How do you find out about books?

corblimey

Despite having around 50 unread books on my shelf, I still enjoy finding new authors, but I'm wondering how other people go about doing that. I have 2 sources: 1. literature-map.com 2. amazon.co.uk. Both of these are similar in that I find an author I like and they show me similar authors, but it's quite difficult to find good authors outside of my 'comfort zone'. I suspect that there are some decent blogs out there that would help me out, but any I've found are too genre specific and less about good literature in general. I also think there's probably some decent podcasts out there that contain book reviews.

So what you got?

OxfordComma

I generally find new authors just by browsing in bookshops or on amazon.co.uk as you mentioned. I've actually discovered a few authors recently on boards.ie as well! But my list of books to read is pretty enormous at the moment, so finding new authors isn't really a huge issue for me now.

Plowman

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punkindrublic

I mostly find books through amazon.com & amazon.co.uk. Sometimes play.com too.

tim_holsters

The library and bookshops are full of hidden gems.

Denerick

A combination really. I like reading reviews on the internet and get good recommendations from people. I enjoy a wide variety of genre's, so if someone I respect tells me that they enjoyed a certain book I'll keep it in mind.

Also, I love reading the book review section in the Sunday Times Culture magazine.

Eliot Rosewater

I think boards.ie is pretty good for recommendations and for just hearing about authors one has never heard of before.

I'd follow the "Top 100 books..." lists quite a bit too.

If a book is published in one of the "Classics" imprints I'll be inclined to buy it, because that is a recommendation in itself.

tyler71

I always like to drop into small bookshops when I can because when there's a limited space for books the owners tend to make more of an effort in book selection although it obviously reflects their own taste - have picked up some great reads in this way.
In places like Waterstones where the fiction is stored alphabetically it's hard to browse (I usually end up at their 3 for 2 table which is basically a small random selection of books like you'd get in a small shop) and the Amazon book recommendations never really excite me the way picking up a random book and taking a punt on it does.

Sephiroth_dude

I look at forthcoming release list on websites.

Graceland

There is a brilliant site called fantastic fiction that I go to (www.fantasticfiction.co.uk). You can browse through lots of authors. If you like a particular author or book, there are recommendations of other similar ones. Also I find this site very handy if you want to know in what order to read the books with the same character in it. They also let you know when a new book is coming out.

Malari

Sometimes recommendations from friends (although that can be a mistake!). And my momma's in a book club, so every so often they come across something good.

I look at Booker shortlisted titles too.

girvtheswerve

I usually go by Richard & Judy's book club list:cool:

On a serious note, I usually find books just from wandering around bookshops and recommendations from friends.

As a poster said previously, if the book in question is considered a classic I would take this as a good recommendation.

Ever now and again Ill buy a random book of a random genre to try something new. Sometimes it works, sometimes not.

JohnMearsheimer

A few different ways really. I'd go by recommendations from friends, strolling around book shops, looking at listmania on amazon and recommendations on amazon and bookdepository.co.uk. I should probably stop buying books for little while though and make my way through the ones I've yet to read.

Travel is good

Book reviews in the Irish Times, but mainly just by wandering around the bookshops/libraries. I like physically picking up books. Though I've been ordereing a good bit from Amazon lately.

I'm not always mad about those book club choices, I like to find my own books. Sometimes the staff picks in Waterstones are good, I've found a lot of books that way. I think it's easier to browse and pick up something different when you're in the book shop. You're more likely to limit your browsing on the internet.

I'll definitely follow up on any literature websites mentioned here. I often have a notebook to hand and wtrite down book recommendations, then order from Amazon later. Amazon are good for ordering those obscure books that you may not be able to find in the book shop.

I must go now, too much reading to catch up on....

Mink

If I've heard of a book or it's recommended, I'll then look at some reviews on the net - amazon & boards (with a pinch of salt)

For recommendations I go to my sister or this guy who works in Waterstones who's honest about which books are good & which are sh1te.

He's a book worm so he's read a lot of the stock & he takes the time to show you the book as he's into it.

Eliot Rosewater

Travel is good wrote: »

Amazon are good for ordering those obscure books that you may not be able to find in the book shop.

Do you ever use Book Depository? It's by far the cheapest shop on the net, in my experiance.

Mink wrote: »

For recommendations I go to my sister or this guy who works in Waterstones who's honest about which books are good & which are sh1te.

In Dublin or Cork?

Travel is good

Mink wrote: »

If I've heard of a book or it's recommended, I'll then look at some reviews on the net - amazon & boards (with a pinch of salt)

For recommendations I go to my sister or this guy who works in Waterstones who's honest about which books are good & which are sh1te.

He's a book worm so he's read a lot of the stock & he takes the time to show you the book as he's into it.

That's interesting, I'd love to know someone who has inside information like that! Some books can be dross, so it would be great to know the inside track. Can he set up a thread on boards?

Travel is good

Eliot Rosewater wrote: »

Do you ever use Book Depository? It's by far the cheapest shop on the net, in my experiance.



In Dublin or Cork?

Thanks very much, I'll look into that! I'm all for saving money!

IvyTheTerrible

I read other people's reading logs here and on another forum, I have found some great books I wouldn't otherwise have read.

Mink

Eliot Rosewater wrote: »

In Dublin or Cork?

He's in the Waterstones in Jervis Shopping Centre in Dublin. I must say to him to set up a thread. Shall be heading in there once near the end of book I'm on

Travel is good

Please ask him. I regularly go into the Waterstones in jervis. It would be great to have all those books that the staff reviewed online. It might be good for business too!

Maybe us boardsies could get extra loyalty points or special offers? I know, I'm pushing it a bit now.