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Kathleen Bishop

9 Years Ago

Can You Judge A Book By Its Cover?

Pawing through thousands of used books online, looking for new authors. I choose what to buy by reading reviews but am either intrigued or repelled by the cover art and if I don't like it, the book doesn't make the first cut. Not so with familiar authors. If I like their other books, I buy the ones I haven't read, regardless. If you've never heard of the author, how big of a part does cover art play in whether or not you investigate further?

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Patricia Strand

9 Years Ago

I've been a book collector/reader for many years now. I could be wrong about this, but I believe publishers won't invest in cover art if the book is not a good one. I actually have "Peony in Love" setting up on my bookshelf as an art-piece. All three of Lisa See's covers are beautiful. Just one example, as I can't think of others right now. (I sold most of my books while downsizing.) I happen to like her books, but then choice of reading matter is subjective. If you come across a large name that dominates the cover, it's probably one of the many churned-out books where the name is more important than the writing or story. Can't make it past the first page on one of those.

 

Kathleen Bishop

9 Years Ago

I'm with you on the churned-out-paid-by-the-word books with the author's name taking up half the cover. Those, however, are the ones that sell so apparently they have a faithful following. When I put in search criteria, I wish there was a way to exclude those authors.

Just to clarify the question - I'm not necessarily asking about bad art just whether, or how much, does cover art influence your decision to buy or at least to read reviews about a book. To me, it seems that the cover art is specifically chosen to appeal to a certain type of reader. Artists here always say you have to know your target audience. I think that's especially true with book covers.

 

Debbie Oppermann

9 Years Ago

I read a lot and have my favorite authors so what is on those covers, I do notice but it doesn't make a difference as to whether I will buy it or not - Now when looking for other authors to try, I really do look at the cover and yes sometimes I have put the book back because I didn't like the cover, so it does play a part in which book to choose

 

Patricia Strand

9 Years Ago

I think you're right about that, Kathleen -- book cover art is chosen to appeal to particular readers. Aside from looking at the cover art, when considering reviews, I almost never buy a book where the only reviews are made by other authors (patting each other on the back). I look for the critical reviews.

 

Dan Turner

9 Years Ago

Readers discover time and again that you cannot judge a book by it's cover. Thus the popular cliche.

Yet a good cover is vital in attracting attention. It can persuade readers to take a chance on an unknown author or reinforce their good feelings for a familiar writer.


Dan Turner
Dan Turner's Seven Keys to Selling Art Online

 

Edward Fielding

9 Years Ago

Book covers are a huge selling point. Something publishers should remember - money well spent finding great art for covers.

 

Andy PYRAH

9 Years Ago

I collect and read books with a marine theme (either in English or French). It can be a thriller, si fi, detective policier, or even romance if it has a nautical theme. The cover doesn't have much bearing on whether I buy it or not. However if and when I read othere books I tend to select either by the author and/or by the resumé on the back.

 

Kathleen Bishop

9 Years Ago

The reason I brought up this topic is that I've just looked at close to a thousand covers this morning on the Better World Books site and really began to notice the range of art depending on genre. Everything from really fine art to bold graphics to pukey-cutesy and everything in between.

Now a plug for Better World Books (I hope it isn't spamming because they are a non-profit benefiting literacy programs): The books I ordered today from their 40% off book bin cost $2.57 each, including tax and shipping. Their free shipping takes forever (my last order sat in San Francisco for 9 days before being sent across the bay to Richmond and I still haven't received it up here in the north state), but it will eventually arrive.

 

Kathleen Bishop

9 Years Ago

Andy, were you a sailor? My Dad's family came from sailors on both sides and it seems to be in the blood because he and his brothers were always dreaming of the sea.

 

Chuck De La Rosa

9 Years Ago

Good cover art will attract my attention, but it's the synopsis on the back cover (or on the web page) that helps me decide if I want to take a chance on it. This is how I discovered Michael Connely. The cover art isn't all that great on his books, but I can't get enough of his work.

Sci-fi often has the most fascinating covers.

That said, perusing books at the book store is one of the few things I miss about reading almost all e-books now.

 

Patricia Strand

9 Years Ago

Great resource, Kathleen. Thanks for sharing that. I noticed there are 3,000 art books on their site! This will be fun to peruse.

 

Roy Erickson

9 Years Ago

No - you really cannot judge a book by it's cover - but the cover very often grabs your attention - and you look at the book flap or the back of the cover, or peruse the inside, to see if it's something you'd like to read. I have a set of authors - and book publishers that I usually chose my reading material from. I seldom stray from that. Unless - unless I'm looking at "reference" kind of books. I love OLD atlases, old, more than just vintage, craft and how to books - farming, gardening, wood shop sort of things - and then of course there are art books and other "picture" books. Today I picked up a book "William Morris - Decor & Design" by Elizabeth Wilhide - £25.00. Ok - so I do know who William Morris was - but I guess I was in a hurry and just glanced through the pics - it really is about design & decor - a lot of his work and ideas. A nice book - not exactly what I was expecting - but interesting.

 

Kathleen Bishop

9 Years Ago

Their database is a major time suck to peruse but it was worth it for an excuse to put off doing some particularly onerous web maintenance. Now I no longer have that excuse and I need to get off this site too and get my work done.

 

Kathleen Bishop

9 Years Ago

Roy, I miss the brick and mortar book stores. My favorite thing as a child was to make a beeline for the books whenever we went to town and I've never gotten over the excitement of discovery. I live a long way from any towns now so shop online for nearly everything. When I travel, I always check the small towns for used book stores and the thrift stores for old books. Have found some real treasures in books donated by locals.

 

Andy PYRAH

9 Years Ago

@ Kathleen. Yes I've been sailing most of my life. I delivered sail and power small boats (under 25 meters) around Europe for about five years, but never got to cross the Atlantic.

 

Kathleen Bishop

9 Years Ago

Wow, Andy, that sounds like so much fun! Just checked your site and see that you have some beautiful paintings of sailing ships too.

 

Andy PYRAH

9 Years Ago

Thanks for looking

 

Joy McKenzie

9 Years Ago

Speaking of books, Anne Tyler is coming out with a new one soon....The Blue Spool, I think it's called. She is a favorite of mine, and I know others love her books just as much. And it's usually a LONG time between new ones! The cover just has a big spool of blue thread on it, but because of my adoration of the author, it could be a blank white cover and I'd still grab it immediately. I do like the embossed covers on really old books. And yes, Lisa See's books always have gorgeous covers. I do think, if looking at a book whose author I'm not familiar with, an interesting cover would certainly draw me in to take a look.

 

Iris Richardson

9 Years Ago

I am very visual and an avid reader. If the cover does not get my attention and I am between two authors the one I like better will get my vote. If a cover artwork seems cheap and ineffective as an artist I am turned off. I have stopped magazine subscriptions after their artwork started to deteriorate. I need my eye candy.

 

Barbara Moignard

9 Years Ago

To be honest I always thought that the saying really meant people and situations - surely one thing we should be able to judge by the covers are books!

I am also an avid reader and have been amazed by how many different covers there are for the same title. Perhaps publishers think different covers are needed in different countries.

 

Kathleen Bishop

9 Years Ago

Rather than "can you judge a book by its cover" I should have said, "do you judge a book by its cover".

I'd love to hear who your newly-discovered favorite author is. I've been trying to branch out more and explore new writers.

 

Debbie Oppermann

9 Years Ago

I have so many that I love - it depends on the type of read that you enjoy - I like action, drama, espionage, lawyer, - a few of my favs are Michael Connelly, David Baldacci, Jonathan Kellermann, John Sanford, Lee Child, some James Patterson, Patricia Cornwell, Tami Hoag, Robert Ludlum, Dan Brown, James Rollins, John Lutz, John Grisham, Karin Slaughter, Greg Iles and John Connelly and I am having to find more authors as I have almost all the books from these authors, so if anyone can recommend an author that would be great!

 

Kathleen Bishop

9 Years Ago

Thanks, Debbie, that's what I'm looking for too. My favorite writers don't write fast enough!

 

Patricia Strand

9 Years Ago

I got sucked into the Jo Nesbo series of crime/mystery. You might like those, if you're in the mood for a page-turner. Joy, I am also a huge Anne Tyler fan!! Also, Alice Hoffman's early books are wonderful. I haven't read her later works.

 

Veermer Illustration

9 Years Ago

Is Nesbø big in the US Patricia?

 

Barbara Moignard

9 Years Ago

I can recommend several - if you like murder, mystery or something to make you laugh out loud.

Colin Bateman's Mystery Man series, so funny! Christopher Brookmyre's writings are real page turners, murder and laughs. Set mostly in his native Scotland I can't wait for his next one to be published. A couple of science fiction ones I loved were The Martian by Andy Weir and The First Fifteen Lives of Harry August by Claire North. If you enjoyed the Harry Potter books you should read the Rivers Of London series by Ben Aaronovitch . Wonderful!

 

Kathleen Bishop

9 Years Ago

Thank you, Barbara! I've not heard of those authors but I am going to jump on the Better World Books site and see if they offer their books. I do enjoy a good mystery and I like contemporary novels set in the UK. I've become a big fan of Tana French, whose stories are set in Ireland. Have you read any of her books?

 

Chuck De La Rosa

9 Years Ago

Try J.A. Jance, especially the Joanna Brady Series, although everything she writes is pretty good. Another one I discovered a few years back is Lisa Gardner.

Have you read Sue Grafton's alphabet mysteries? Good old fashioned gum shoe private detective novels. She started writing them in the '80s and each book takes place not too long after the previous one, so she's at W now and the time period is early '90s. The early ones are good, but her writing has gotten better over the years too. Three more books (X, Y, and Z) and she's retiring. After I read one book, I found a nearly complete collection on Ebay for less than $20.

Like Sci-fi? Isaac Asimov short stories are a great way to get into the Asimov universe. I've was reading Michael Crichton before most people knew who he was. The Terminal Man blew me away. One contemporary sci-fi author I like a lot is Nancy Kress.

How about historical novels? Helen Hollick's Pendragon series about a more realistic King Arthur was excellent. Anything by Louis L'amour is fun, especially his later historical novels. The Walking Drum, an adventure set in the 11th century was a fun and fantastic read.

 

Barbara Moignard

9 Years Ago

Kathleen, I have never read Tana French, I'll certainly look out for her.

Like Chuck I have read all the Sue Grafton alphabet series - now waiting for X. Reading them reminds me of watching The Rockford Files.

Recently I have been keeping a record of my reading on the Goodreads site. I have found some excellent recommendations there. If you do manage to read a Chris Brookmyre try Where the Bodies are Buried - it may be published under a different title in the US, or to laugh and cringe at the same time my favourite by him is his very first, Quite Ugly One Morning. I give all his work 5 stars out of 5 but that one is worth even more!

I do love a good murder!

Barbara

 

Debbie Oppermann

9 Years Ago

I also have all of Sue Graftons and have read Lisa Gardner, Lisa Scottoline, Lisa Jackson and JA Jance which is okay for a quick light read - I collect Sue Grafton so I have just the rest of the alphabet to complete that series - I also have very old ones like Agatha Christie and Sherlock Holmes that I will read over - one of the best series books was by Steig Larsson, three in the series and I believe it started with The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo and there will be no more as he has passed away - I prefer murder mysteries, thrillers, action etc but can't get into sci fi or too many of Stephen King, although I have read a few of his as my husband just loves his books

 

Patricia Strand

9 Years Ago

Veermer, not sure Nesbo is as big in the US as he should be. Even though the books are translations from Norwegian, his way with words comes through. It's hard to read a bad writer, and there are so many of them out there, lol.

 

Kathleen Bishop

9 Years Ago

Chuck, I haven't read Lisa Gardner but she does have a lot of books out there so I'll give her a try. I've read J.A. Jance and didn't much like the Joanna Brady series but I do like the 4 books in her Walker series, which are a bit darker and not as formulaic as her other books. I do like mysteries set in the southwest (or anywhere in wild country).

Here are more of my favorite mystery writers -
James D. Doss is one of my favorites (though he has passed on) for his quirky humor.
Love anything by Peter Bowen, again for his humor.
Nevada Barr - Read them all and liked most of them.
Read everything in Dana Stabenow's Shugak series and really enjoy her characters. Have read some of her other books and found them just as entertaining.
Read all of Michael McGarrity's books, with the exception of Hard Country and that’s sitting in the "waiting to be read" pile.
Other favorites (not all mystery, but regional) are Margaret Coel, Robert Westbrook, Kirk Mitchell, Allana Martin, Susan Power, Barbara Kingsolver, Louise Erdrich, Rudolfo Anaya, Naomi Stokes, Mark T. Sullivan, some Preston/Child and a bunch of others I can’t remember due to old age and mental infirmity. Some of my favorite authors are not as prolific as others and I take it personally when they get me hooked on their writing then stop kicking out new material.

 

Kathleen Bishop

9 Years Ago

Debbie, I was a huge Stephen King fan when I was younger but my sister gave me a pile of his books when I was going through cancer treatments and the first one I tried to read turned my stomach. I haven't read any of his stuff since. I'm thinking the reaction to his writing was chemo-related, changing my taste in books in the same way that it turned me off of many favorite foods.

 

Rudi Prott

9 Years Ago

Do You judge an actor by the length of his last movie?
Do You judge an musican by the first note of his last song?
Do You judge a restaurant by the name of the road where it is situated?
Do You judge a politician by the color of his tie?

Sounds not only very crazy. It is ! Reading Your tea leaves may bring an comparable result.

 

Mark Blauhoefer

9 Years Ago

I nearly bought a book 'for' its cover once, and to this day I know nothing about the story - I can't even remember the title nor author - but it was a striking surreal watercolour landscape wrap-around on an otherwise normal hardback book-binding. It was in a charity shop and the only copy I'd ever seen

In fact I went back to buy it a few days later, but alas, it had gone.

 

Kathleen Bishop

9 Years Ago

Mark, I'd be kicking myself for missing that opportunity too. Some covers are suitable for framing. Since I buy used, I often receive hardbacks and I always remove their covers before tossing the books in the truck's book bin. I hate the thought of the covers getting messed up even on old, well-worn books.

Rudi, you've got me scratching my head with your analogies. In this country we have a saying "don't judge a book by its cover" and we also have a saying, "presentation is everything". If something isn't appealing to the eye, or at least intriguing, we tend to dismiss it in favor of something that is. That's human nature. Here's an example - Barbara recommended books by Chris Brookmyre. I didn't think I'd seen any of his titles when I looked through several thousand books yesterday. Went back today and searched for him, came up with quite a few of his books that I remembered seeing. But I had passed right over them yesterday because the graphics on those covers is not my cup of tea. After her recommendation, and reading a few readers' reviews, I decided to give them a try.

 

Andy PYRAH

9 Years Ago

A lot of the older books in France have a white cover and not much of, if any, synopsis. You were supposed to know what you were buying before you bought it.

 

Kathleen Bishop

9 Years Ago

Sure wish I'd kept the original Beatles album before they threw a white cover over it! I remember my friend trying to steam the white cover off of hers. But I digress...

Andy, why did they have mostly white covers? Too expensive to add art?

 

Andy PYRAH

9 Years Ago

I think it was because you were meant to be interlectual to read. But I will ask some of my French neighbours tomorrow.

 

Rudi Prott

9 Years Ago

'Rudi, you've got me scratching my head with your analogies. In this country we have a saying "don't judge a book by its cover" ...'

Kathleen, did You change Your opinion since starting this thread or do You think this saying is wrong? I do totally agree with this saying and did give some more examples in other words.
What's appealing to someones eye is very different for every reader.

 

Kathleen Bishop

9 Years Ago

No, Rudi, I didn't change my opinion. I posed the question because I was interested in whether other people are also swayed by packaging. People make superficial judgments about all kinds of things (maybe especially about other people) based on outward appearance without taking the time to delve further to find out if their first impression will change with additional information. Publishers use that when choosing cover art to lure their target readers.

Andy, I wondered if the books you were referring to were published during war time when everything was at a premium.

 

Debbie Oppermann

9 Years Ago

I will have to try some of the authors mentioned above as my favorite authors don't write fast enough LOL @Kathleen you are right about Stephen King, there are a few books of his that I did read although I cringed in almost horror at some but you could try Misery, Under The Dome, Hearts In Atlanta I think it's called, I do not do horror and I did read a few of his like, It and Pet Cemetary that I regretted! @Kathleen - sorry to hear about cancer treatments and yes that could have turned your stomach reading that type of book at that time in your life and like I said, Stephen King is not for everybody that's for sure!

 

J L Meadows

9 Years Ago

Even though I buy most of my books now through my Barnes and Noble Nook, the covers of books still influence whether or not I'll take a look at them.

 

Barbara Moignard

9 Years Ago

Another series which I have got into recently is The Spellman Files by Lisa Lutz. Funny, different and a pleasure to read. For a break from too many murders you can't beat Alexander McCall Smith's Number 1 Ladies' Detective Agency books - wonderful.

Barbara

 

Kathleen Bishop

9 Years Ago

Barbara, I enjoyed the HBO miniseries of the Number 1 Ladies' Detective Agency so I will most likely enjoy the books. I'll see if I can find some Lisa Lutz books before the sale ends. I ordered 13 so far from this sale.

 

Barbara Moignard

9 Years Ago

Kathleen, Happy Reading!

 

Sharon French

9 Years Ago

I write eBooks and have created all four of my covers - which people hate. I would say after 18 months of marketing books with "bad" covers, that the cover does make a huge difference. There are many graphic artists making a good living creating "Covers that Sell." One day soon I plan to be a customer.

I have about 500 titles uploaded to my Amazon Cloud reader. I "buy" a bunch free eBooks about once a week and then promote those that I think are worth promoting on my social media. This gives me a rich place to look at covers, and as with art, I am not a good judge of what sells. I only know what I like. I hope one day to gain a more critical eye.

 

Harold Shull

9 Years Ago

Hiya Kathleen,

No, you can't judge a book by its cover but the cover, if well designed and executed, can generate sales. That's why many publishers spend lots of money to get a good illustrator or photographer to do their covers. I was a book cover illustrator for many years and enjoyed it immensely. A book cover artist has to be like a director of a movie. He has to design the clothing of his models, design the sets behind his models, be a good historian, and last be able to paint or photograph n eye catching image.


Art Prints

Sell Art Online

 

Kathleen Bishop

9 Years Ago

Wow, Harold, wonderful cover art to illustrate your point. Even if the subject of the book wasn't of interest, the covers are certainly eye-catching. You do amazing work. Did you need to read the stories for inspiration before you designed the covers?

 

Harold Shull

9 Years Ago

Some of the books I had to read. Other books I have already read such as: A Night To Remember, Tom Sawyer, The Adventures Of Huckleberry Finn, All Quiet On The Western Front, The Awakening and many, many more. As you can see by the titles Kathleen, a lot of the books I have done the covers for were classics so I was already familiar with the stories. The only book that I had to read was Ethan Frome and I hated that book from cover to cover. There's a website on the internet called "SparkNotes" which has books in abbreviated forms. Most college students are aware of this site too. Sometimes I just didn't have the time to read the whole book so I would check it out on SparkNotes.

 

Andy PYRAH

9 Years Ago

@ Kathleen
The books I was refering to were paperbacks published from before the 20century right upto the 2nd world war. It was because the colour printing process was expensive, and as reading was an "interlectual hobby" they were not so considered to be influenced by the covers. However from about the 20's black and white pictures started to appear and eventually these books had a coloured fly sheet.

 

This discussion is closed.