Why Do You Like to talk about and Recommend books that You've Read?

[psikeyhackr]

I try to write down a few thoughts on every book I read whether I liked it or not.

Do you finish books you do not like? I will usually quit by 50 pages.

psik

 

[Vertigo]

Do you finish books you do not like? I will usually quit by 50 pages.

psik

If, for me at least, it really has no redeeming features then, yes, I will quit. Though I will usually give it at least a hundred pages. Years ago I would stubbornly press on regardless but now I'm older I take much more of a "life's too short" view. When I do quit I will still write up my thoughts but I will make it clear that I did not complete the book.

 

[The Big Peat]

Three reasons I think.

1) Its a whole lot of fun. I love books. People I recommend books to love books too. Talking books with them is awesome.

2) I like helping people. If I can give them a good book recommendation, that's a good deed for the day.

3) I like showing off that I'm clever (or at least occasionally not a moron) and know stuff and giving good informative recommendations that fit what people want is a good way to do that.

 

[Connavar]

I recommend books simply because most of my alltime fav authors are ancient,classic or early 1900 authors. There are so many great,intelligent, prose magicians out on them that i cant stand the idea of people missing out on one of them because they havent heard of them yet.

Just on wednesday i had a book circle with book friends where we read 13th century great,classic Persian poet Rumi.
I had recommended him because he is a combo of Poe/Shakespeare in importance in many languages in the history of literature, poetry but that they had missed him because he is not big classic name in Swedish translation compared to his huge reputation in english language, many other languages in the world.

 

[BAYLOR]

I try to write down a few thoughts on every book I read whether I liked it or not. I find the process helps me appreciate the books better and, possibly, scratch the surface of just why I like some and dislike others. It also makes me read a little more critically; some might feel that could detract from the enjoyment of the story but I find it enhances my enjoyment of a good story and makes me more willing to give up and avoid wasting my time on a bad one. Posting these thoughts in the Chrons Review forum sometimes results in some discussion with others which, again, is something I enjoy and, particularly in the case of a good book, can extend my enjoyment of the book over a longer period of time.

I rarely actually recommend books; I'm acutely aware that when it comes to books it really is horses for courses. I don't say I never recommend books, just rarely.

Well said .

 

[BAYLOR]

Discussions and more discussion thats one the best reasons of all to recommend.

 

[Vince W]

Still trying to find a friend who shares my madness interests.

 

[BAYLOR]

I've stopped talking about books I've read some time ago, when people started to actually get mad at me for having recommended one or the other, and I don't recall I ever did that to anyone. Though quite a few have recommended books I didn't like I was always polite if they should ask, but lots of people act like they're really offended that I wasted their time, so I stopped doing it. I wonder why that is, I don't think I gush.

I wouldn't let that stop me from recommending books because I think you'll find that more people are appreciative to the recommendations then are not.

 

[JoanDrake]

I dunno, maybe I'll try some I'm reading now, if I ever finish anything.

 

[psikeyhackr]

Well to be arrogantly elitist, I feel morally obligated to enlighten the benighted heathens who can't figure out what to read.

Sorry, the mood just came over me and I could not resist.

 

[Randy M.]

Psikey, proving that honesty is not necessarily the best policy.


Randy M.

 

[BAYLOR]

Well to be arrogantly elitist, I feel morally obligated to enlighten the benighted heathens who can't figure out what to read.

Sorry, the mood just came over me and I could not resist.

That works.

 

[picklematrix]

There are certain books that can influence and inform the way you see the world. In fact, a good book will, a lot of the time, offer a new perspective and give food for thought that you would never have discovered on your own.
It is also a theory I'm working on that written word may have better staying power than certain other forms of art. Books written centuries ago resonate stronger than ever now, while very old films such as the work of Chaplin hasnt been viewed by most people my age, and a lot of the younger generation would struggle to connect.
Books seem to enter the zeitgeist and stay there, whereas there are movies that have broken a billion dollars that are more or less forgotten a few years after they were released, let alone in a few decades.
I don't know if any of this makes sense, or is just my insane ramblings, and I'm not knocking the medium of film, I just think it's the nature of things that written word is the backbone of most communication and culture, even in the Internet age.

 

[Teresa Edgerton]

For purely selfish reasons. If I find someone who is particularly fond of a book of which I am particularly fond I simply enjoy comparing the parts we each especially liked. And because if I recommend books and tell a bit about why I like them so that other people might decide they'd like to read them, I hope someone will return the favor for me. I am also happy to recommend new writers and help them get a start (especially if they are not yet getting a lot of attention and could use the recommendation, and also if I know them), but I try not to get carried away and try to sell someone on all my favorites, unless I am fairly convinced they will become their favorites, too.

 

[Laura R Hepworth]

Because I love reading, I love talking about what I'm reading, and I want others to enjoy it also!

Besides, after working in a library for 8 years recommending books kind of became second nature. I always loved it when a patron would come up to me and ask if I could recommend something. It gave me a chance to highlight some of the ones I've truly enjoyed and think are under-loved or over-shadowed by *cough* lesser *cough* books.

 

[BAYLOR]

Because I love reading, I love talking about what I'm reading, and I want others to enjoy it also!

Besides, after working in a library for 8 years recommending books kind of became second nature. I always loved it when a patron would come up to me and ask if I could recommend something. It gave me a chance to highlight some of the ones I've truly enjoyed and think are under-loved or over-shadowed by *cough* lesser *cough* books.

Consider how many recommendations you made over the years. and how it all multiplies and magnifies. It works out to be a huge impact on people and on the world .

 

[BAYLOR]

As a means of getting a good discussion going.

 

[Boaz]

And because if I recommend books and tell a bit about why I like them so that other people might decide they'd like to read them, I hope someone will return the favor for me.

I did not discover Tolkien, Lewis, or Dahl on my own... they were all highly recommended and/or given to me at a young age. And although Dumas, Homer, and Bunyan were all required reading in school, I am very grateful.

Another aspect I appreciate about recommended/required reading is that when I do not like a book, I can still communicate (semi-) intelligently about it.

 

[BAYLOR]

Do you finish books you do not like? I will usually quit by 50 pages.

psik

I did that with Lord Fouls Bane , I quit at about 50 pages , at the time , I found it to ponderous. Then a few years late a friend suggested to me. that give I give it a second try, which I did. What a great book I almost missed.

 

[BAYLOR]

One day , years back in the science fction section of the local Barnes and Noble , I struck up conversion with a man and his wife from from France. He knew nothing about science fiction and wanted to get into it and could I some recommend some books ?. I pointed out a , Asimov , Bester, Bradbury , Heinlein , Sturgeon ect and a number others and yes I managed to squeeze in my my favorite Jack London novel , The Star Rover too. He picked up and bought every book I indicated, He spent alot of money and left with all those books. a few weeks later, I ran into his wife and she thanked me for the books I recommend to her husband, he' d read them all and loved them! And she asked me if I could suggest some more , which I did.