Quotations and Literature Forum

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Now, often I've found myself, while browsing a bookstore or library, grabbing books and only looking at the covers of them. Never do I once open up the book to read the details nor do I flip it over to read the back. I merely stare at the cover while rereading the title over in the my head and based upon suttle assumptions, I can decide if I want the book or not. I was just wondering if I'm the only here that does that. Like when I go to a used book store, I tend to buy some of the more older turn of the century classics because the worn and aged covers are appealing to me.

Am I alone in these prejudices of books?

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“Any man who can drive safely while kissing a pretty girl is simply not giving the kiss the attention it deserves.”


~Albert Einstein

No you're definitely not alone. I don't do that in new bookstores, but for used books certainly. I'm more apt to buy a battered book simply because it generally means that someone liked it enough to read it so much it's falling apart. For new books however, I look at the cover to get a general idea of the theme of the story, then I read the back.

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Sanctuary: a small safe place in a troubling world

Lol. I never thought of looking at a battered book that way. I just look at messed up books as books that have had their share of adventures and I get them so I can put my mark on them and enjoying the book is just a treat.

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“Any man who can drive safely while kissing a pretty girl is simply not giving the kiss the attention it deserves.”


~Albert Einstein

Well I have not judged a book based on how battered it was, but around here there is this library that once a year has this book give away, and in the hard back section there is always a collection of like these older library books that have "plain/blank" covers, that is there really is no cover art relating to the book. They will just be like green, blue, red ect... with some funky little design that is almost retro looking. So without knowing anything of what the books were about I use to just collect them becasue they were pretty and old. I would pick them up and just look at the copywright date, and if it was dated from 1950's to older I would take it cause I thought they would look cool on a book shelf. But I acutally do read the books. And have found some gems among them.

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Every man carries a circle of hell around his head like a halo. Every man, every man has to go through hell to reach his paradise.
Robert De Niro, Cape Fear

Any titles in particular Romeo?

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Sanctuary: a small safe place in a troubling world

The Magus, by John Fowles is now one of my faveorite books, which I discovred by this rather random method of mind.

Also Adam and the Serpeant and My Holy Satan by Vardis Fisher I found very interesting and thought progoking

Rebel Heiress by Robert Neill

and The Keys of the Kingdom by A.J. Cronin

were both entertaining and enjoyable books

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Every man carries a circle of hell around his head like a halo. Every man, every man has to go through hell to reach his paradise.
Robert De Niro, Cape Fear

Vincent V, my problem is not covers of books..its order.. well read from James Herbert horror...to well anything, asimov, shakes, even read love stories from people who want to make me vomit..however time and place is all important..its not the cover..i never read front,back ,sideways..if its not to be read I cannot read past 'first' paragraph!!I have put books down for months..The Hobbit was one..never could understand that. Read LOTR's, SIL, and more recently some autobiographies, a new trend I don't comprehend fully? but never Hobbit,totally?I Have read ' all books that I have owned bar one..'The Ode Less Travelled'...i do not understand this hiccup, it just..not the cover, not the text....just not the time. The Hobbit.still not read fully and I'm 40, lol.Two books allude..but I have no time to think.

I can kind of see where your coming from on that. I have the same problem as well. I purchase most of my books by prejudices, and I will admit that most of those books I can't even bring myself to read. I cannot recall the numerous promises I've made to read but still I refuse. One book in particular is called Rainbow Six by Tom Clancy which is like the bible times 4.

~Knows

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“Any man who can drive safely while kissing a pretty girl is simply not giving the kiss the attention it deserves.”


~Albert Einstein

Oh hon, you're not the only one! I did that with the Twilight book (granted, my best friend kind of nudged me to read it), I still had no idea what it was about (other than it's about a vampire) and I picked it up anyway because I was intrigued by the title and the apple in the hand for some reason. In any case, I made a good decision because that book is really good.

It's always a nice feeling, to look at your shelf full of books and with a voice of accomplishment say, "Here are my books."

A book is allways judged by it's cover, otherwise there would be no need for them to tell you not to.

J

It's always a nice feeling, to look at your shelf full of books and with a voice of accomplishment say, "Here are my books."

A book is allways judged by it's cover, otherwise there would be no need for them to tell you not to.

J

I covet books of any type. I know what you mean about being attracted to the age of the book. It has a romance to it. Although I don't just take any book available, I do love older books. I have on occasion purchased books of a nature that I'm not necessarily interested in their content but for their value. I visit occasionally now, but often in the past, antique stores just to find books because I have a craving for their look, smell, and romantic value in the sense of who might of originally owned them, handled them and loved them prior to my finding them. Once I've purchased a book, I'm eager to get into it. Knowing someone that "loves" books the way I do has only occured once so far. I believe it was an inheritance and makes me very happy. There's nothing like a book to soothe a hurting soul, feed it and nourish with love for that moment in time....



"Love is the discovery of ourselves in others, and the delight in the recognition."[/quote][/b]

I beg to differ with jabberwocky but I totally disagree with his thought of a book being judged by it's cover. We're talking books here, not people, and even at that, I still disagree. Of the thousands of books I've read, unless I had read it previously or was aware of it's content by word of mouth, each book was an adventure and different within from what was posted as a title, picture, or even a bit of a look at what to expect..I've been disappointed in many more people than any book I've ever read.

Surely, everyone's a hypocrite. 'Don't judge a book by its cover'...we've been saying that for years on end now. But, can anyone resist a really good piece of art on the cover of your book? If that were the case, why are there even book covers in the first place?
We could bound all the books in leather and we could be done with all book covers in the world.

Yes, you may object, but, I, too, am a hypocrite.

My girlfriend and I have a large collection of Penguin classics (black and silver- latter covers modern classics), we're aiming to build up a library.

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"The proper study of mankind is man."
Alexander Pope