HakunaMatata
Mar 10 2007, 10:26 PM
So I have this tendency to literally judge a book by it's cover. Por ejemplo, I'd be attracted to this cover:

(Okay, that makes me seem perverted, but I meant that it's a rather young adult, modern cover.)
Then, we have this:

I'm reading this right now, and it's amazing. I'm totally in love with it. But if I were to see it in a bookstore, I probably wouldn't even pick it up.
freeflow
Mar 10 2007, 11:41 PM
I'm the exact same way. I always judge books by their cover.Its a bad habit.
My Cinderella.
Mar 10 2007, 11:51 PM
^ Same here. Usually if its an engaging cover, I'll definately take a peek at it. If it's plain cover then I'd probably skip it.
WickedDreamer
Mar 11 2007, 01:31 AM
It depends, if the book is facing out then it's the cover that first gets me, but if all I can see is the spine then the title has to be interesting for me to bother to read the back.
medicineforluck
Mar 11 2007, 12:24 PM
Yeah, is it a natural habit to everyone?
but i actually think the second book looks nicer (for some odd reason)
I Viddy Horrorshow
Mar 11 2007, 12:36 PM
Lol. When I was looking for a book to compare with The Catcher In The Rye for my English coursework, I looked at the list in this big 'if you like this you'll like this' type book. With the first book I tried, I pulled it off of the shelf in the library, saw that the cover art was an oil painting of a flower, and instantly put it back.
I'm so shallow.
michellerrific
Mar 11 2007, 02:22 PM
We all know we shouldn't do it but as humans we always do. We just want things that catch our eye. I do it all the time, probably the reason I'm a picky reader.
HakunaMatata
Mar 11 2007, 03:14 PM
^Oh, I know! I'm picky, too. It makes me wonder how many great, wonderful books I haven't read because I'm so picky.
QUOTE(I Viddy Horrorshow @ Mar 11 2007, 9:36 AM)

Lol. When I was looking for a book to compare with The Catcher In The Rye for my English coursework, I looked at the list in this big 'if you like this you'll like this' type book. With the first book I tried, I pulled it off of the shelf in the library, saw that the cover art was an oil painting of a flower, and instantly put it back.
I'm so shallow.
For me, if it looks anything like Harlequin novel. Plop! Back in the bookshelf you go.
jaeminnie
Mar 11 2007, 04:53 PM
Yeah, I tend to go for books that have more attractive covers as well.
But if the title is interesting even though the cover is plain, chances are I'll pick it up anyway.
By the way, I've read
The Earth, My Butt, and Other Big Round Things. It's good.
Saeglopur
Mar 12 2007, 03:39 PM
I judge books by their covers and titles. Bah, horrible way I agree. I'm trying not to do that.
mishyerr
Mar 12 2007, 04:01 PM
I'm shallow.
To people and books. :P
xBUTTMUNCHx
Mar 14 2007, 06:30 PM
i like pretty attractive book covers. butt then the next thing i do is read the back.
LOWinSKANK
Mar 14 2007, 06:47 PM
yeah. i at least try to read the back.
i mean, twilight doesn`t have a very attractive cover,
but i love that book.
tininja
Mar 14 2007, 07:06 PM
Well, I always judge a book, but most of the time the books end up being pretty good. Take [u]Prep[u] for example. The cover caught my eye and I read a bit of it and it was pretty good. It's pretty common for that to happen to me in a bookstore. I do look at unattractive books too, though. I give them a chance.
Gigi
Mar 14 2007, 10:28 PM
QUOTE(I Viddy Horrorshow @ Mar 11 2007, 9:36 AM)

Lol. When I was looking for a book to compare with The Catcher In The Rye for my English coursework, I looked at the list in this big 'if you like this you'll like this' type book. With the first book I tried, I pulled it off of the shelf in the library, saw that the cover art was an oil painting of a flower, and instantly put it back.
I'm so shallow.
HAHA. Well, aren't we all.
I definitely judge books by their cover...that's how I get hooked on them in the first place. Shallow, I know, but I can't help it.
I remember, in elementary school, I absolutely hated the books with the aboriginal art on the front cover. It was pretty much guaranteed that that book was gonna stink.
angelrevelation
Mar 17 2007, 03:40 AM
It works both ways. Books with bad covers can be really good, and books with really interesting looking covers can be horrible.
For example, at the time, the cover of
If I have an Evil Stepmother then where's my Prince? looked pretty cool. There was the lower half of a girl in a tutu and converse, with a metallic star-wand thing.

it was a prettyyy bad book.
Red Horse's cover was a bit plain, although the color was beautiful, and it turned out to be a great read.
Tamora Pierce's books often have the most stupid looking covers, especially the Alana series. but most of them were amazing.
Kathleen
Mar 19 2007, 12:56 PM
My sister needed a book to read to pass time at my mom's friend's house, so she looked through my books and picked out the one with the most interesting cover -- Choke by Chuck Palahniuk. Then she got really weirded/grossed out over the sex scenes and the fact that the protagonist is a sex addict.
breakingdawn
Mar 19 2007, 03:29 PM
QUOTE(Brittany Rachelle @ Mar 14 2007, 7:47 PM)

yeah. i at least try to read the back.
i mean, twilight doesn`t have a very attractive cover,
but i love that book.

Twilight has the best cover! Wow, I can't believe you said that.
Intercourse.
Mar 21 2007, 03:17 PM
I'm horrible at judging actual books by their covers, if I'm not interested by the cover or by the title I won't pick it up.
Although usually I go on the internet and read book descriptions first and usually you don't ever see what the book looks like until you find it at a book store but since you already read what its about your already to interested to care what the cover looks like
viugiufgjhfhjfhgch
Mar 22 2007, 07:17 PM
QUOTE(kayceeisms @ Mar 11 2007, 4:26 AM)

I'm reading this right now, and it's amazing. I'm totally in love with it. But if I were to see it in a bookstore, I probably wouldn't even pick it up.
That is why I either check the books at the library before buying them, or failing that, I go to the bookstore and I read random pages of a book that I think it could be interesting despite the cover art.
I do that until I am more or so sure that it won't be a waste of time to read the book, or until the shop clerk tells me to buy it or to leave it back on the shelf. Whatever happens first >_>;
xlilaznchickx
Mar 22 2007, 08:51 PM
Gawd, for me I always judge a books by it's cover and the title. I love reading books with nice covers.
tnt518
Mar 22 2007, 08:57 PM
I live by this threads title. My mom always told me that
x_curse_of_the_curves_x
May 17 2007, 10:26 AM
Like this one I bought just for the cover but it was horrible in my opinion!
Duchess_of_Dork
May 17 2007, 10:38 AM
^ See, I'd have the exact opposite reaction. I would have never picked that up.
I tend to go for books with really little to no design and just the title. I figure, I'm going to want what's inside, more than I want what's outside.
LennonLime
May 17 2007, 03:53 PM
yes, I've definately done that before.
It's not a good thing, since some books can have the plainest covers, but can be totally amazing on the inside.
I'm starting to try not to do that anymore, though
sprezzatura
May 19 2007, 12:06 AM
Some books have really plain covers, and they are really good. Another example would be
The Catcher in the Rye. I totally

Holden.

Some books are both nice cover and good story, just like
Flipped, even though the cover is simple, I still like it.
kryogenix
May 19 2007, 12:15 AM
Toni Morrison sucks.
stephinika
May 21 2007, 01:08 AM
I try not to do that, but I used to a lot. I still do every once in awhile...I look at how intriguing the title/cover may be.
loveylovely
May 21 2007, 08:44 PM
I think The Catcher in the Rye is a good example. The cover is boring but the book itself is really good.
I tend to do that a lot.
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