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Bayou Lights
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Tuesday, May 13, 2003 - 05:44 pm: | 
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Hey, People...
When you read the jacket copy on books, what is it that catches your eye beyond the cover art?
Do you prefer a straightforward description of the plot? One that weaves in actual text from the book? Or description that focuses largely on the character?
A lot of jacket copy is pretty poorly written, almost never does the book justice, so what pulls you in to make the purchase?
I've read over quite a few books here at home, and I think it's more of a combination of cover art, author's name, and a quick read of the first chapter. I might glance at the description just to make sure it doesn't include topics I hate but I don't take it too seriously.
So, what appeals to you? What combination catches your eye? Turns you off? Leaves you ambivalent?
Are there any books that just got ALL the elements right?
Bayou |
akaivyleaf
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, May 14, 2003 - 02:24 pm: |
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I like covers that weave actual text from the book. That way I get a taste of the writers style before I get into the book, plus to me its exciting when I find that actual passage in the book. Call me strange.
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Bayou Lights
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, May 14, 2003 - 03:12 pm: |
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I like the excerpt option as well, especially if they use something evocative. A little blurb that gives a good feel for the book.
Bayou |
ABM
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, May 14, 2003 - 11:00 pm: |
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I enjoy reading jackets too. So long as they have more to do about the book and not obsure, superfluous propaganda about the writer.
I don't need to know the author won an award from some unknown organization where there probably only 2 - 4 candidates for the prize. I'm not interested in knowing what Creating Writing Master's program you attended. And I damn sure don't need to know about how many dogs or goldfish you have. |
Bayou Lights
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, May 15, 2003 - 04:48 am: |
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ABM---
Well, I meant book jacket descriptions on the front flap. That space is usually limited to book information only. What kind of text do you like to see there? What makes a difference for you?
As for author information on the back...goldfish & dogs, don't really care, but I like to hear about MFA and awards in the acknowledgement pages. I am one of those folks who reads all the shout-outs at the end of the book.
Bayou |
Thumper
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, May 15, 2003 - 08:07 am: |
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Hello All,
I love a pretty book jacket. It's easier for me to tell you what I don't like opposed to what I do.
1.) I don't like the book jackets with the cover picture has the basic primary colors, showing black folks as a cutout brown circle. It's time to move away from the cut and paste method of book cover design.
2.) While I can understand using quotes from reviewers on the jacket, I'm not a big fan of quotes from other authors. First, it may be an author I like and if I dislike the book, what am I suppose to think about the author that said the book was the second coming. Second, the author may be friends with the cat that wrote the book, so I usually discount his blurp.
3.) The book description on the book jacket needs to be accurate, for most of the time, it's the summary on the jacket that hooks me. Nothing is more irritating that reading a book summary and finding out that the book is the direct opposite.
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yasmin
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, May 15, 2003 - 08:46 am: |
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Thimper...your post made me thing about those blurbs supposedly from authors. At a book signing/appearance last year, one very POPULAR/well-known author actually said that his name (with a book blurb) is on lots of book jackets but the only books that he reads and actually writes blurbs for are books from Terry McMillian. While I barely read the blurbs before from authors, now I pass ALL of them over. However, I do like to read blurbs from bookclubs and readers because I know those are usually unpaid/no strings attached blurbs for the book and they're more reliable. |
Crystal
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, May 15, 2003 - 12:45 pm: |
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Blurbs from other folks don’t matter much to me cause what are they gonna say - “don’t read this crap”? I don’t care too much about excerpts from the book either because it’s hard to know what it’s about taken out of context. I do like an accurate description that lets me know the overall type of book [science fiction, mystery, etc.] and a little about the story line. Since I’m doing most of my reading from the library that’s enough for me since my money isn’t on the line. The front cover pictures don’t matter much to me either. And thanks to all you guys I have a list of authors names to look for when I’m buying. |
Susan
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, May 15, 2003 - 07:46 pm: |
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Hi Bayou, good question! For me it's a combination of the book cover and jacket text, with the latter being more important. I don't read the blurbs, be they from authors, reviewers or book clubs. They all very generic sounding and could be placed on the back of any book.
I don't like the covers that feature those cartoonish looking characters, at all.
Susan |
Cynique
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, May 15, 2003 - 11:56 pm: |
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Since a book cover is designed for the sole purpose of catching the eye and attracting buyers, I pay very little attention to it because how good its cover is, has nothing to do with how good a book is. I'm very often intrigued with a book's title, however; especially if it's taken from a poem or a quote. |
Tee C. Royal
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, May 16, 2003 - 08:01 pm: |
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Well, I like a mixture of everything above. Most times, I already know what I'm getting when I go in a bookstore, so I hardly ever read book flaps anymore for the AA-authors, but I will for others. I WILL buy a book though simply because the cover is beautiful. LOL.
And like someone else said, I absolutely hate all the cartoonish looking characters. And, even though I like a lot of the stock-art/photography type black book covers, my preference is for covers without people on the cover.
Oooh...that brings up another question...
:::posting a new thread:::
-Tee |
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