Reasons I Buy Books: My Purchasing Criteria

Somebody asked me recently what my reasons are for actually buying books (since I already have so many, I presume).  I've been thinking about it, and I've come up with what I think are the main things that happen to me when I walk into a bookshop.

Let me give you my hunting scenario to begin with:

First of all, I morph into a completely different creature all together.  My hearing becomes down-shifted, I don't care if they do have music playing, it is simply a faint background to me.  I'm all eyes.  The music is lost on me! 

I scout the best sellers tables first to see if there's anything there I don't already have from book hauls, or from my library or other resources.  Since I shop discount stores for slightly used books, as well as library "recently published hard back sales," this new table is a good start for me. I also shop consignment shops, by the way.

Anyway, I then go to the different sections:  Fiction, YA fiction, Non-fiction/Memoirs/Biography, and the sale stacks.

If you're with me, I don't really want to talk.  I'm concentrated.  I'm serious and I'm focused.  I'm reading book covers like a mad woman.  Really don't have time to play around!  LOL   I am also having fits of rapid eye movement so I'm sure if you don't know me, I look slightly demented.  :P

So then, here are my reasons I buy books :

1.   Favorite Authors:   If one of my favorite authors has written a new book, I'm buying.  I really don't even read the cover.  I just buy the book.  To me, this is a given.  I'm talking about Joyce Carol Oates, Margaret Atwood, Wally Lamb and the like.  It's just bearly worth discussion, in my opinion.  I also have certain secondary authors that I will buy with just a small glance at what their covers say:
William Landy, Jeffrey Deaver, Jodi Picoult, Anne Rice (sometimes -- depends), Veronica Roth, Libba Bray; just for example.

2.  Series Shopping :   I love a good series.  I'm a sucker for them.  They are wonderful to read and I love the look of them on my book shelves.  Some examples are:  The Harry Potter series, The Game of Thrones,  "Divergent" and "Insurgent," well, you get the drift.  I just love to read series books!

3.  Cover Cookies :  Beautiful cover art is like cookies to me.  I die for them.  I won't always buy a book by its cover, but it will certainly bring me in for a read of the summary on the leaf and back of the cover.  It will catch me enough to see if I like the book enough to buy.  I can't tell you how many good books I pass up because the cover doesn't appeal to me, only to buy the paperback later when they've revamped!  Historical fiction is famous for this.  They can get me coming and going.

4.  Classics Rebound :  I love newly published/rebound classics like the new Penguin Classics just being issued in the last couple of years.  Gorgeous new volumes of these classics get me every time because the books are old favorites and are so dear, I just love to see them in new dresses!  Totally a sucker for these things.

5.  Hype :  Yes, I fall for it, too.  If a book is being reviewed  on blogs a lot, or Youtubers are talking about it, or if I see it on several bookstore shelves or on Amazon, or whatever...I pay attention.  Then, when I'm in the store, I sometimes succumb.  Like anyone else, if I keep hearing about it, I want to try it, too.

6.  Impulse :  I know...this is a crazy, odd-ball thing.  Sometimes I'm in a weird state of mind after all is said and done and I talk myself into liking different books.  Once I found a completely weird set of books in the Scify section that I would never ordinarily buy.  (I ended up loving them!) Another time, I found myself buying a non-fiction book on some quantum physics thingie I still can't understand. 

Well, you get the drift.  I go to the ends of the bookstore, and I may find anything!!   I sit down before a different shelf of books with my stack and I could fall in love with any sort of book I take a notion to put in my hands.  It's impulse time!

I put Sales Bin on this list.  I love the sales bin section of book shops.  That's where the discounts are and the books I missed the first time around, as well as ones I haven't heard of and just have to have.  I often get snagged here because I think I'm getting bargains...then end up with a stack!


I think that's all there is...  Why do you buy books?

Deb/TheBookishDame