How Do You Decide What To Read Next?

I agree with doowop - I appreciate a book I can wrinkle... and not gain muscle strength in the holding thereof. Thus my slowness to make it through A Suitable Boy by Vikram Seth. I'm probably on p. 546 by now... thunk! plop!

Noddy24, I usually have a clear out every three months or so, and give the books to my neighbor who works at an animal shelter. They have open days and sell donated items.
Trouble is though, I always go to the open days, and it has been known for me to end up buying back one or two of my books in error.

I'll check out amazon for bargains now. Thanks.

I find with big hardback books, that it's easiest to hold when you're round about the middle page. Starting or just finishing means that all of the weight is over on one side.
With hardback tomes, I tend to rest the weight of the book on the edge of the bedside cupboard. Trouble is, I usually fall asleep in the reading position and then get rudely awakened when I move in my sleep and the thing crashes to the floor.

Do you know about Powells.com? If you order $50. worth, there's no shipping fee.. I've been known to get quite a stack of books for that amount.

Don't encourage me, otherwise I'll have to buy a bigger cupboard. So many books, so little time.

I've always read what I wanted.

When I was a senior in high school, I went to Berkeley to interview for a scholarship. One of the questions was, "What was the last book you read?" I answered honestly -- don't remember what it was exactly, but I'm pretty sure it was either Douglas Adams (hooray) or early John Irving (boo).

The interviewer was not impressed, and didn't ask any more questions (like, "What did you read before that?").

I didn't get the scholarship, and I didn't go to Berkeley.

Well, I've inspired myself... to go to check Powell's..
There are a couple of used book stores here I haven't checked out yet, way across town, but I'm not hopeful. Last I checked with a friend was jammed to the gills with torrid romances.

Schniff in memory of the very drecky Marlow's in Santa Monica (paperback crimes series stuff, 50 cents, no wonder they went out of business - and I got some wonderful old tomes on ital history and politics for very little money.). Schniff to Bookleggers up in Humboldt County, v. discerning used book store with a buyback program.

Me too, Patio. Re reading what I wanted.

No shipping fee, when you order $25 in books from Amazon.com.

Or if you do their "Prime" thing. I've had that for about a year and have ordered oodles of books (and other stuff). Some for us, some presents. Free shipping.

Douglas Adams is deep, man, deep. Phooey on Berkeley if they looked down their collective noses at 'im.

Don't those have to be new? (I don't remember right this minute, but I thought so.)

Yes, new! But the hardcover are going for about $12-$14/book right now, slightly more than the paperback. I think there's better paper in the former.

Amazon doesn't have a second-hand department. They act as agents for other bookstores and individuals who want to sell second hand books.

Some second had books are priced as low as $.01--but P&H is $3.99 for each order from each vendor.

This week I bought four books for $.94--plus $15.96 P&H.

P&H can be very high.