Are your book choices influenced by friends and family? Do their recommendations carry weight for you? Or do you choose your books solely by what you want to read?
I think everyone who mentions a book to me is an influence! My parents and sisters often tell me about interesting books they've been reading, and I jot them down to take a look at myself. I've got a book on my pile right now that a family member told me about. I read Jackdaws on my father's recommendation, The Plain Truth and The Professor and the Madman on my mother's. My neighbor often shows me new books he's bought, and loans them to me if I'm interested. It's because of him that I read The Road and Guns Germs and Steel, instead of letting them sit on my TBR for ages.
But all the same, I don't usually rush out and acquire a book to read immediately because of who told me about it. Like any other source (mostly book blogs nowadays) that adds to my book list, I jot it down and wait until the time is right for that kind of book. Pretty much at any given moment I'm choosing a book just because I feel like reading that one right now, drawing titles equally off my list, regardless of how they got there. So yes, I read quite a few books recommended to me by family and friends. They're probably more likely to be books I really enjoy, as they know my interests pretty well! But once a book title lands on that TBR list, it could gather dust for quite some time before I get around to reading it.
I think animals are your biggest influence when it comes to books!
ReplyDeleteI've had The Professor and the Madman on my TBR list for a while. Just checked out your review, which will perhaps inspire me to move that one up closer to the top. Books in my TBR list tend to gather some dust, too, but I get to them all eventually!
ReplyDeleteP.S. Love you site header!
It sounds like you're surrounded by book lovers, which must be nice! Oh, that neverending TBR pile!
ReplyDeleteBermudaonion- ha ha, you're so right!
ReplyDeleteMelanie- It's a pretty interesting read, I enjoyed it a lot.
Shelley- Well, except that my parents and sisters live on the other side of the country! My husband is not a big reader, so I get my rec's over the phone, or via the book blogs. Lovely company, I have to say!
Nowadays I'm trying not to be influenced by anyone because my reading is so sparse and my shelves so full but bloggers are definitely main culprits. Like you, though, I just add it to the list and pick up if I see it or if the time is right.
ReplyDeleteI read Professor and the Madman on my mom's recommendation and have passed it on to several friends--such a fascinating read!
I guess my bookish friends influence me.
ReplyDeleteI need to borrow your impulse control! While usually I hear about a book from a fellow book blogger or friend or family member and tuck the recommendation away to consider later, there are times I must have a book now and end up buying it only for it to sit on my shelf for awhile before I actually do get to it.
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