How to Find a Good* Book

I posted about the books I am hoping to read this year (and reorganized so they are all on one shelf) and had a few comments asking where I find these books. I thought I'd blog about the places to find good* books.

1. Previously Enjoyed Books: Chances are, if the author caught your attention with one book, he could probably do it again. Look up a list of his/her publications and pick another title. If this proves true, continue until you have exhausted that list.

2. Amazon.com: On each page there is a list "Customers who bought this item also bought". These are, more than likely, people with tastes similar to your own. Purchase a book off of this list, if you enjoy it, check the list on that page. This chain could provide you with a lifetime of reading material.

3. Target Recommends: The book section (very small, yet very widespread) of Target, contains a display labeled "Target Recommends". The books on this shelf are predominately classics, with covers that boast "New York Times Bestseller", "Pulitzer Prize Winner", "Fill-in-the-blank Classic". Warning: Steer clear of the adjacent shelves marked "Club Picks" or "Bookmarked", most of which seem to be chosen by Target employees or passers-by...not that there's anything wrong with that.

4. Listings: List of "classics" are easy to find. Borders and Barnes and Noble each have their own line of classics, usually displayed somewhere near the entrance, all with matching looks, beautiful to read or simply to display.

5. Magazines: Most magazines contain book reviews. If you trust the magazine, you can probably trust the review staff. Also, it never hurts to try. Read one or two and then decide whether or not the opinions contain truth.

After reading this list, if you still are having difficulty finding something to read, let me know.

*The term good is subjective, as what one may consider good, another may find "replete with stinkiocity". (Read: some think "The Odyssey" is good, when, in reality, it is not.)