Do you judge a book by its cover?

Pax · 05-01-2012, 06:44 AM

You all know the saying: "Don't judge a book by its cover!"
What is your opinion about that?

applesauce · 05-01-2012, 07:08 AM

judge is an interesting word. A cover can make me pick up and check out a book I might not otherwise. But reading the first few pages is what makes me pay or not

Hey I am a girl I like sparkkley things well gorey scarey things more

applesaice

rhadin · 05-01-2012, 07:55 AM

I voted yes, but that isn't 100% accurate. A cover that suggests, for example, that the thrust of a novel is christian romance or bodice ripping romance means that I will not look further at the book. A poorly executed cover makes me cautious about how well-written a book may be -- if the cover is poor, the book may follow suit.

The cover gives me a clue as to content (does it interest me or not) and quality of content. Depending on how bad the cover is or the genre it suggests, I may not look further at the book.

spindlegirl · 05-01-2012, 08:05 AM

On some level, yes I do make judgments about a book. Some covers tell a lot about the genre, and there are a few kinds that are obvious by the cover (sex scenes, a gun pointed at the viewer of the cover, vampires, etc) that will either draw the target audience, or not phase a disinterested customer.

I tend to be more drawn to ambiguous covers where I check out the blurb and then look through a chapter or two.

Rob Lister · 05-01-2012, 08:38 AM

like spindlegirl, I think the cover adds information about the book. If the publisher is on top of things, the cover is also used as branding for the author; all the covers have specific and unique elements common to the author or to a series.

VaporPunk · 05-01-2012, 08:55 AM

Absolutely. In one sense anyway. Its the first thing a potential buyer sees, either in the bookstore or on your fave e-book site.

Like what was said ^ me, its an immediate insight into the genre of the book and sometimes the potential quality. I'm far more likely to browse a book's contents if its in a genre I'm interested in and almost certain not to if its in a genre that I'm not. But buying a book based on its cover alone is a very different thing, and something that I suspect very few people do.

danskmacabre · 05-01-2012, 08:57 AM

If I get recommended a book , then no.
But if a cover is REALLY cheap and nasty, then yeah it affects my decision.

Apache · 05-01-2012, 08:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by applesauce

judge is an interesting word. A cover can make me pick up and check out a book I might not otherwise. But reading the first few pages is what makes me pay or not

Hey I am a girl I like sparkkley things well gorey scarey things more

applesaice

This except the part about the girl and things.

Apache

bookfunloving · 05-01-2012, 09:22 AM

sometimes!

JD Gumby · 05-01-2012, 09:26 AM

Of course you judge books by their covers. How else are you to know you're going to buy it? (unless, of course, it's by an author you're already familiar with)

danskmacabre · 05-01-2012, 09:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JD Gumby

Of course you judge books by their covers. How else are you to know you're going to buy it? (unless, of course, it's by an author you're already familiar with)

There's lots of ways to judge a book apart from by the cover.

I've got some books for free as the first book in a series. They hope that you will buy the book once you've read the first book.

Many book selling sites let you read previews of the book. Usually of the first chapter or 10 pages or whatever.

Recommendations by friends, associates etc who have a similar interest.

If you're looking at physical books (I don't see any reason why this thread is restricted to ebooks) just going to a bookstore and browsing the shelves, flipping through the books.

That's just a few methods...... I'm sure there's others than just deciding on a book by its cover..

RainingLemur · 05-01-2012, 11:37 AM

It's tough. Some books will draw me in with a clever cover. Other books, I've passed on because the cover looked silly. If it's by an author I really enjoy, though, I would probably pick it up even if it had brightly colored cherubs riding unicorns past Jupiter, or something equally silly.

abookreader · 05-01-2012, 11:44 AM

I admittedly do, even though I know I've passed over some good books from this habit.

QuantumIguana · 05-01-2012, 11:45 AM

I never buy a book because of a cover, but it plays a part in my decision. There are so many books to choose from, I need something to winnow down the choices. The cover is one factor. If the cover looks like something slapped together, it makes me think that the book may be sloppily written. A great cover, on the other hand won't get me to buy, but might get me to take a closer look.

The old saying would be better expressed as "Don't judge a book solely by its cover."

danskmacabre · 05-01-2012, 11:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RainingLemur

even if it had brightly colored cherubs riding unicorns past Jupiter, or something equally silly.

Oooh my 9 year old daughter would LOVE a book with a cover like that!

View Poll Results: Do you judge a book by its cover?
Yes, I do!	73	66.97%
No, never!	12	11.01%
Difficult to say	11	10.09%
I like chocolate muffins!	13	11.93%
Voters: 109. You may not vote on this poll

05-01-2012, 06:44 AM	#1
Pax Zealot Posts: 135 Karma: 1052388 Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: Germany, Potsdam Device: Pocketbook Touch HD 3, Sony PRS 650	Do you judge a book by its cover? You all know the saying: "Don't judge a book by its cover!" What is your opinion about that?

05-01-2012, 08:38 AM	#5
Rob Lister Fanatic Posts: 532 Karma: 3293888 Join Date: Oct 2011 Location: Virginia Device: Nook Simple Touch	like spindlegirl, I think the cover adds information about the book. If the publisher is on top of things, the cover is also used as branding for the author; all the covers have specific and unique elements common to the author or to a series. Last edited by Rob Lister; 05-01-2012 at 08:41 AM.

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05-01-2012, 07:08 AM	#2
applesauce Addict Posts: 387 Karma: 3553492 Join Date: Apr 2012 Location: Perth Western Australia Device: kindle oasis	judge is an interesting word. A cover can make me pick up and check out a book I might not otherwise. But reading the first few pages is what makes me pay or not Hey I am a girl I like sparkkley things well gorey scarey things more applesaice

05-01-2012, 07:55 AM	#3
rhadin Literacy = Understanding Posts: 4,833 Karma: 59674358 Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: The World of Books Device: Nook, Nook Tablet	I voted yes, but that isn't 100% accurate. A cover that suggests, for example, that the thrust of a novel is christian romance or bodice ripping romance means that I will not look further at the book. A poorly executed cover makes me cautious about how well-written a book may be -- if the cover is poor, the book may follow suit. The cover gives me a clue as to content (does it interest me or not) and quality of content. Depending on how bad the cover is or the genre it suggests, I may not look further at the book.

05-01-2012, 08:05 AM	#4
spindlegirl Wizard Posts: 1,594 Karma: 21245891 Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: Canada Device: Kobo Libra h20, Paperwhite 2017, Phone & Tablet w Moonreader	On some level, yes I do make judgments about a book. Some covers tell a lot about the genre, and there are a few kinds that are obvious by the cover (sex scenes, a gun pointed at the viewer of the cover, vampires, etc) that will either draw the target audience, or not phase a disinterested customer. I tend to be more drawn to ambiguous covers where I check out the blurb and then look through a chapter or two.

05-01-2012, 08:55 AM	#6
VaporPunk Evangelist Posts: 409 Karma: 49204386 Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: Belgium Device: Kindle 4 + Asus Transformer	Absolutely. In one sense anyway. Its the first thing a potential buyer sees, either in the bookstore or on your fave e-book site. Like what was said ^ me, its an immediate insight into the genre of the book and sometimes the potential quality. I'm far more likely to browse a book's contents if its in a genre I'm interested in and almost certain not to if its in a genre that I'm not. But buying a book based on its cover alone is a very different thing, and something that I suspect very few people do.

05-01-2012, 08:57 AM	#7
danskmacabre Guru Posts: 733 Karma: 3593438 Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: Australia Device: Kobo Glo. Galaxy Tab S 8.4	If I get recommended a book , then no. But if a cover is REALLY cheap and nasty, then yeah it affects my decision.

05-01-2012, 09:22 AM	#9
bookfunloving Junior Member Posts: 4 Karma: 10 Join Date: May 2012 Device: Amazon Kindle	sometimes!

05-01-2012, 09:26 AM	#10
JD Gumby Cynical Old Curmudgeon Posts: 1,085 Karma: 8495696 Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: Halifax, Canada Device: Kobo Mini, Kobo Arc, HTC Desire C	Of course you judge books by their covers. How else are you to know you're going to buy it? (unless, of course, it's by an author you're already familiar with)

05-01-2012, 11:37 AM	#12
RainingLemur Spork Connoisseur Posts: 2,355 Karma: 16780603 Join Date: Mar 2011 Device: Nook Color	It's tough. Some books will draw me in with a clever cover. Other books, I've passed on because the cover looked silly. If it's by an author I really enjoy, though, I would probably pick it up even if it had brightly colored cherubs riding unicorns past Jupiter, or something equally silly.

05-01-2012, 11:44 AM	#13
abookreader Wizard Posts: 1,516 Karma: 2567610 Join Date: Oct 2009 Device: Kindles - Keyboard, Fire, 2-US, iPhone, iPAD	I admittedly do, even though I know I've passed over some good books from this habit.

05-01-2012, 11:45 AM	#14
QuantumIguana Philosopher Posts: 2,034 Karma: 18736532 Join Date: Jan 2012 Device: Kindle Paperwhite 2 gen, Kindle Fire 1st Gen, Kindle Touch	I never buy a book because of a cover, but it plays a part in my decision. There are so many books to choose from, I need something to winnow down the choices. The cover is one factor. If the cover looks like something slapped together, it makes me think that the book may be sloppily written. A great cover, on the other hand won't get me to buy, but might get me to take a closer look. The old saying would be better expressed as "Don't judge a book solely by its cover."