How Do I Choose Books?

A question I' asked a lot is how do I know I'd like an author or a book I've not come across before? Well, I'm never sucke(re)d in by the cover, but a title can always pique my interest. A word, or a theme or idea suggested by the title is the first point of call. Here I recount a recent browse through one publisher's backlist, writing down 16 of the titles that most reached out to me and only then did I read up their blurbs to whittle the list down to 7 books which I then ordered. A process that began simply from their titles.

The publishers in question was Dalkey Archive, who mainly reprint books that they feel need to still be in print and read. A lot of books in translation.

Other videos mentioned:

[SpringboardThought]

Huh this was great, I hadn’t thought to ask you this before, but it’s something I was curious about. Was great hearing your thought process.

[karlalikestoread]

Found it! Really interesting. I rely so much on booktube recommendations, others' curation I guess. It would be fun to go directly to a small publisher especially and choose some books from their catalogue just based on what jumps out at me.

[scallydandlingaboutthebooks]

I didn't think titles had much impact on me but will think again after watching this.

[TheGoldenflower]

I realise, after you said so, that I too am caught by the titles of books. Then I read the blurb or if I am in a bookshop, I read a few pages to decide. I also have come to trust your choices completely, I have not yet been disappointed by any book which I have bought after watching your videos( I have been disappointed by the recommendations of several other Booktubers though).

[bbbartolo]

Sorrentino: I'm a "completist", read all but one of his novels. I liked Mulligan Stew the least of his production, but Imaginative Properties of Actual Things is a satire of the NY 50s art/literary world and think better. Aberration of Starlight is more a great-American-novel candidate, if that makes sense, or a small jewel called Little Casino, with its poetic texture and Brooklyn reminiscences, might charm you. But don't dismiss Sorrentino based on one book because they're all very different from one another, a problem, it was thought, for his being taken seriously by critics. I'd love to put Blue Pastoral in your hands, it's a more-accessible Joycean compendium of historical styles into which is stuck a supposedly badly translated French textbook story that had me on the floor laughing. Dalkey's editor-in-chief at the time, John O'Brien, called him "our best French writer", aka the American Oulipo, for his more stunt-like efforts.

[monaedoyle]

I choose books by authors that I know through reading their books. I have certain authors I like. I am a huge contemporary romance reader. I like rom coms, sports romance, romantic suspense.

[saintonfire]

I recently read 'The System Of Vienna' by Gert Jonke. peace

[bluewordsme]

I loved The Meursault Investigation!!!...and The Book of Disquiet is one of my touchstones....plz read! ....and Marc, Yoram Kaniuk IS ESSENTIAL....i just finished his masterpiece The Last Jew...one of the greatest Israeli novelists...i havent read life on sandpaper, but i've ordered it because The Last Jew is so extraordinary...one of the great books i've read and never ever heard about until about a month ago (after re-reading Nicole Krauss) and last, about insomnia, have you read Nothing: A Portrait of Insomnia by Blake butler?....put it on your
fabulous vid, thanks marc!...