How do you decide which book to read?

Chance?

A particular kind of literature, or author?

I'm so confused...always!

I'm reading about 30 books at once. As I always do. I'm a little addicted to buying books. More like researching books to buy...

Right now something draws me to Thomas Pynchon. But I've been thinking about reading him for the last 8 years. Also "Nausea."

Just finished Camus "The Stranger", and it seems I'll be done with Naked Lunch soon.

Interrupted my reading of Calvino "Invisible Cities" as well as Brecht's "Caucasian Chalk Circle" and William Gaddis' "Recognition" and Gabriel Garcia Marquez' "Memoirs of my Melancholy Whores" and "Ulysses".

Tobbias Wolff, Jorge Luis Borges, Blaise Cendrars, Sartre's "Freud Scenario", Georges Bataille, Maupassant, Isaac Babel, Joao Guimaraes Rosa (in portuguese), Celine, Kafka. All of those I'm reading simultaneously.

Along with Shakespeare (which I interrupted) "A Comedy of Errors", for drama, and a bunch of verse too...Robert Creeley, "Song of Myself", William Blake.

And a bunch of non-fiction: Emma Goldmans' bio, Das Kapital, Sigmund Freud, histories on the SS and the Bolsheviks, and Hannah Arendt's book on Eichmann.

It's too much! Somebody help me!!!

P.S. Doestoevsky (even though I've read "Notes from the Underground") is a little to ponderous and moralistic for me right now. I'm interested in very dry, skeptical prose...

 

30....Wow. I like to take it one at time, dedicate myself to one before moving onto the other, otherwise I won't finish any of the books. Its not so much a problem for me, I just read what I'm interested in the moment....kind of like going with whatever the impulse is.

I'm taking an English class this summer so I am sure it will keep me busy with reading. Meanwhile, the leisure reading I wanted to get to will just have to wait.















Reading your list makes me feel like I def. am not reading enough and should push myself to take on more.

 

Damn fexurbis you really want me to pick up reading again. I just read what my friends cycle down through college and poem anthologies lately. If I have multiple books that I'm reading I usually pick one and stick with it so I can devote full attention to it and it makes it so I'm way less likely to mix up plots/characters/etc

 

I choose to read whatever I'm in the mood for

 

Be happy.
You have many sources to feed your addiction.
Even if you run out of money.

I have a soft spot for reading and for NY city.
My folks met on the steps of the NY city public library.

 

The color of a cover helps me to make a decision.

 

Chance? Nah... Just information extracted from Internet.

 

30 books at one time?! That's a huge amount! I don't like reading more than 1, maybe 2, novels at the same time. I usually read 1 novel at one time, and then lots of poetry in between. I find if you read too much at one time it can be hard to follow the storyline, and unfair not to give the one book your whole attention.

 

I know exactly what you mean, Fexurbis. I don't even know how many books I'm in the middle of right now. It's crazy. I drive everyone around me insane because they all like to start a book and stick with that one before moving on to another one.

And about your addiction...I was always a little embarrassed about the fact that I have to have to have to buy more books knowing I already have a stack at home waiting for me. I just can't help it. lol

I usually choose a book depending on what kind of mood I'm in...and it doesn't always work out. I know this probably doesn't help, but as soon as I read your post, I had to respond to let you know there's someone out there with a similar dilemma!

 

I usually have 2 or 3 books going a time and usually an audiobook in the car. I read a lot of reviews for work, so I keep a spreadsheet of books that I want to read. I'm such a nerd.

 

It's good to be in the middle of a book which I like - then I'm peaceful and concentrated - but the worst moment comes when I finish it - then I have this dramatic dilemma what to read next - there are too many books and not enough time - I usually spend a lot of time just wondering what to read - I start to read few books and then I stay with the one that interests me the most. I like this moment of making a decision though - it's like when I have to decide what kind of cake to chose at the bakery...very sweet dilemma :drool:

 

I like to read just one book at a time. I usually go off of suggestions from friends, even if they don't have similar taste to mine--I usually get to experience something new.

 

Find what kind of topic you like...

 

I never really decide what books to read. Its more like people recommend books to me then a I prioritize it according to who that person is.

 

I also read the reviews of every book to see what it's like..."disturbing" is my favorite description....also "enlightening"...sometimes it works.

...though sometimes they lie. >_<

 

As I'm living in a small town in Thailand now, I read whatever English language books I can lay my hands on. The good thing is I've read a lot of books I would never have picked up. The bad thing is crap books.

 

When I was a kid I'd spend my summers reading. I used to pick an author and read all their works.

I had one summer when I read all the southern authors like Faulkner, and Tennessee Williams, etc.. Another where I read the Russsians, and a Steinbeck summer.

I found it easier that way, each author has a different style and rhythm, and I didn't have to readjust that way. Faulkner is someone that can be really entertaining when you get used to his style, but I wouldn't what to be reading him while reading Tolstoy.

 

Usually even if i'm reading a book,i have other idea in mind to read when i finish this one. But at the same time my friends are recommending other books,so i do a kind of list in my mind,and when i decide to buy,i search for the book i wanted first.But sometimes i dont find this book,so i look for the others i have in mind.
When i have no idea about which one i should buy,i look to the price and the number of pages lol
i prefer to buy the big books,with lots of pages,so i can spend more time reading. if i buy a small book,i'd read it in a few days,so i prefer to take first the big ones and then spend my money with the little ones. i dont know in your country,but in Brazil books are a little expensive.

Actually,i'm happy,my birthday was last month and my friends gave me 5 books. I read 2 of them,and now i'll start the others lol

 

Hey Honey they are expensive here, but we also have free libraries and yard sales. So I don't think most of us choose based on page counts. I am sorry you have to.

 

We have libraries here too,but few people visit this places to read books,we usually just go to do a school work or something like this.We prefer to have our own books.
And yeah,yard sales would be a good idea.