Saturday 27 March 2010

Judging a Book by it's Cover


I have a confession, despite the well known teaching (preaching) of never to judge a book by it's cover being drummed into me ever since I was little...I admit I do. But before you all get worried I literally mean books (I never judge people), I just can't help it. I just love walking round book stores both old and new and just seeing what covers or titles jump out at me.
I actually quite encourage the idea as I have read many a book that I wouldn't have even picked up if solely based on the blurb or reviews.
Of course the secondhand book shop covers are the best because you never quite know what you are going to find both on the cover and the inside pages. I was recently in a secondhand bookshop searching through the poetry section for some Sylvia Plath (I didn't find any) when I picked up a collection of old poems up only to find someones essay which had been typed up on a typewriter and a cutout from a newspaper of young Ringo Starr.
It just made me smile to think of the previous owner of this collection who obviously had good taste (I myself have quite a thing for the young Ringo ever since I saw the 1964 film A Hard Day's Night in lower sixth for Film Studies although older Ringo is another matter). I wonder what she was thinking when she placed the cutout in among the poetry, did the poem beside it have any significance (I regret I never looked to see what it was)?
It really is fascinating so I encourage you if you are a judging book virgin to highly give it a go, even just the once you might be pleasantly surprised. Oh and it does not only have to be confined to books, it also works with music - I have bought whole albums never hearing a song from a band and I have yet to be disappointed so really give it a go and let me know how you get on.
PHOTO: recent secondhand book shop find.

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