Oh cool, I can do Booking Through Thursday on my book blog now! Yay! :)
This week’s question is:
Suggested by Prairie Progressive:
Do you read the inside flaps that describe a book before or while reading it?
Before. I admit that sometimes I buy a book because of its cover, but that’s only for some books, especially for my favorite authors. For books that I’m not entirely sure of, I read the back blurb or the inside flap.
Which brings me to an annoying observation: I hate it when the only thing at the back of the book is the picture of the author or all the praise the book got and nothing about the story. Especially when the book is still covered in plastic wrap and I can’t open it to read the inside flap. Hmph. Come on, leave something about the story at the back of your book, please. :|
So you? Inside flap or not?
I do read the inside flap but after I finish the book. I agree with you about the back cover when books are covered in plastic though. Something about the book would be nice since I can’t flip through it!
I hate it too when the book is wrapped and the only thing on the back is either a photo or reviews. What about the premise people? But yeah, if there’s none outside I have to read the inside flap.
I find it annoying when books are wrapped, too, but I’ve found that most bookstores will let you unwrap it to look inside. Even if there is something written on the back, the inside flap is what I want to read.
That bothers me too. Give me something!
Please delete my first, I typed in the wrong link! I need coffee.
I never, ever read the reviews on books, as they tend to be quite biased.
The link to my answer is: http://www.rundpinne.com/2010/01/booking-through-thursday-14-january.html
I totally agree with you, it’s even worse when the back of the book is praise for the author, or books written by the author other than the one you’re holding! I hate that. :)
Alayne – The Crowded Leaf.
I flap when there’s a flap to flap but I read a lot of paperbacks so it’s not always possible! I like getting a little head start on what’s going on and usually find the summaries don’t give away too much. :-) If there’s only a picture of the author on the back, or only praise-y blurbs, that’s usually a red flag for me and I would tend to put it down!
Marie: I’m more of a paperback girl too. :)
I absolutely agree with your point, Tina– it’s very annoying with the front/back cover full of useless words that try to make the book seem more ‘avaluable’. A good book would not increase its value just depending on how the media judge.
And it’s not difficult to find that those quotations from the media are always full of empty words like ‘magnificant’, ‘marvallous’, ‘fantastic’, etc…What do they mean exactly?
P.S. You updated so fast :-) Well done.
Michelle: Yes, exactly! And come to think of it, why would they print bad reviews on the book? Of course they’d print good reviews so it would sell, right? I’d rather rely on Amazon.com or book blogs to see if the books are really any good.
If I’m unsure about a book I want to read all the flap copy, too. I don’t often come across books entirely wrapped in plastic, though- except for manga, which isn’t a genre I read (yet). Is it a common practice elsewhere? (I’m in the US)
Jeane: In bookstores here in the Philippines, most are covered in plastic. There are some that are open, but after a while, they get too dilapidated that it can’t be sold for full price anymore. At least, that’s what I think happens. We can get the books out of the plastic, depending on the store, but I personally feel like I’m violating something if I do that especially when I won’t be buying the book after.
Thanks for visiting! :)