How do we find the books we read?

[alicebentley]

That's become a pretty serious question to me.
I know that my personal method is quite chaotic, and that I'm likely missing many titles that I just have to hope I encounter later.

I read quite a number of author's blogs, and so I often know months in advance when a new book of theirs is coming out. But that's still a tiny portion of the authors I might like to read.

I listen to my friend's post about what they're reading, and what they're looking forward to, and that helps a lot especially with the new authors.

I'm sad to say I haven't found the Amazon recommendations worthwhile at all. Besides the slightly annoying tendency for half the group to be books I already own (more than a few bought through Amazon, so you'd think they should know better), it's almost rare for one of the others to be something attractive. And all too often it looks like a title is only in there because they paid to be. I don't know if that's actually what happens or not, whatever the algorithm is it sin't finding good matches for what I might buy.

So let me ask the vast readership here: what sources do you use to choose your new reading material?

Comments

[jeliza]

When it comes to genre stuff, I'm doing a lot of following authors I like on twitter (entertaining in itself) and then paying attention to both what other authors they end up chatting with, and the things they mention reading and liking. A fair amount of this is short fiction that is available online, which is then a good taste test for if I should seek out longer work.

I still read the backs, at least, of a lot of books on the big paperback display in front, if the cover is at all intruiging. A lot doesn't pass the first 10 page, test, though.

I like the "Big Idea" series on Scalzi's blog also.