Judge a Book by its Cover

2017 Books Reviews to follow! 

I judge a book by its cover. I admit it. I have had a few misses; I decline to state the names of those few books that just sucked. But there were a few. The cover drew me in and the writing pushed me away. However, I have also picked some of my most beloved books of all time, simply by the books cover. An example of this is when I picked out, Hans Fallada’s Every Man Dies Alone and the current new release, All at Sea by Decca Aitkenhead.

Fallada’s book is on my top shelf, one of the best books I’ve ever read. I have since purchased all Fallada’s books, two times over. Yet,  the cover  of Every Man Dies Alone, still enthralls me- the couple gently embracing one another,  knowing very well that Hitler is in power, that their life is changing, that heartache has gripped their soul, yet together they made a pact, and together they will embark on a journey that will put a dent in German history forever. The book is based on actual events and so brilliantly told. Writers just don’t write like that anymore. Every Man Dies Alone is littered with characters that are unforgettable.

O, I can’t even write about it, without feeling emotional, I want to now, walk into my living room pick the book up, caress the cover, skim the page, read my favorite passages and sigh with love. Now that is the true power of a book.  

My fingers and the stain of coffee also by me. :) 

A good writer is one that is able to shape and sculpt each word perfectly, forming the clearest, most moving sentence for the reader. I ended and began 2016/2017 with books that did just that.  

While in a bookstore, I walked by, All at Sea by Decca Aitkenhead and the ocean caught my eye. I grabbed the book, read the jacket cover, scanned the pages and purchased the book that day. The cover grabbed me and the writing kept me.    

I also finally found and purchased the out of print, Brother Sam: The Short, Spectacular Life of Sam Kinison by Bill Kinison with Steve Delsohn. I consider this my “fun read” and I usually read this type of book in between the others. Everything tastes better with “Flaming Hot Cheetos” and Sam’s book is my “Flaming Hot Cheetos” type of book. These types of books are fun to read, good as a snack and I usually pick them based on people I find interesting or things that fancy me.     

So the next time you are looking for a good read, follow your instinct and judge a cover, pick a book based on what you like, it need not be one recommended or on New York Times BestSellers List, trust your gut and go with it. You just might find an author or book that is just that good. 

***Note: All at Sea is currently on the Book of the Month pick, that is an online book club that gives its members 3 books in which to chose from. All at Sea is one of them. Although, I am not a member of Book of the Month Club, I prefer to pick my own. but if you are interested check out bookofthemonthclub.com for more info. 

Happy Reading 

 #smartpeopelread   

Written by Francine @ Anthem Book Review