I’ve seen the question “how do you choose what you read?” multiple times over the years, and I’ve given thought to what my answer would be many times too. But the truth is there is no one single answer – how can there be for someone who reads, reads and reads some more?
While I’m known to be a bit of a book snob, I don’t read the same type of thing all the time. I have preferences, of course, but I’m also open to new experiences. For example, while my favourite books mostly fall in the category of literary fiction, I love a bit of space opera, and am currently binge reading the Lord Peter Wimsey mysteries from Dorothy L Sayers.
Once I find an author I really like, I read my way through their back catalogue, and purchase their next book immediately it’s released – until or unless I read one which is a disappointment or not a good fit. Fortunately, that rarely happens 🙂
These days new authors come to me mostly via recommendations from a trusted source – either those rare beings who share my taste, sometimes it’s someone who knows my taste even if they don’t share it, or an online review which strikes a chord. A big fan of the Booker prize, I’ve also found a couple of my go-to authors via that route too. Once upon a time, when I still read books rather than e-readers, they could also come from a book borrowed or lent.
Each year’s festive indulgence of glossy magazines reminds me of the pleasure I once got from the purchase of monthly glossy publications. A vast array of beautiful things including antiques, art & design, interiors and fashion used to lift me from the mundanity of my days. These days they’re a rare indulgence, and all the bigger a treat for being so.
It’s been a long time since I read a daily newspaper. Indeed, it’s been a long time since I even read a Sunday paper because, like the majority, I now obtain most of my news online.
I consume both long and short-form content online and while both the source and author generally have their impact on my decision, if the decision to read were based purely on a blind test with an extract provided, the single question would be – does it pique my interest? That one question can be broken down into multiple detailed parts…
- Is it about a subject I already know I like, or want to know more about?
- Does it contain an unusual fact, or ask me a thought-provoking question?
- Is it well written and not full of text speak?
- Is it clever and/or witty?
- Does it have the potential to amuse or entertain me?
- Is its tone in line with my current mood?
- Does it have the potential to teach me something?
- Might reading it prove to be stimulating?
- Could it add value?
- Will it give me joy?
While I probably do ask myself these questions when browsing blogs, blogs can be slightly different in that what I’m seeking is connection – and it’s harder to define where the potential for connection may come.
As I said, I don’t want to read the same things all of the time. There are times when I want something meaty and challenging, other times my preference is for something comfortable and soothing. The great thing about reading is that it provides me with continual opportunities to find what I need, when I need it.
What mediums do you read in? And how do you choose what you read? Do you have specific requirements when choosing reading material?
© Debra Carey, 2024
debsdespatches.com 
I mostly still read physical books I get from the library. I do a lot of reading of authors I’ve read before. I read books selected by my book club. I read books that win certain awards. One thing I want to do is more browsing at the library to find books I just stumbled upon.
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I miss stumbling upon books too Tater. Ever since I moved from reading my fiction on physical books to Kindle, I don’t get that browse in a bookshop or library feeling of just picking something up because I like the cover and reading a page or two.
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I read real books, not Kindle even though I have one, so YAY for their marketing department to get me to buy one and try it. I like to wander around a real bookstore, see what’s there, maybe buy something that strikes my fancy. Such as something that could inform, entertain, amuse, or improve me. I’m not linked to genres as much as the content itself.
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I want a good story. One that will draw me in and make me care. It can be well-written history (Lauren Hillenbrand, Doris Kearns Goodwin) or SFF (Lois McMaster Bujold’s Vorkosigan series or the Murderbot books by Martha Wells), or a mystery, but it had better be well-researched. I hate it when a monarch butterfly pops up in England or pumpkins vines appear in medieval France. Anything that pulls me out of the story makes me cross. But I can’t get into a story without an interesting, smart, main character. And if they’ve got questionable morals, well, they’d better be funny. Literary fiction is generally not my thing–too many midlife crises by boring academics or poorly written women (thank you Jonathan Franzen).
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I only read physical books. I find that since COVID started I don’t have as much patience for fiction as for nonfiction. I’m sure that will change before long. But, there is a lot of amazing nonfiction to absorb.
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The lack of space – both in my home for sufficient bookcases and in my suitcase for holiday reading – was what caused the change from physical books to Kindle for me. I still have all my professional books in physical form, as it’s a lot harder to mark up and write in the margins of a Kindle! I do miss the browsing of real books in bookstores and picking stuff up, just because I fancy it.
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Totally with you on the badly researched Autumn. Those books are the ones which receive 1 or 2 stars on Goodreads from me, as there’s really no excuse. I like character driven work too, and am a sucker for much Commonwealth writing due to my upbringing. I do know what you mean about those middle-aged white men who usually win all the prizes, but there’s still enough good stuff in that genre to draw me back without adding extra to their pockets.
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There is a lot of amazing non fiction around, but my fiction TBR just keeps on growing. I do read professional books which are clearly nonfiction, but I miss fiction – it’s my relaxation.
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I’m Team Kindle here. I will periodically Google “best books of the year” and read through various lists from esteemed publications like the New York Times, as well as Goodreads recommendations, adding the most interesting-sounding books to my TBR list. Then, I borrow them digitally from the library through the Libby app. It’s a pretty seamless process, and I’m usually able to find plenty of books to keep me occupied.
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Ooooh, I meant to register for my local library when we moved here, but never got around to it. I didn’t know you could borrow digital books using the membership. I must get me a library card and the Libby app. Thanks Mark 🙂
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As a child if it had printing on it I read it! 🙂
Nowadays at the other end of life I tend to the so-called Golden Age of crime fiction – and this is one reason the be thankful for electronic devices as so much has now been republished in this form. However I prefer the printed book. Not much historical fiction these days, and I have never been much of a SF/Fantasy aficionado, though there are two or three authors in htis genre I will happily read. (Shameful admission: I have never got beyond two chapters of ‘Lord of the Rings’). Not a Dickens fan either, except for ‘Christmas Carol’ and maybe ‘The Signal Man’ (short story).
However I will read and re-read and re-re-read the Dorothy L. Sayers fiction and non-fiction, though the latter tends to be worked at these days. If you like the Lord Peter stories enough to join the Dorothy L. Sayers Society (http://sayers.org.uk) you get a Bulletin six times a year with lots of articles about Sayers and a huge archive of research orginally published as a typescript entitles ‘Sidelights on Sayers’ which provides a wealth of background information on the era, stories and so on. There is also an annual Convention to be held this year in Cambridge in August. (Disclosure: I am on the committee of the Society.)
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Alan, thanks to your recommendations, I downloaded the full set of DLS onto my Kindle and have been binge reading her since before Christmas. I’m taking a short break, but will be back. And yes, I am loving them. Thank you for the recommendation of the Society, I shall sign up forthwith. An annual convention in Cambridge – now you’re tempting me!
I forced myself to read Lord of the Rings as I wanted to see the Peter Jackson films and was determined to abide by my book first rule. It was seriously hard work, but I only enjoyed the first film in the trilogy too. I’m with you on Dickens too, although in place of ‘Signal Man’ I have ‘A Tale of Two Cities’ (which was on my school curriculum). I do love Christmas Carol and re-read it most years (but then it is short enough to do so).
Still to dive into Lois McMaster Bujold (not sure if I’ve got her name right as typing from memory), but I will get to her – hopefully this year.
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I love Lord Peter. Used to watch the series on PBS all the time! For the last several years I have been doing the PopSugar reading challenge. They have a list of categories or prompts and that helps me to go out of my usual mystery genre. I try to find books on my TBR shelves to fit the categories. I also have a scratch off poster of 100 great novels and I’ve been trying to read my way through that as well.
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Library books are usually just that — books — but some are available in digital form, so I read both. I do prefer the Kindle for lighting and also it’s easier to hold in my hands than an heavy book. I don’t have any kind of process for deciding what to read, although I subscribe to a crime reads newsletter with lots of great recommendations. This year I’m going to make more of an effort to get out of my crime fiction rut.
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It’s the only way to go! And here’s a pro tip: just switch your Kindle to airplane mode after checking out the library book. That way, it won’t disappear from your device after the three-week checkout (or however long you get in the UK) expires!
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I love to read too and I read a variety of genres, but mostly fiction. I get most of my books from the library. A lot of what I read are the books chosen by my book club… and often, if I like a particular author, I look for more by the same person. I discovered Barbara Kingsolver because The Lacuna was a BC choice. Lately, I’ve discovered several good books/authors from blogs.
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I keep vowing to discontinue my Sunday Seattle Times. I hate the waste of paper and the mess as I turn from page to page. But then, when the times comes, I worry about supporting a hometown paper and I think about the man who delivers it. Next time the bill comes due, I’ll quit.
I love my Kindle mainly because it’s so light and easy to hold. (My neck and shoulders tense up when I hold something heavy. Also, I can order something new and start reading immediately.
I like a variety of genres. I feel the need for variety, switching from something serious or complex to something light and breezy the next time. I’m reading Salman Rusdie right now, and he requires such concentration that my next book will be a relaxing mystery.
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Very insightful into your process, Debs. Like Behind the Story, I also worry about the death of local news and hometown newspapers. I want someone or something to hold local office holders accountable. So I subscribe to our local paper here in St. Augustine even though I don’t actually read but maybe a quarter of it. For books, I rely heavily on reviews on Goodreads and Amazon (though both can be tricky mine fields), and also the odd interview feature on a show like CBS Mornings, Sunday Morning, or NPR Fresh Air. – Marty
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I usually get ideas for my tbr from a few big book club (Jenna, Reese, GmA and Barnes and noble) or from magazine blurbs. I also check out Goodreads and I browse in stores. I’m sort of anal, so when choosing books to read I look at my tbr and I alphabetically look at choices and find something within letter. For example I needed new fiction, I’m up to letter D,I looked at all titles that started with d and chose the one that interested me most. I know…I know…
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I had no idea you could do that with a Kindle, so thank you for the tip Mark!
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I can’t remember how I discovered Barbara Kingsolver, but I have this feeling it may’ve been one of the last books I picked up randomly because I was drawn to the cover. A fair bit of my reading was book club related, but I’ve not had one since moving. I keep thinking I will seek a new one out, and then don’t.
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Nicki, I totally understand what you mean about Salman Rushdie. I love his books but had to give up on one last year as I was totally in the wrong headspace for it. I’m going to try and pick it up again this year as I found the idea and characters interesting. Which one are you reading now?
I’d love to support a local paper but what we have here is genuinely a waste of paper. I am tempted to subscribe to an independent paper which is staffed by proper journalists, but know that the content will be dispiriting to read – even though excellent quality and much needed.
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I’d love a halfway decent local paper Marty; sadly, there is no such thing.
I build up a massive list of book recommendations from a couple of online sources, so much that it became positively intimidating. Once I got rid of it, I had a moment of panic, but I’m back to finding what I want when I want. And I’ve a couple of people I know who share my taste, so they’re usually reliable for a recommendation when I’m in a tight spot.
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Oh my, I doff my cap to the mistress of managing a TBR! 😉 Seriously, that is remarkably disciplined and organised. I’m being quite freewheeling at the moment, and rather enjoying it if I’m honest. But who knows how long that while last!
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I’m reading The Golden House. Now that I’m a little farther in, I like it more. The narrator is fun.
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Janet, You’ve got a good system going there 🙂
I’ll admit the first Lord Peter book I read put my back up. But I trust Alan’s judgement and, accepting the difference in the times, I had another go. And I’m very glad I did as the things which annoyed me have all been addressed bit by bit in the books I’ve read. I think I’m rather fond of him too now.
I tried a challenge to encourage me to work my way through the books I already had on my Kindle, but I didn’t get very far. I’ve come to realise, I’ve bought books because they were on offer, but which don’t really appeal. I read one or two occasionally and am slowly whittling them down.
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Donna, I seem to remember you thinking you *should* break out of your crime fiction preference (I refuse to call it a rut). Not saying that I don’t think trying to read outside of the norm isn’t a good idea, but when reading is for relaxation or entertainment, I don’t see any reason why you shouldn’t lean on into your preference.
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Oh yes, I enjoyed that one very much. Sometimes he’s a tad too much “out there” for me, but not that one.
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It was taking me too long to make book decisions so I limited my options. I also have some other things too
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I choose my books several different ways, Debs. I read multiple books by authors I enjoy, get recommendations from friends and family, and sometime scroll through the online library or Kindle Unlimited recommendations. I used to read primarily physical books, but I finally gave into the Kindle for the convenience.
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I shall admit that I ditched my monumentally HUGE list after reading about your process in one of yours posts. It was a list I’d been adding to for years. So long, in fact, that I couldn’t even remember who’d made the recommendation or why I’d added books to the list. I’ve felt a whole lot freer since 🙂
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I tend not to do too much browsing of lists and recommendations, as that leads me to add books which I forget all about, or even wonder why on earth I was wanted to read them! I still have too many on my Kindle which ended up that way…
And yes, I do miss reading real books, but the Kindle is really too convenient to be given up on.
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When the list is too large I go through decision paralysis…which is never good…
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Anything which delays the reading process is never good!
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