What — or who — inspires you to choose your next book?
By Morgan on November 28th, 2011
Over the weekend, news broke that President Obama was spotted at a local bookstore in Washington, D.C., along with his daughters, Sasha and Malia. He was there to support “small business Saturday,” but we’re more interested in which titles they all chose: The Invention of Hugo Cabret by Brian Selznick (now a 3D film from director Martin Scorsese!) and Zen Shorts by Jon J Muth, among others!
I started thinking about the power of influence, especially when it comes to arts and entertainment. If someone you admire — whether it’s the President of the United States, the president of your sorority, or the president of your PTA — seeks out a book, are you more or less likely to also seek it out?
For me, when it comes to books, I rely pretty heavily on word-of-mouth recommendations, reviews, and my favorite book bloggers. But I can’t deny I got a little shiver of excitement when I saw the titles the Obamas had selected. It’s pretty neat knowing the First Family reads some of the same books I do! (And by the way, if you’re curious about whether other “names you know” like the same books you do, check out You Are What You Read, where you can connect to others through a shared love of books.)
I’d love to hear from you about the power of influence when it comes to picking out which books to read. Who do you listen to? What inspires your selections? Leave your comments below.
Posted: November 28th, 2011 under Books. Tags: books, in the news, reading, You Are What You Read.
3 comments
Comments
hm that’s a tough question. i definitely think that recommendations from friends and bloggers influence me. luckily i have some great bookish friends who are always reading and give me great recs. i like author recs, too. if i like an author and they love a series or author, i am definitely more willing to give it a chance. i also have a large pile of books at home and sometimes i choose based on a whim and what kind of story i feel like at the moment.
Comment on November 28, 2011 at 3:51 pm
Twitter PLN including @frankisibberson and @MrShuReads and #titletalk co-hosts @colbysharp and @donalynbooks are my major influences these days.
Comment on November 28, 2011 at 4:33 pm
This is an interesting question and I wonder if I am in the minority in that famous people like Obama don’t really influence what I buy. I always wonder at the back of my head if these people are buying books they think are truly of interest or just because it looks good.
I prefer looking at what my favorite bloggers or mommy friends suggest. I know they have kids and we can chat about what their kids liked and didn’t like to see if it matches what my daughter is interested in.
A more recent avenue for children’s book suggestions for me is Pinterest. I follow a lot of craft/children activities boards and if I see a book paired with a great activity it makes me more interested in looking up the book.
Comment on November 30, 2011 at 1:17 am
