14 January 2010

BTT for 1/14

So, a quickie question.

Suggested by Prairie Progressive:

Do you read the inside flaps that describe a book before or while reading it?

Umm, yes and no? I'm currently reading The Little Stranger by Sarah Waters because someone, i honestly don't know where, recommended it. I was about 1/3 of the way through when i decided to read the flap to see what exactly the book was going to be about. I'm enjoying it very much, i just wanted an idea of where it was going. The flap, however, didn't really tell me anything more than what i had already known.

if i am browsing for books then i will read the backs for the summary. I don't buy hardbacks so the flaps aren't what i read! I don't like flaps or the backs of books that only consist of blurbs from other authors. That really really annoys me. Unless the book has been a gigantic bestseller, all books should have something that gives an idea as to what it is about. Even if it is just "the latest Jack Ryan adventure, pitting him against a terrorist cell" or "King unleashes a new horror on Maine!" or something. The reader deserves a bit of information.
at 11:20 AM

5 comments:

  1. I very much agree about books that have no description or summary on the back ! Tell me something before I buy the book! :)
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  2. I like to be surprised. My answer: http://www.rundpinne.com/2010/01/booking-through-thursday-14-january.html
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  3. Me, too. I think book jackets (or backs) should have at least a little info about the book - not just praise for the author. Here's my answer.
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  4. Sometimes I want to know exactly what a book is going to be about. Other times I want to be surprised, and avoid reading the flaps. What's really annoying is when the flap is misleading, and gets the story wrong!
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  5. I agree, I never understand it when a book has a lot of praises, especially for the author's last book, and then doesn't give a clue about what it is about. I'm not that much into risk taking when it comes to my precious reading time.
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