How many of us read books from the New York Times Bestsellers list

[Dazrin]

Originally Posted by Penforhire

I'm hearing some anti-bestseller snobbery in this thread.

Seriously, you guys never read David Baldacci, John Grisham, Ken Follett, John Sandford, Michael Crichton, Tom Clancy, Vince Flynn, George R. R. Martin, Jonathan Kellerman, Patricia Cornwell, or James Patterson? Because those folks and more are on the current NYT paperback bestseller list (http://www.nytimes.com/best-sellers-...back/list.html ).

While I don't read books because they are on a list somewhere, I have read books by the people I highlighted, but only one of the books on the list. I have no intention of reading several of them again though. Others I will read if I get in the mood, although that has happened less and less often (used to read Clancy as soon as they were available, but the last of his I read was early in 2011).

I will admit that the reason I started to read Tom Clancy was probably indirectly because it was on a list like this...only because Red October probably would not have been made into a movie if it wasn't and then I would never have heard of it. Same could be said for Grisham.

I think a lot of people on this forum tend to read a lot more indie authors or just have different tastes than the "best sellers", kind of like "top 40" music. Having an e-reader (like most on this forum) really opens the door to what is available because there are so many good (and bad) indie books out there. Many of us also have different tastes than the "best sellers" typically are SF/Fantasy/Romance/etc. (Yes, GRRM is on there, but that is almost completely because of the HBO series.)

[GA Russell]

Originally Posted by Penforhire

I'm hearing some anti-bestseller snobbery in this thread.

Seriously, you guys never read David Baldacci, John Grisham, Ken Follett, John Sandford, Michael Crichton, Tom Clancy, Vince Flynn, George R. R. Martin, Jonathan Kellerman, Patricia Cornwell, or James Patterson? Because those folks and more are on the current NYT paperback bestseller list (http://www.nytimes.com/best-sellers-...back/list.html ).

Penforhire, before I read your post, I had already planned to say that...I look at the lists from time to time, but it seems to me that a great many authors on the lists were on the same lists ten years ago.

One of these days I may read an early James Patterson like Along Came a Spider, but I'm not very attracted to the usual Doubleday Book Club inventory. (However, I find that Book Club to be very helpful when buying Christmas presents!)

[MrsAmandaK]

Originally Posted by Apache

I read what I think I would like not what someone else thinks I should read.
Apache

^^ this

[caleb72]

I might read an author on that list sometimes. But I don't actually look at the list to know. For mainstream authors I either already know them/like them or they turn up on Man Booker or Hugo or similar.

So I'm certainly not list averse. It's just that the NY best sellers list just isn't one I tend to look at.

True story. My favourite author (China Mieville) actually came to my attention because I was shopping for a Christmas present for my mother and I liked the look of the cover for The Scar. Incidentally, I thought China Mieville was a woman at the time.

Anyway - a year or so later I was looking for a book for myself and I came across The Scar again. I rang up my mother and asked her if she enjoyed the book and her response was so emphatic I bought it without any further consideration. Never looked back.

OK - that was completely off topic, but it's a nice story.

[DiapDealer]

Originally Posted by caleb72

Incidentally, I thought China Mieville was a woman at the time.

You're not the only one. I'd already read two of "her" books before I learned differently.

[BelleZora]

I never check the NYT list except now to click on the link in this thread. I read Gone Girl and Wool Omnibus because they were recommended by friends, but I had no idea they were on any list.

I feel gratitude to authors who provide me hours of happiness and that makes me loyal. I always buy the latest from a few bestselling authors - John Grisham, James Lee Burke, Michael Connelly, Lawrence Block - because they make me happy much more often than not. I am delighted with any further adventures of Harry Bosch, Dave Robicheaux, and Matthew Scudder.

I am equally loyal to perhaps less famous authors, such as Patricia Ryan, Kerry Greenwood, D.B. Reynolds, and Ann Parker. It is coincidence if these 'loyalty' purchases appear on any popularity lists.

I own more TBR books than I may live to read so I have no motivation to even care about current best-sellers.

[SampleAndy]

There's a New York Times Bestsellers list? Who knew... :-|

[Auricle]

Every time I've tried to read one of those authors/books (e.g. Crichton, Grisham, Clancy), I've come away disappointed. But I pretty much only read SF&F and have been for 30-40 years so my taste is pretty specific and selective. I thought I would like Crichton or Clancy given how popular they are but they just weren't my taste. I might try Martin's Song of Ice and Fire series at some point, again because it seems so popular, but I've got so many books on my To Be Read list from authors that I like (Weber, Drake, Ringo, Moon, Flint and the list goes on), it might be a while before I get to it.....

So I guess, I've tried to read a "bestseller", thinking if everybody else likes it, it must be good. And now I've realized that my reading enjoyment is shaped around me and my personality and my taste. And well, I'm not like everybody else I guess so I'll just continue to choose to read what I like to read which again is mostly SF&F. And given how little SF&F there is typically on these bestsellers lists, I doubt my taste matches all those people that make those books "bestsellers". Which is fine by me. I'll just do my best to keep publishers like Baen, Tor, Del Rey, Orbit in business.....

[odiakkoh]

Actually this thread has the least amount of snobbery that I've seen on this topic.

I'm like most of the comments, I don't avoid the list but I don't seek it out either. My TBR list is way too long to be looking at what everyone else is reading.

[way8lifter]

I discovered stephen r donaldson, terry brooks terry goodkind david eddings all without the best seller list ..but I read stephen king Micheal critchon and JAMES PATTERSON BECAUSE OF IT ...SP 50 50 ??

[CWatkinsNash]

Originally Posted by odiakkoh

Actually this thread has the least amount of snobbery that I've seen on this topic.

I'm like most of the comments, I don't avoid the list but I don't seek it out either. My TBR list is way too long to be looking at what everyone else is reading.

That's what I was thinking. No one (thankfully) has given the "bestseller rant". Yet.

The NYT Bestseller list doesn't add or remove points for a book for me, I simply rarely know what is on the list at any given moment so it's a non-issue. Not avoiding it, just have never paid attention, so I couldn't tell you how many bestsellers I've read. There have been some, for sure (probably read far past their reign on the list because I rarely read new releases). Probably not many lately, simply because my tastes have run to certain genres and cheap / free offerings, and those most likely haven't made the list. I usually don't even know unless they put it blazon it across the cover.

[BearMountainBooks]

I'm hearing some anti-bestseller snobbery in this thread.

Seriously, you guys never read David Baldacci, John Grisham, Ken Follett, John Sandford, Michael Crichton, Tom Clancy, Vince Flynn, George R. R. Martin, Jonathan Kellerman, Patricia Cornwell, or James Patterson? Because those folks and more are on the current NYT paperback bestseller list (http://www.nytimes.com/best-sellers-...back/list.html ).

I've tried a Clancy and a Patterson or two. They were DNF for me. Mom loves Patterson. I keep meaning to try a Chrichton. I have read one or two Jonathan Kellermans; they were okay mysteries, but nothing that had me adding them to the "Must read". I may have read a Cornwell a long time ago. Not a must read author for me.

Now then. I have read and enjoyed Robert Crais and I believe he has made the list a time or two. I didn't read him because of the list; I came across his books on another forum. I do love Carol O'Connell and I think she has made the list too. Her stuff is fairly dark though, so it's not a run out and buy. In fact, because of the price, both of these authors are library authors. I'll get around to reading O'Connell--she has a new book out that I haven't read, but the Robert Crais are just here and there.

I read the one Dan Brown one. Uhm. You know, the one everyone loves to pan. It wasn't terrible, but again, nothing that had me reaching for more. Decent enough mystery, but Katherine Kurtz and Joe Nassisse did the Holy Grail much better.

And of course I read the first 3 or 4 Harry Potters, which I'm sure made the list a time or two.

But I don't read the list, nor do I care about it. Some of the things are just coincidental.

[NickyWithNook]

Hmm well the poll results might be odd because we interpret this question in different ways. I do not pay attention to the NYT list and don't know for sure what's on it, however I buy books I know to be best sellers and a good number are likely on that list, so I voted "yes."

[Saturday]

I went to look at the list after reading this topic, and that's the first time I've ever looked at it, I think. It's just not something I pay any attention to. Judging by what's presently on there, yes, I read a fair few NYT bestsellers, but I'm in another in the camp that doesn't consider it a reason to either avoid a book or to pick one up.

[soulfuldog]

I do read some of them, but usually long after they've fallen off the bestseller list... So while I've read books by quite a few authors on there, I've not actually read any of those books!