Judging Books By Their Cover

The husband and I are sitting and having one of our late night convos, and like always it revolves around books. Because that's what I like to talk about. The conversation turns to book covers and how they've changed so much over the last century.

A hundred years ago, books were hardbound and only came in a few different colors; green, brown, and blue were some of the most popular. Today, we are able to purchase books that have some of the most beautiful images on them and attempt to suck us into the stories before we even pick them up. Technology is amazing. Almost as amazing as the written word.

Long ago, you had to listen to a to spiel or open a book and read a bit of it to determine if it was a world you wanted to delve into. Then came dust jackets with minimal images and blurbs, so there was no need to listen to a sellers spiel. You could read about the book on your own and make the decision without feeling pressured to buy. Then came paperbacks, and with those paperbacks, better graphics.

The marketing/advertising industry grew, and with it their greed. Now the spiels were coming from them: You have to package it pretty and more people will buy it. And they were right. More people will by a pretty product, even if it's not the right choice for them. See where I'm going with this yet?

I've read some amazing books that had some of the shittiest covers. I've read some shitty books that have had amazing covers. Marketing is important to help catch the eye of consumers (us). It shouldn't be the sole reason a person purchases a product. The first thing I do when I pick up a book is flip it over or open it up and READ the blurb to get a feel for what that author is offering me and the style it is delivered in. I've put plenty of beautiful books back on the shelf because they didn't speak to me. I've picked up plenty of books that the covers didn't catch my attention and gave them a chance as well. Some worked out and some didn't.

I once watched a woman grab several novels at the store and didn't even bother to see what they were about. Now, maybe they were go-to authors for her, I don't know, but it had me wondering what kind of reader she was.

What kind of reader are you? Seriously, ask yourself that and be honest with yourself. Are you picky? Do you stick with one genre? Do you judge a book by its cover?

If you answer yes to any one of those questions, especially the last one, I challenge you to step out of your comfort zone. What's the worse that can happen? You realize that you don't like that book and put it down, or you find out that you like that book and want more.

Remember, when choosing anything in life, to never judge it by its appearance. Shit is still shit wrapped in a bow, but a diamond is still a diamond inside a lump of coal. Expand your choices, and you expand your mind. Happy Reading.