Much have already been said about the benefits of reading. I would just like to improvise it a bit by saying, picking a good book to read is equally important. Because, let’s face it, not all books are worth reading. Otherwise, Mark Twain wouldn’t have specifically mentioned, “Good friends, good books, and a sleepy conscience: this is the ideal life”.
Every book we read should teach us something new, should sharpen and enhance the knowledge, and trigger our thought process. Today, we have so many books out there crying for our attention, that it has become increasingly necessary to pick a book wisely. But, how do we decide if a book is good or not? How do we know if the book we are investing in will be worth our time and money?
Choosing a book which would cater to our taste and interest is an art. It takes years of practice to perfect it. However, there are some well tested tips and tricks, that every experienced reader adhere to, which anyone can follow to identify a good book.
Timeless authors. Make a list of your timeless authors. Authors who are consistent with their work, and whose books you absolutely love. When you are totally clueless about what to buy, stick to these timeless authors. Because, they seldom disappoint and would be worth money. Some of my favorite timeless authors are, Haruki Murakami, Khalid Hosseini, OrhanPamuk, JhumpaLahiri, Robin Sharma, Arundhati Roy, Vikram Seth, Amitabh Ghosh, Ruskin Bond, etc.
Read reviews. Before you go book shopping, take out some time to read book reviews on Goodreads or Amazon. Read more than 3-4 reviews of a book to know what is the most popular opinion. One great way to find out if the reviewer is genuine or not, read review written by them of a book you have already read. I recently ordered Jerry Pinto’s two books after getting influenced my Amazon review. Now waiting excitedly for them to arrive!
Explore bookstores which have a wide range of collection. The probability of coming across a good book is higher in a good book store than in an average one. So, always choose your bookstore wisely, and spend a good time browsing through the book aisles. Good books are often hidden in plain sight. I often go to stores whose owners seemed well read. They never disappoint me with their recommendation.
Ask well read people about their favourites. There are many good authors out there; who may live in a different country than yours, write in a language than yours, but their words appeal the souls nonetheless. It is impossible to know each one of them. So, I ask well read people about their favourite authors and books. Many a times, they name authors that I haven’t heard before, they suggest me books I haven’t read or seen before. It’s definitely a great way to explore the literary world. No doubt I came across gems like ‘Man’s search for meaning’, after having a conversation with an IIT Madras Prof.
Refer to booklists. Mega-successful people like Bill Gates, Obama, Elon Musk, Zuckerberg, have their annual reading list. Amazon publishes an annual bestselling books lists and best books of the year lists. Then there are the Man Booker winner book lists or Pulitzer winner lists, and lists of other major literally awards. All these lists are easily available on Google and are a great source to rely on. No wonder the literary world go crazy over these.
Follow bookworms. Facebook and Instagram profiles of bookworms are a great way of finding new books. You can also be a part of online book forums and see what other people are reading. You can stalk bookshelves of other people. You can go through Amazon wishlist of your friends. You can keep an eye to see what random people are reading on the metro, on flights, at cafes.
Judge a book by its publisher. A good publisher, in 90% of the cases, publish good books. Most of the time it is safe to pick up new titles or new authors, published by a well known publisher. Some of my favourite publishers are, Knopf, Faber and Faber, Graywolf, Mc Millian, HarperCollins, (and of course) Bloomsbury, etc. I never hesitate to buy their books, even if the author is unfamiliar to me. Promising and upcoming Indian publishers are, Juggernaut, Zubaan, Aleph, Vintage, etc.
Browse by genre. With so many books out there, book browsing may look daunting. So, instead of aimlessly browsing in a store to see if you would find something good, it is ideal to decide on the genre that you would like to read, and then browse. Because, if you want to read self-help, and you keep browsing fiction, chances are that you would not find anything worth picking up.
Pay attention to the book cover. Years of book shopping have taught me that a book cover tells a lot about the content. When the book is standard, and the design is subtle yet powerful, chances are that the book would be an informative and serious read. Look at the cover of Disgrace, and Sapiens. On the other hand, if the cover is melo-dramatic with a splash of bright colours, chances are that book is a light read or work of fiction. The more it looks like the publisher has invested money on a book cover, the more fulfilling the book would be. I remember buying ‘The Art of Discarding’ and ‘Happiest Kids in the world’ because their cover were too classy. I didn’t regret.
And, let’s not forget the most imperative one by Ralph Waldo Emerson, “If we encounter a man of rare intellect, we should ask him what books he reads”.
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