Yes to sharks, no to shoes! (Ever judge a book by it's cover?)

Member Name: sun-is-shining

Product:	Ever judge a book by it's cover?
Date:	07/06/09 (26 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Found some hidden gems

Disadvantages: probably missed some great books

I might not judge the book by it's cover but I often chose a new book without knowing much/anything about just because I love the cover/title.
As a marine biology student I love everything with fins, scales and sharp teeth - so if there's a shark on the cover or in the title it's mine!

An eye catching cover always help if you are just looking for a new book without really knowing what you want. I read a lot - and almost anything. Even the lady at the library noticed that I'm a regular there.

If I see a nice, interesting cover I have a closer look at the book - I rarely look for a certain writer.

Here are some of the gems I found and how the famous cover looks like:

**Happiness TM by Will Ferguson

One of my very favourite books. I found it while looking through a cheap books store; the cover instantly caught my I with the white daisy printed on the bright green page. I didn't really read what it was about because I was in a hurry to go to the airport. I finished the book on the following 3 hour flight without noticing how the time passed. (And that really means something as I hate flying).
The plot (without telling you too much) is about the discovery of perfect happiness/bliss for everyone with the help of a very spacial book - and how this lifelong dream has horrible consequences. It's easy to read, in some places hilarious in others tragic but overall a comedy.
Although it's an easy read it gives you quite a lot to think about without being on of these 'let's save the world' books.

**Bateman - Orpheus rising

I got the book from the library, solely because the subtitle is ' Love, Rockets & a bloody great fish. I love sharks and there was no way that I could resist the big pink toothy grin on the cover.
Unfortunately the shark had only a short - but dramatic - appearance in the story. Still, great book with amazing story about hope, an aneurysm and a maybe happy-ending.

**Extremely loud & Incredibly close - Jonathan Foer

Here I just liked the title, in my basket, in my bookshelf, read in 3 days. It wasn't at all what I suspected it to be about - it turned out to be a lot sadder than expected but still, a great read!

** The 5 people you meet in Heaven - Mitch Albom

A quite well known book but after 8 months backpacking in Asia I wasn't really up to date with any bestseller list. I 'discovered' the book at Bangkok airport and it helped me through some hours of the flight home.
Well, imagine my surprise when I came home with my newly discovered book just to find it in the bookshelves of all my friends. Again, I didn't know the author, didn't read the back page, just liked the title (the cover was quite unimpressive but the title is good)


Of course it also works the other way round, if I don't like the cover it's more likely that I don't pick the book up and check what it's about. I generally hate Stephen King covers - all too wannabe spooky and unimaginative - but most of the actual stories are great. Still, less likely that I borough or buy it.

Other things on covers I don't really like are romantic scenes (I hate the classical love story/drama book), tacky images and shoes - don't ask me why but when I see the image of a shoe on the cover I'm definitely not going to get the book. Yes, I might have missed great stories through that but in the end, I'll never know what I've missed.

The latest book I brought is called 'the highest tide' with a giant octopus on the cover - I haven't started it jet but I already love it. Review might follow!

Summary: If I'm just looking through the book selection I often chose just by the cover