. There was a time when I did read for fun way back before a child, a husband, and college. Still, I was guilty of checking the number of pages in the book before committing to reading it. I would read the back of the book to see if it sounded interesting and read the beginning to get an idea about its content.
ReplyDeleteI actually do not read many books now as I used to. When I would read though, I tended to read some books that were recommended to me by my friends. I would also read books that were bestsellers in the hopes that they would be interesting. In other cases where a book seemed interesting to me because of the cover, I would read the back cover. If the back cover was intriguing to me, I would read the book. Another habit that I had was that if I began reading a book and by the third chapter or so it was not interesting, I would stop reading it.
ReplyDeleteI usually don’t look up book reviews before I’m going to read a book. Most books I read are either because of a class or because someone recommended me the book to me; this could count as a kind of review. I do read the back of a book when I’ve never heard of the book before, but if I have some kind of understanding of what it’s about then I don’t. I am the type of person that judges a book by its cover, which means if I’m somewhere like Barnes & Noble I go for the fancy looking books first then I look at the duller ones. Even though I know that the cover doesn’t matter I can’t help but do this. When I start to read the book I will read the first chapter or two, depending on the length of the chapters, because I should know by then whether or not I like it. I do hate leaving books unread, but sometimes there isn’t time for me to go back to a book I started reading and finish it. I do plan on finishing all of them one day though.
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed reading your blog, because I am also guilty of judging a book by its cover sometimes. The fancy looking books attract my attention too. Forget the old looking books with faded covers! The only way I can eliminate this habit is by reading the back cover of a book and if it is interesting enough, I'll begin reading it.
DeleteI agree with you. I am also guilty of not only judging but not finishing the reading. I will not go for older books unless I know someone that has already read them and have recommended the book to me. But for now, I will focus on reading class related books since my time is so limited now.
DeleteBefore I read a book, I read the back cover first and if it is interesting enough for me, then I’ll begin reading the book. The first thing that catches my attention is the title of the book. I know that sounds odd, but when I’m shopping around Barnes and Nobles, the first thing that catches my eye is the “title.” If it catches my attention, I take the book and read the back cover for the summary, and if I like it, I’l start reading it. Same goes with movies. When I hear people bragging about how good a movie is, I always ask what it is about, and if it is interesting enough, I'll watch the trailer. If I like the trailer of a movie, then I'll watch it. Reading a back cover of a book is almost like watching a movie trailer.
ReplyDeleteI actually do that too. I look at the cover first, I know they say never judge a book by its cover but I do. If the cover is interesting or just catches my eye then I move on to the title and finally I read the back of the book if the cover, title, and the back interest me then I will buy the book.
DeleteI, like some of my fellow classmates, do not have much time to read for leisure. There just isn’t enough time in the day to finish all of the things that I need to get done. So, I rarely have spare time to relax and read a book that I want to read. It is sad but true and I wish I had more time to read for pleasure because I really enjoy it. I used to have more time to read but now with work and school it’s almost impossible. Juggling so many classes at once means a lot of required readings and that is basically all that I read throughout the duration of the quarter. However, there have been a few times that I have had the opportunity to read a really good book during the breaks. Whenever I am on a break from school I try my best to read the books that either my dad or friends have recommended. They are avid readers and always know which books I would be interested in. Whenever I pick up a book for the first time I tend to read the first few pages. I can usually tell by then if I’m going to enjoy the book or not. However, if I’m still unsure about it then I’ll skip to the end and read the last paragraph of the book.
ReplyDeleteI am a HUGE reader with a wide selection of books in my library. I usually keep all the books that I am assigned for my classes, but when I'm choosing a new book to read, I usually read the back cover of a book before I buy it. I rarely check reviews, because I know that I am a different type of reader than most people. If I am looking to buy a new book, I usually use goodreads.com or librarything.com to find books related to my favorites. Every summer when school is out, I also try to find a subject that I don't know too much about and spend the whole summer finding books related to that subject so that I can become more knowledgeable about it.
ReplyDeleteBecause I'm a double major in both English and Religious Studies, I usually gravitate towards books that combine both those subjects. If I can't find anything interesting, then I usually re-read my favorites.
Before I buy a new book to read, I look at how thick it is. To me, the thicker the better. Then I read the cover back cover and if it sounds like a good storyline, then I'll buy it. If it doesn't catch my attention right away, then I put it down and try another. I love to read, always have, and I always will. I was the little kid who didn't want to go outside but who would rather stay inside and curl up with a book. I would read on the schoolbus as well as walking home from the bus stop. When I was older and got a job, I was finally able to buy my own books. That was the most awesome feeling. Even though I love to read so much, I rarely get time to read for just me. I am currently juggling 4 classes, 4 children with twins on the way, and a household to run. 4 classes alone leaves me with so much assigned reading that there is no time to read anything extra. It's all I can do to keep up with that.
ReplyDeleteIt has been a while since I have read a book of my interest. I have recently read school related books. Schoolbooks can be a challenge or a pleasurable experience at times. If I feel pressured to read the book, I will look at everything before I start reading; the number of chapters, the numbers of pages, and the of course the summary. I remember that last year I borrowed a book from a close friend. I first noticed her reading the book and the level of interest she had on that book. I asked her if she could let me borrow it so I can read it. The first thing I did of course was to read the front cover. Once I checked the front of the book, I moved on to the back of the book. The book description offered information that is more detailed. I then moved on to the introduction of the book and I read the author's purpose and overview of the book. Since my friend was not finished reading the book, she agreed to lend it to me after she finished reading it. Once she lend it to me, I read the book and the more I read the more interested I became on the subject. I have always been attracted to books and reading but would find it challenging to find the time to read. However, with this particular book I felt a strong connection right away. I believe the connection I felt was due to what my life situation was at the time. I finished reading the book in less than two weeks. I was surprised after realizing that it is possible to make extra time to do the things we enjoy doing.
ReplyDeleteI know what you mean. I never really seem to read for fun anymore. After high school I didn’t go to college right away but I used to enjoy reading. Now that I don’t have time to read I only read the required text, I tend to procrastinate and it obviously takes me longer to read a book. When I read the twilight saga books just because I wanted to, I read each one in about three days. I was very surprised that I was able to read them in such short time.
DeleteThe very first thing I do before I start reading a new book is tell my husband to watch the kids and I lock myself in a room. Then I read the back cover to give me an idea of what the book is about. I also like to read the introduction because it is a good set up of the rest of the book. After I read the introduction I like to just think about what I read and describe it to my husband, for some strange reason I like to read and then give my husband a summary of what I read. Then since I have a very busy schedule I check how many pages are in the book so that I know approximately how long it will take me to read it. If I have a week to read a book I take the number of pages and divide it by seven, this gives me an idea of how much time I should put aside each day to read. If it is a book or an author I have never heard of, I go online and try to get some information about the book and author. I don’t read many books and I don’t about know many authors so I usually go online to read reviews or to read up on the author. Even though I don’t make it a habit to read often, I do enjoy a good book, I just wish I had more time in my busy life to read more often.
ReplyDeleteI am occasionally guilty of reading the last paragraph in a book before I start it. For some reason this gives me a sense of working backwards, and somehow knowing what happens in the end makes me more motivated to get through the book. Usually I forget how it ends when I start reading it anyways. I try my best to avoid book reviews, because I hate spoilers (despite reading the ending). I do sometimes read the back cover and do some research on the author, because I feel like I have a more complete understanding of the story if I know the author’s background.
ReplyDeleteI love to read on cold winter days. I spend a lot of time preparing myself for the book i'm going to read. I will open all of the blinds and curtains so I can see the weather outside, rain or storm clouds are the most fun. I will then get a soft comforter, a cup of coffee and make myself a cozy spot on the couch before I start reading. The first thing I always do before reading the book is read the back cover. I like to know what the book is about without reading the introduction. I tried once to try to start reading the introduction and about the author in the first part of the book. I never could get into it, the introduction would be so long and I would feel like I already read the book and loose interest. The same with the authors, I didn't want to spend half of the book reading about them. Although, I will skim through those pages to get a vague idea about who the author is. After I do all of that, I just dive straight into the book. I do have to admit, if I am a quarter through the book and it is starting off slow, I will jump a chapter or two to see if the book starts to get interesting!
ReplyDeleteI love to read, but unfortunately don't get much time anymore. I don't get to do much pleasure reading, unless you call children's books or text books pleasure reading. Before children I was definitely guilty of not putting a good book down until I have finished it. Boy, were those the days!
ReplyDeleteWhen I read a new book I must be honest, I check the number of pages. The reason I check the number of pages is because I want to know how much time I have to finish the book. I want to know how I can pace myself. There is also another reason I check the pages. I check the number of pages because I want to see if I should read it or not. I don't want to stay with a large book too long if it's too time consuming. Another thing I do is check the back cover I don't want to jump into a book without knowing anything about it. Im the type of person to do research on a book and find out the history of it. Having said that I don't want to ruin the books ending.
ReplyDeleteTo be honest, it has been a few years since I have read a book of my own choosing. As I have mentioned in prior blogs, I am currently enrolled in the Masters of Social Work program at Cal State and the only books that I have read in the last three years were required books for my courses. Prior to that, I read all of the time. I had no preference on how they were chosen; I would read a book that was recommended by someone, I would read a book a saw on the Oprah Book Club, and most times, I would read books that my mother recommended. I miss reading for fun, not as a requirement. When I was choosing books, I preferred murder mysteries and horror novels. I know this is not the intellectual response many have written about, but I feel reading is an escape, like watching zombie movies and romance films. As I approach graduation, my husband has asked me what I would like for graduation, my response was a Kindle Fire E-reader. I know that we have blogged about people no longer read actual books, but the convenience to be able to read and purchase electronic books at any time, sounds like heaven to me.
ReplyDeleteI do not do anything before reading a book. I do not look at a book review, online summaries, or read the back of the book. I just keep an open mind and dive right into reading. I think reviews tend to express the author’s biased opinion. If the review is bad, then I do not want to read the book because I have lost all interest. If the review is good, I will be disappointed if the book turns out bad. I rather be surprised! I really hate book summaries, they tend to tell the good parts, and I completely lose all interest in a book. I believe the best way to start a book is to just open it up and read!
ReplyDeleteI have never thought of book reviews like this. I always just thought it was an opinion but it really can influence the way you think about the book as you read it. I do not read summaries myself but I do read the back of the book and even a bit of the first chapter.
DeleteMy process of book selection has transformed over time. In grammar school, when I was given the chance to visit the library with my class and choose a book to for our silent reading hour, I would head straight to a particular author's section and look through each of the options in a particular fiction series before selecting the one that had the best combination, in my opinion, of a catchy title and front cover photo. But the bulk of the decision-making process back then was weighted in my overall first impression of the book, while my affinity for a particular author at the time of selection would also drive me to chose books in a way that accomodated my desire to get through an entire series or the author's complete selection of works. During high school, I often chose books based on my impression of them after reading the synopsis on the back cover. When I started college, I would choose my books after a long process that included heading toward the section of Border's (when it existed still) that pertained to the subject I was most interested in, then selecting a number of books that had the most interesting titles, reading the synopses and first few pages of each, and then slowly elliminating until I ended up with one book that I wanted to buy. I now prefer to choose a book based on the recommendations of another person, simply because other people are objective consumers who are telling the truth without necessarily trying to sell me a product.
ReplyDeleteTruthfully,I do not personally like to read books, but when I do I do check them out to see if I would like them. Usually I do judge a book by its cover then I proceed to read the back of the book. If I make it all the way to the end without getting bored, I read the first few pages of the first chapter. This is how I get interested in reading it because that way I know what U am supposed to be reading and if I am following on the right path.
ReplyDelete