tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1591679994751212734.post2819055446074029363..comments2024-03-24T06:32:13.194+13:00Comments on Crime Watch: How do you choose what crime fiction books and authors to read?Kiwicraighttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11687089028299093360noreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1591679994751212734.post-56859033825931094122010-02-01T06:59:57.945+13:002010-02-01T06:59:57.945+13:00It is so easy to acquire books to read, and far le...It is so easy to acquire books to read, and far less easy to find the time to read them all, even if one read 24/7!<br /><br />My reading choices are divided into pre and post internet. Pre-internet, I was always in at least one book club (eg BCA), I used the library all the time (prowling the "recently returned" shelves or reserving books I'd read reviewed in the papers) and browsed bookshops. <br /><br />Post internet - first I used Amazon to broaden my reading choices (their recommend feature doesn't always work but quite often does), then I discovered book blogs, and specifically sites like Euro Crime which are a rich trove. I also get offered books for review by Euro Crime or by publishers and authors. I still read reviews in the papers (but now am more likely to bookmark in Amazon for when the pb comes out rather than go to the library), and still browse bookshops, though when I browse bookshops I don't usually find anything I didn't already know about.Maxine Clarkehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06628509319992204770noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1591679994751212734.post-63357849035954346672010-02-01T03:00:34.069+13:002010-02-01T03:00:34.069+13:00For the last 13 or so years, I have kept a book jo...For the last 13 or so years, I have kept a book journal: jotting down the names of authors and the titles of books I want to read. I come across authors/books through articles, reviews, blog posts, conversations with friends, random pick-ups from the library shelves, etc. Once a year or so, I go back through my previous book journals (each one tends to last about 18 months, until I run out of space) to see if there are books that I couldn't find back then but have found now. I don't buy many new books, but I'm avid for used book stores and the ever-popular Friends of the Library book sales (just dropped $20 there yesterday). I read all over the spectrum, fiction, non-fiction, classics, pulp, pot-boilers, but mysteries are my favorites.Debnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1591679994751212734.post-67249633518473925592010-02-01T02:05:55.568+13:002010-02-01T02:05:55.568+13:00Craig that’s quite an interesting question. I’ve b...Craig that’s quite an interesting question. I’ve been toying with the idea to write something also about how do I choose my readings. Meantime I take this opportunity to thanks the bloggers I regularly follow for broadening the scope of my readings. In particular Dorte’s Global Challenge has given us the opportunity to learn more about authors all around the world, but I will not be fair if I don’t mention other bloggers like, Kerrie, Maxine, Karen, Norman, Peter, Elisabeth, Bernadette, Martin, Glenn, Rob and yourself. Have fun.Jose Ignacio Escribanohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00296527986083953692noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1591679994751212734.post-8860017803244233722010-01-31T23:54:29.701+13:002010-01-31T23:54:29.701+13:00Craig, Tony Hilllerman is the only crime fiction m...Craig, Tony Hilllerman is the only crime fiction my wife reads as she is fascinated by Navajo culture. <br />She absolutely hates flying but agreed to a very long flight to Phoenix so that we could tour some of Hillerman country. The distance between London to Phoenix is only about 200 miles less than London-Shanghai, and if you fly BA economy you can believe it. <br />But it was worth it to see Acoma Pueblo, Window Rock and Canyon Du Chelly.Uriah Robinsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02046023583067265187noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1591679994751212734.post-27015224800973739982010-01-31T18:26:30.539+13:002010-01-31T18:26:30.539+13:00Craig - I am so glad you're enjoying A Thief o...Craig - I am so glad you're enjoying <i>A Thief of Time</i>. I'm a Hillerman fan and have been for quite some time, so I'm biased, but I really did like that one. <br /><br />You ask a really interesting question about that "fourth stream" of books, too, and how we decide what books to read. Of course, whenever a favorite author of mine releases a new book, that's recommendation enough for me to at least try the book. I also have a few sub-genres I like especially, so when someone recommends a book in one of those sub-genres, that's another source of reading for me. I also learn quite a lot from folks like you, Bernadette at <a href="http://reactionstoreading.wordpress.com/" rel="nofollow">Reactions to Reading</a>, Maxine at <a href="http://petrona.typepad.com/" rel="nofollow">Petrona</a>, Kerrie at <a href="http://paradise-mysteries.blogspot.com/" rel="nofollow">Mysteries in Paradise</a>, Norman at <a href="http://camberwell-crime.blogspot.com/" rel="nofollow">Crime scraps</a>, Dorte at <a href="http://djskrimiblog.blogspot.com/" rel="nofollow">DJs Krimiblog</a> and <a href="http://doyouwriteunderyourownname.blogspot.com/" rel="nofollow">Martin Edwards</a>,and other book bloggers who offer fine reviews of books.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1591679994751212734.post-80536563188992541232010-01-31T18:01:13.680+13:002010-01-31T18:01:13.680+13:00It was probably only a couple of years ago though ...It was probably only a couple of years ago though that I really started to branch out to new writers - until then I relied fairly heavily on authors I knew and liked as these were readily available in local stores. But I was getting disgruntled with some of my favourites (Cornwell, Reichs, Paretsky and yes even the dreaded James Patterson etc) and started looking further afield. Last year of the 120+ books I read, slightly more than half were by new to me authors and so far this year I've kept up that percentage and hope to continue to do so. I use a mixture blogs, the discussions at various real world and online book clubs that I belong to and the odd reading challenge to keep my TBR pile and wishlist interesting. <br /><br />I've actually got a different Tony Hillerman book next up on my TBR pile. I've never read him before but a post at Margot Kinberg's blog made me think I'd enjoy the book and I was able to get a copy through book mooch. I've also got a book you talked about on your blog near the top of my TBR pile - Lindy Kelly's Bold Blood - she's another new to me author that I would never have heard of via 'traditional' means and when a local online store had a sale I figured I'd give her a go. That's kind of the way my reading goes these days - I don't imagine each new author I try will turn into a favourite (at least I hope not as I'll have to quit my job just to keep up) but I do enjoy the variety of writing styles, sub-genres and themes.Bernadettehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07641617609801125707noreply@blogger.com