Barnes & Noble - come armed, ready and with an escape plan. Does anyone who works there read?
Now, a great independent bookstore - come, browse, sit on the floor and get lost in books, books and more books.
I'll often take a list with me, recommendations from friends or sites, but sometimes i just go for one book in particular. Used bookstores have to be browsed, it's too frustrating to go in with a specific title in mind. Indie bookstores are the best for browsing staff recommendations. My favorite part of any bookstore is any table where books are laid out and recommendation cards are present. I must admit i buy more than half my books online, impulse buys when a site i like recommends something tasty.
I work at a public library, which means two things:
1. I don't make a lot of money, and;
2. I have access to many, many books for free.
(That second part, by the way, is true for anyone within walking/driving distance of a public library in the U.S.)
So when I go into a B&N or Borders, I shamelessly scribble down titles of stuff that looks new & good to me, and then I get it from the library. Yeah, I own a lot of books, so I'm not against buying 'em, and I still do occasionally buy the ones I know I'll want to keep around. And of course I give books as gifts -- and not ones from the library book sale, thank you very much. But I'm an avid reader who also needs to eat daily & clothe her kids, so I thank the retail book giants for allowing me to come in and buy a latte (ok, that I *will* buy) which I'll sip while conducting my not-so-secretive surveillance!
Gosh -- I just go to the store, pick up books, and start reading the first few pages. I rarely pay attention to the cover or the summary on the inside flap (although I'd be lying if I said that a catchy title doesn't pique my interest). I pick up three to five books, and then I put a few of them down as I'm waiting in line. It's fairly random, and the results are what you'd expect -- sometimes I find a fantastic book, sometimes I find a dud, and most of the time I find something mildly amusing.
Yes, it's a shameless plug, but we're still working on a distribution deal with bookstores, so it's only available on Amazon right now and makes all of our bookstore strategies invalid.
Usually, I'm headed to the bookstore on a mission to find a specific book. My current bookstore is my mom who just sends me books that any one of her book clubs (yes, she's in more than one, or five...). I've lucked out with her books so far, but might start wandering through the bookstores once again.
Barnes & Noble - come armed, ready and with an escape plan. Does anyone who works there read?
Now, a great independent bookstore - come, browse, sit on the floor and get lost in books, books and more books.
I'll often take a list with me, recommendations from friends or sites, but sometimes i just go for one book in particular. Used bookstores have to be browsed, it's too frustrating to go in with a specific title in mind. Indie bookstores are the best for browsing staff recommendations. My favorite part of any bookstore is any table where books are laid out and recommendation cards are present. I must admit i buy more than half my books online, impulse buys when a site i like recommends something tasty.
I work at a public library, which means two things:
1. I don't make a lot of money, and;
2. I have access to many, many books for free.
(That second part, by the way, is true for anyone within walking/driving distance of a public library in the U.S.)
So when I go into a B&N or Borders, I shamelessly scribble down titles of stuff that looks new & good to me, and then I get it from the library. Yeah, I own a lot of books, so I'm not against buying 'em, and I still do occasionally buy the ones I know I'll want to keep around. And of course I give books as gifts -- and not ones from the library book sale, thank you very much. But I'm an avid reader who also needs to eat daily & clothe her kids, so I thank the retail book giants for allowing me to come in and buy a latte (ok, that I *will* buy) which I'll sip while conducting my not-so-secretive surveillance!
Gosh -- I just go to the store, pick up books, and start reading the first few pages. I rarely pay attention to the cover or the summary on the inside flap (although I'd be lying if I said that a catchy title doesn't pique my interest). I pick up three to five books, and then I put a few of them down as I'm waiting in line. It's fairly random, and the results are what you'd expect -- sometimes I find a fantastic book, sometimes I find a dud, and most of the time I find something mildly amusing.
I love your strategy! You probably find more books that you like than those you don't , and aren't swayed by the hype. I'm gonna try it.
Thanks, Doc! Maybe my strategy isn't so bad!
Of course, if you're looking for another good read, I'd also recommend my own book, which you can find here:
http://www.bookspoke.com/books/1434816281
Yes, it's a shameless plug, but we're still working on a distribution deal with bookstores, so it's only available on Amazon right now and makes all of our bookstore strategies invalid.
Usually, I'm headed to the bookstore on a mission to find a specific book. My current bookstore is my mom who just sends me books that any one of her book clubs (yes, she's in more than one, or five...). I've lucked out with her books so far, but might start wandering through the bookstores once again.