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How do you find out about new books?

Started by holyzombiejesus, October 09, 2017, 08:52:58 PM

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holyzombiejesus

Books aren't like music, where you can just put the radio on or stream playlists, so it can be quite difficult to find new stuff that might be interesting. Where do you get your recommendations from? I generally read the Guardian and Observer Review supplements of a weekend, which doesn't really give me the greatest overview of what's out there. I also look on the Caught By The River website. They don't get through a lot in a month and the have quite a narrow remit so again I don't get the broadest selection to look through but I have got a fair few things that I really enjoyed because of that site.
I used to spend a lot of time in bookshops browsing and found loads of decent stuff that way. Nowadays though, a combination of awful generic cover design and Waterstones apparently all trying to be exactly the same has meant that I don't bother any more. And I would rather die than buy anything that their tawdry little employees recommend. To a man, dreadful people that sicken me. The types that wouldn't even appreciate something decent like Ali Smith's Autumn. Scum.

Genevieve

A few years ago I wanted some new ideas to get enthusiastic about reading again and came across a blog called stuckinabook where you can read reviews and see charts of favourite books.  They have extracts so you can get a feel of the writers' styles, many I hadn't heard of and ones I probably wouldn't have thought to look at, like W. Somerset Maugham or Winifred Holtby.  So I ordered a big pile from the library and had a very enjoyable summer of reading.

Serge

Quote from: holyzombiejesus on October 09, 2017, 08:52:58 PMCaught By The River website.

We used to have a drop in the Rough Trade book section 'curated' by them. It did put me on to quite a few things over the years, starting with 'Waterlog', which was the book that inspired them to start the site in the first place. And Melissa Harrison, of course.

For the last fifteen years, I've mainly worked in jobs where I've been able to find out about books ahead of time, either by being the man who's buying them for the shop, or by reading the Bookseller. Having said that, there is nothing to beat walking into a bookshop to find things you wouldn't otherwise have known about. When I go to Manchester later this month, I'll be hitting the big Waterstones in Deansgate with a notepad in my pocket to make my Christmas list.

poloniusmonk

I've found following people with interesting taste on Goodreads a decent way to find new books. Their recommendations engines aren't amazing, but occasionally throw up a path worth heading down. Also, they'll let you know if there's something new being published by someone you've rated or marked that you've read before.

Sebastian Cobb


maett

Read a few that Richard Osman recommended on Pointless They were OK. Otherwise I go into Waterstones and if a cover image or title grabs my attention I'll read the synopsis and decide.