Book Notes

 I finally had a chance to read Bread and Roses, Too by Katherine Paterson. (Read the review by Mrs. Thackeray in the comments section under the Hattie Big Sky post). And I loved it, first off. Unfortunately it became one of those books that sat around on my table for too long before I picked it up and started reading. The longer it was there, the less I wanted to read it. Most of it had to do with the cover.

I can’t help it; I know you’re not supposed to, but I judge books by their cover and their title. Who doesn’t? It’s human nature. But how do we get to enjoy books, and get others to enjoy books that are beautifully written, and suffer only from a poor design and unappealing title? The only way I can think of is through someone whose opinion you trust.

So often I have had the most glowing review of a book that just sounds weird (think talking dogs) but I have had good experiences with the person relaying the story so I give it a try and most of the time I enjoy it. (I did enjoy the talking dog book, by the way). Not always. No matter how similar we are to some people, they will always have some little reading quirk. A taste for vampire books, or a fondness for romance that just doesn’t work for you.

So what is the point? Don’t judge a book by its cover? Go right ahead:we do it anyway. But, read the first 5 pages before giving up on it. There might just be something fantastic in there that you never would have known about without taking the plunge and reading a little.