Don't always follow the best selling lists
Book lovers love to go on
a book scout, looking for the books that have been recommended to them. When
the new book hits the shelve, we can’t wait to lay our hands on them and
consume the goods therein. We always want to have something on our table
because our reading list never gets empty.
In a conversation with a
book lover recently, he asked me; “How do you know which book to buy and where
do you get them?” We will all have different answers to this question because
we acquire books differently. So, I’m going to take my time to discuss the
various ways one will know which books to buy and buy them without any regret
and also where to find what to buy.
HOW TO KNOW WHICH
BOOK TO BUY
#1. Follow book
recommendations from your favorite writers or bloggers.
Sometimes, it’s not easy
to know which books to buy. There are a lot of them at the shelves and there
are so few you could buy so you want to ensure you buy the books that would
serve you well in the end. This is where recommendations become very important.
To get the very best recommendations, subscribe to the mailing list of writers
and book bloggers. These people read a lot of books and they recommend the very
best of books they’ve read based on genre. Depending on how many mailing lists
you are subscribed to, you are assured of getting a lot reviews that would
inform you on the next book to purchase. You can follow my book list here
#2. Don't always
follow the bestseller list.
People are mostly tempted
to buy the books tagged as bestsellers. I’m guilty of that and most times I’m
left disappointed. The fact that a book is listed as bestseller doesn’t mean
you’ll enjoy reading it. Remember, the book you will enjoy reading are books
that solves a problem in your life or a book that answers a question for you.
Such books are not necessarily bestsellers. So, when buying books, stay off the
temptation of buying books just because it’s a bestseller. Shop around your
best interest. That way, you wouldn’t have any reason to regret your purchase.
#3. Follow book
boards on Pinterest
That’s what I use
Pinterest for. All the boards I follow are boards that talk about books. What
happens is, you get the opportunity to read book list from people from all
corners of the world who have different tastes and interests when it comes to
book. You see a photo that says “11 top books that will make you cry.” If you
are in the mood of crying, you just tap on the photo and click “Read.”
Pinterest will take you to the site where the book list is curated so you know which
ones are worth the buy.
#4. Join a book club
Book club is also another
avenue to get intimate with books that you love. In Ghana, there a lot of them
and they all have their schedules and their book of interest. Some book clubs
are formed around fiction and none-fiction. Others are formed around classical
books and literature. Depending on your interest, find one of these book clubs
and join. They usually pick a book for members to read and at some point, in
the month, they meet to discuss the book. There’s one that I join. It’s called Kadi Book Club and it’s centered around non-fiction and self-help.
Most of the books I buy are recommendations from Kadi club so I hardly regret a
purchase.
#5. Be friends with
readers on social media
Book lovers usually share
what they are reading on the timelines. The share quotes and snippets of their
current reads on their timeline. Some even go the extra mile to review what they
are reading. When you find yourself with these people on social media, apart
from the fact that you are motivated to read and join the conversation, it also
gives you the opportunity to know the kind of books to buy the next time you
visit the shop. Find these people on Facebook, Pinterest and Instagram. But
find me first…wink!
Where to shop the books
Our aim is to shop on a
budget and when it comes to books, we look for places we would get the books we
want and at cheaper prices. Below are some of the ways to get the books you
want;
#1. Second-hand shop
The number one place to
buy books at cheaper prices are the shops that sell second-hand books. These
shops are scattered along the streets of Accra and many places in Ghana. And
they sell all genre of books.
The only disadvantage
here is that, you usually don't find the titles you want and if you find, it's
through serendipity. It takes a lot of patience and search to finally get what
you want since books from these shops are hardly categorize.
#2. Book Hawkers
I love the book hawkers.
Though they carry a very little stock, if you are lucky to find the title you
want, you can trust that you will have it at cheaper prices. When you see them,
don’t be lazy, ask them to unpack so you can go through their titles one after
the other. Chances are that, you might find what you are looking for. If not,
you might find an interesting title to buy. Either way, you win.
#3. Bookstores
Bookstores usually hold a
very large stock of books and as such, it’s easy to find what you are looking
for. If you have a list of books that you want to purchase and you want a place
you can find them, then a bookstore is the place. There, you can check out all
the aisles and find the what you came to buy. Chances are, you can even stumble
on a title you didn’t plan for but have interest to buy. The only cons with the
bookstore is that, usually the prices aren’t cheap as compared to the two
places above but you’ll get what you want anyway.
#4. E-books from
online
No matter what people say about e-books, they
are not going to go away. It’s now an entrenched category that a lot of people
love to read from. I love e-books for its handy nature and for the fact that I
can carry thousands of them around at a time. I’m never short of books because
of e-books. Also, when new books arrive and most bookstores haven’t stocked
them, you can buy the e-book online. It’s cheap as compared to the paper
counterpart and you can buy in the comfort of your sofa and read it instantly.
Buy eBooks.
Nesta Jojoe Erskine is an author, blogger and social media
manager who helps businesses and individual entrepreneurs manage their digital
presence and also builds an audience for their brand leading to more engagement
and online sales. He blogs on www.nestaerskine.com
and you can follow his works on…
Facebook: @nestajojoeerskine
Twitter: @Nesta_J_Erskine
