What Draws You To A Particular Book?

We push through the doors of Barnes and Noble, Books A Million, or any one of a thousand bookstores across the country and our eyes are instantly met with a sea of literary works. Aisles that stretch to the far reaches of the store and shelves jam-packed with rows of tightly bound works, the labor of thousands of authors. Usually, visitors are greeted by neatly arranged books on tables near the front door. These books have the equivalent of seats on the fifty-yard line, or box seats behind home plate. They steal your attention before you’re able to move on. For those books not fortunate enough to have landed on such prime real estate, they sit waiting on shelves hoping to get your attention. So now that you’ve found the aisle of books that interest you, and for this discussion, let’s say that’s the section of novels – what draws you to a particular book?

First, there’s the book’s cover. Sometimes, just seeing the name of a familiar author on the cover is enough. If not, then the visuals take over. Is the color scheme exciting or does it cause you to react as if you had just bitten into a lemon? Is there a picture on the cover that is mystifying and invites you to want to know more, or is it bland, causing you to move on? Then there’s the title of the book and the font used to display it. Titles may or may not provide a clear hint at what the book’s about. Often times, the title will pique your curiosity enough to want to know more. However, sometimes titles that seem to make no sense at all, can have riveting and award-winning stories behind them. Two that come to mind are One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest and A Clockwork Orange.

Okay, the book’s cover intrigued you enough to pull it from the shelf. You turn it over and read the back cover which provides a short synapsis of what’s inside. This is often the deciding factor that determines whether the book is placed back on the shelf or accompanies you to the cashier. It needs to say enough without saying too much. It needs to leave you wanting more. It is at this point that many, if satisfied with what they read, will take the book home. Some, however, require further convincing. They insist on ingesting a sample by opening the book and reading the first few paragraphs, maybe even the entire first chapter. This dipping your toe in the water routine should provide a glimpse of what the author has in store for you and is intended to draw you into the story. If it does, you’re hooked, and you can’t get to the cashier counter quick enough. If, however, you barely raised an eyebrow at what you read, then back on the shelf it goes. And the process repeats. 

Beware. Just because all of the criteria above may have been satisfied, it doesn’t guarantee that the book will live up to your expectations. It may have a flashy cover, a catchy title, an interesting storyline on the back cover, and written by a well-known author. And yet, you still find it hard to muster any enthusiasm or focused interest as you flip through the pages. It happens. Books appeal to us for a variety of reasons. We might be captivated by the plot; perhaps there’s a parallel to something that’s happened in our own lives. Or there might be a character we admire and can relate to. Or the story may take place in a setting that we’re familiar with, rekindling fond memories of where and how we grew up.  

There is one more factor that draws us to particular books and that is, the recommendation from a trusted source. Without seeing a cover, not knowing its title, or never having heard of the author’s name, if someone whose judgment I trust emphatically suggests a book for me to read, generally, I will. And if the cover causes me to look like I’ve just bitten into a lemon, I’ll quickly turn to page one and begin my journey with the author.