Your Next Book is in the Book You’re Currently Reading

Always be on the lookout for new things to read

Photo by Jaredd Craig on Unsplash

I get asked all the time about how I find good books to read. Yes, I do have a system for my reading. I do take these things seriously. There are bestseller lists and books that friends like on Goodreads. Plus there is the fun game of just literally judging a book by its cover and picking up something that catches my eye at the library or bookstore.

But I think the best way to find new books to read is to look within the book you’re already reading.

Non-Fiction

When it comes to non-fiction books, this can be pretty easy. Many non-fiction titles will have a section for suggested further reading at the back of the book. Or there may just be a reference section that gives credit to other books that may be worth reading. Chances are high that if you’re enjoying the current book, you’ll find value in some related titles that influenced the author.

I recommend paying attention to any quotes that are used throughout the book as well. A savvy author will pull a gem from another work to highlight their own point. It’s up to you as the reader to look into these quotes. Where do they come from? Are they worth exploring further? If I’m reading on a Kindle (which I usually am) I’ll highlight any quotes from books that could potentially find their way onto my reading list.

This may seem obvious, but does this author have other books that may be of interest to you? I’m not sure there is any better indicator that you’ll like a book than if you’ve already enjoyed a work from the same author. Even in non-fiction, an author’s writing style plays a very large role in your enjoyment of the book. If you get to the end of a book you enjoy, you should immediately go look at the other titles from that author and add them to your reading list!

Fiction

Many of the same principles apply when you’re reading fiction books. You can still look for a suggested reading list (probably less likely to find in fiction writing) and it’s even more likely that you’ll find similar titles from the same author. But if you’re really paying attention, there can be even more hints for further reading in fiction…