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How To Choose a Good Book

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So many (good) books and so little time.......

With so many good books (and so many genres of books) how do you choose a book that is good? Furthermore, what makes a good book good? Hopefully this lens offers some tips so that YOU can choose a good book to crack open next time you have some free time.

You love reading, and you're dying to get your hands on a book. But you've read all your books four times, and are tired of the same ones. You're planning to go to the library or bookstore, but don't know what kind of book to get.

Read on for ideas!

How to choose a good book?

Ask yourself these questions....

  • What authors do you like?
  • What kind of books do you like?
  • Are there any books in a series you would like to read?
  • What are your interests and hobbies? If you like golfing and fishing you might enjoy reading about those things as well.

Still not sure what you want to read?

Try this......

  • Read the bestseller lists published in most newspapers or weekly magazines.
  • Ask someone to recommend a good book (or read this lens for ideas!).
  • Read book reviews in newspapers and magazines.
  • Keep your own reading list. When a book has been recommended to you, write it down immediately and use it as a reference once you're in the library or bookstore.

What makes a good book good?

What makes a good book good? What a subjective thought.... Remember that a good book for you isn't necesasarily going to be a good book for someone else.

Good books can be those that have good sentence structure, those that make one laugh, or those that stimulate thought depending on what you're looking for when reading. I might think that something on the fiction bestsellers list is great for a beach vacation but something on the non-fiction bestsellers list might be more appropriate for formal or business conversation. THe concept of "good" all depends on my mood at the time!

I think that a book can be classified as "good" if you are willing to recommend the book (or give it as a gift.)

Some of My Favorite Books

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My new favorite book.....

Eat Pray Love by Elizabeth Gilbert

Elizabeth Gilbert won over my heart with this book. With her poignant attitude and thought-provoking subject matter, what's not to like?

A memoir of a different type, this woman in her thirties has everything one would think a modern woman would want -- a country home, a succesful career and a marriage that would leave most envious. Instead of feeling happy, though, she feels only panic and confusion. This book tells how she left behind the marks of success visible by society to embark on a one year adventure and examine three different aspects of her life -- pleasure in Italy (Eat), devotion in India (Pray) and a balance between the enjoyment and transcendence of the two in Bali, Indonesia (Love).

After reading about Gilbert's experiences I can only hope that one day I will embark on my own introspective journey to learn more about myself. In the meantime, I have relegated myself to curling up in front of the fire with this book and a cup of cocoa and envisioning myself tagging along with her on her adventures.

Even better, is that a sequel is supposed to be coming out in 2009.

Learn about yourself on your own introspective adventure....

Visit some of the places made popular by the book Eat Pray Love.

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Beautiful Italy, India and Indonesia.....

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What is your favorite book?

Why?

1

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Eat Pray Love by Elizabeth Gilbert

This book allows for self-introspection and really more...1 point

2

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The Firm by John Grisham

Forget the movie, which does not have the same end more...1 point

3

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The Memory Keepers Daughter by Kim Edwards

My friend let me borrow this book once she was don more...0 points

4

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Angels & Demons by Dan Brown

A real fictional page turner that examines the bat more...0 points

5

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Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen

Poignant and funny.... Great book!0 points

6

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Watermelon by Marion Keyes

A great beach read! Light-hearted and funny novel more...0 points

Books that have been made into movies....

Because not everyone likes to read!

Obviously, not everyone enjoys reading like I do. Since I often time give books as gifts, I've found that movies or Blockbuster gift cards make suitable replacements for those who dislike (gasp!) reading. Below you will find a partial list of books that have been made into movies.
  • The Green Mile
  • Marley and Me (coming soon)
  • To Kill a Mockingbird
  • Eat Pray Love (coming soon)
  • Along Came a Spider
  • Dead Man Walking
  • The Kite Runner
  • North Country
  • Searching for Bobby Fischer
  • We Were Soldiers

Movies that were originally books

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Tell me about your favorite book ....

Why is it your fave?

  • jodier21 Jul 10, 2008 @ 8:20 pm | delete
    Excellent suggestions! Another one to add to the list is "A New Earth, Awakening to Your Life's Purpose" by Eckhart Tolle. Illuminating, enlightening, and uplifting, it's a profoundly spiritual manifesto for a better way of life - and for building a better world. Not a light read, however, deeply thought-provoking.
  • jkvkdailey Jun 13, 2008 @ 11:37 am | delete
    My favorite author is Mary Higgins Clark. Her mysteries keep me guessing until the very end, and they are good re-reads too! I also have recently discovered Janet Evanovich and think her Stephanie Plum series is a fun read! Thank you for exposing me to some new ideas and ways to find books similar to my tastes!!
  • janices7 Jun 13, 2008 @ 10:44 am | delete
    Great tips and ideas! I barely have any time to read. So when I do decide to pick up a book, I definitely want it to be a good one.
  • MexicaliBill Jun 13, 2008 @ 9:51 am | delete
    I stayed at beachfront condo on a recent trip to Mexico, and the owner had left a bunch of books in a drawer for the guests to read. There was also a note encouraging us to take a book with us, and leave one we had brought down. I thought it was a great way to get exposed to some authors I had not heard of before and I read a couple books while I was there that I would not have otherwise even considered. The beach is my favorite place to read.
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ReneK

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