poll: what are the first three things you look at in a book?

hermes · 07-05-2011, 07:05 AM

e or traditional. I mean before you buy a book

For me...

1. date of publication
2. brief info on author
3. random three pages

OtterBooks · 07-05-2011, 07:32 AM

first paragraph.

anamardoll · 07-05-2011, 08:14 AM

Genre.

DiapDealer · 07-05-2011, 08:15 AM

Product description.
Price
Availability

DMB · 07-05-2011, 08:45 AM

Thanks for this thread. It reminded me that I read a book review in New Scientist earlier today and had decided to see if the book was available on Kindle. It was! So now I have it and that is one of my main ways of buying a book.

Pookeysgirl · 07-05-2011, 08:47 AM

Genre
Description
Price

In that order

yakuzaboss · 07-05-2011, 12:57 PM

First paragraph.

witeowl · 07-05-2011, 01:38 PM

Before I buy a book?

1) genre/cover art
2) blurb
3) random page (or two)

Ditchleyportrait · 07-05-2011, 03:04 PM

if i'm buying a book i USUALLY know all about it beforehand. i like to know where a book is set if fiction before i buy and where the writer is from.

EowynCarter · 07-05-2011, 03:07 PM

Genre, cover, title. That's what will caught the eye. And eventually lead to reading what the book is about.

apbschmitz · 07-05-2011, 04:10 PM

In a physical book, genre, cover, back cover blurbs.

This is instructive, since my eBooks don't really address the back cover blurb question. Time to rethink that one.

shanghaichica · 07-05-2011, 04:54 PM

Title
Cover Art
Blurb

Ditchleyportrait · 07-05-2011, 05:24 PM

ah for traditional it's author, cover, title.

ebook i know what i'm getting into. don't browse around.

vulcan_girl · 07-05-2011, 06:34 PM

Plot/Blurb
Author
Format - e or paper

Then if I want to read it, I will either buy it or reserve it at the library.

speakingtohe · 07-05-2011, 09:19 PM

author (if a known one)

Genre

excerpt if available

recommendations (I wouldn't buy solely on a recommendation without looking up the book, but would possibly borrow from library )MR recommendations are generally good.

Series I enjoy, even if the series is going downhill or getting a smidge boring, I will give it another try. Books are a bit like food. Eat the same thing every night and it gets boring, but give it a rest for a while and it is every bit as good as it was at the beginning.

Helen

07-05-2011, 07:05 AM	#1
hermes non-techy Posts: 110 Karma: 50586 Join Date: May 2011 Location: wherever I can afford to get laid and eat vegetarian Device: Sony pocket edition and Kobo touch both died - looking at Kindles	poll: what are the first three things you look at in a book? e or traditional. I mean before you buy a book For me... 1. date of publication 2. brief info on author 3. random three pages

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07-05-2011, 07:32 AM	#2
OtterBooks Wizard Posts: 1,262 Karma: 2979086 Join Date: Nov 2010 Device: Kindle 4, iPad Mini/Retina	first paragraph.

07-05-2011, 08:14 AM	#3
anamardoll Chasing Butterflies Posts: 3,132 Karma: 5074169 Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: American Southwest Device: Uses batteries.	Genre.

07-05-2011, 08:15 AM	#4
DiapDealer Grand Sorcerer Posts: 27,547 Karma: 193191846 Join Date: Jan 2010 Device: Nexus 7, Kindle Fire HD	Product description. Price Availability

07-05-2011, 08:45 AM	#5
DMB Old Git Posts: 958 Karma: 1840790 Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Switzerland (mostly) Device: Two kindle PWs wifi, kindle fire, iPad3 wifi	Thanks for this thread. It reminded me that I read a book review in New Scientist earlier today and had decided to see if the book was available on Kindle. It was! So now I have it and that is one of my main ways of buying a book.

07-05-2011, 08:47 AM	#6
Pookeysgirl Wizard Posts: 1,705 Karma: 12696746 Join Date: May 2010 Device: K3, Kobo Mini	Genre Description Price In that order

07-05-2011, 12:57 PM	#7
yakuzaboss Groupie Posts: 171 Karma: 58 Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Richmond, BC Device: Sony PRS-650	First paragraph.

07-05-2011, 01:38 PM	#8
witeowl Hopeless Geek Posts: 119 Karma: 203608 Join Date: May 2011 Location: Reno, NV Device: Nook Color (manual nooter)	Before I buy a book? 1) genre/cover art 2) blurb 3) random page (or two)

07-05-2011, 03:04 PM	#9
Ditchleyportrait Fanatic Posts: 504 Karma: 780086 Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: ny Device: Kindle DX Graphite	if i'm buying a book i USUALLY know all about it beforehand. i like to know where a book is set if fiction before i buy and where the writer is from.

07-05-2011, 03:07 PM	#10
EowynCarter Wizard Posts: 4,332 Karma: 4000000 Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Paris Device: Cybooks; Sony PRS-T1	Genre, cover, title. That's what will caught the eye. And eventually lead to reading what the book is about.

07-05-2011, 04:10 PM	#11
apbschmitz Lord of Frogtown Posts: 149 Karma: 1154748 Join Date: May 2011 Location: St. Paul MN Device: Kindle	In a physical book, genre, cover, back cover blurbs. This is instructive, since my eBooks don't really address the back cover blurb question. Time to rethink that one.

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07-05-2011, 04:54 PM	#12
shanghaichica Guru Posts: 989 Karma: 5782970 Join Date: Jul 2010 Device: Scribe,Kindle Oasis 3, iPad Pro 11, iPhone 13 Pro Max,iPad mini 6, PW5	Title Cover Art Blurb

07-05-2011, 05:24 PM	#13
Ditchleyportrait Fanatic Posts: 504 Karma: 780086 Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: ny Device: Kindle DX Graphite	ah for traditional it's author, cover, title. ebook i know what i'm getting into. don't browse around.

07-05-2011, 06:34 PM	#14
vulcan_girl Groupie Posts: 156 Karma: 1010345 Join Date: Jun 2009 Device: PRS 350	Plot/Blurb Author Format - e or paper Then if I want to read it, I will either buy it or reserve it at the library.

07-05-2011, 09:19 PM	#15
speakingtohe Wizard Posts: 4,812 Karma: 26912940 Join Date: Apr 2010 Device: sony PRS-T1 and T3, Kobo Mini and Aura HD, Tablet	author (if a known one) Genre excerpt if available recommendations (I wouldn't buy solely on a recommendation without looking up the book, but would possibly borrow from library )MR recommendations are generally good. Series I enjoy, even if the series is going downhill or getting a smidge boring, I will give it another try. Books are a bit like food. Eat the same thing every night and it gets boring, but give it a rest for a while and it is every bit as good as it was at the beginning. Helen