Do you always read the latest book?

[tobee]

I remember (years ago when I was a student and had a long commute) first noticing that certain new books were "the latest thing" and everyone seemed to be reading them. Certain friends and acquaintances would be sure to be holding a copy, tons of people would be sat in the tube with a new release.

I tended not to do this, probably as I was studying English Literature and classics and already had a huge reading list. Then I realised I found the hype influenced me towards or away from a book too much.

So I was wondering if you like the latest read, which ones you purchased and whether you liked them or not. Or whether you stay clear, or whatever. Do they live up to the hype? Do you like to discuss with friends? What's your motivation I guess?

Books that I can think of that are examples of "the latest book",off the top of my head, would be The Secret History, Bonfire of the Vanities, The Silence of the Lambs, Sophie's World, My Brilliant Friend etc.

I don't even know what the lates books are anymore. Years ago, I'd see people on the train reading the Da Vinci Code or Gone Girl and I'd check them out. It was a great.
Now you have to actively search for all the new publications.

I keep up to date via the 50 Book Thread on here and probably read a lot of current stuff I wouldn't if not for the thread. I also watch a couple of YouTubers.

I wouldn’t have any idea what a ‘latest’ book was, I rarely go into a physical book shop and when I travel into London on the train I hardly notice anyone reading (a physical book at least) while commuting at all.
So to answer your OP, possibly but if I am reading one it’s not intentional 😂

The "it" books I've read recently are the Taylor Jenkins Reid ones, not serious literature even slightly, but as they are all connected a bit like reading a soap. But I wasn't particularly aware of the hype and I know of people who did not get on with them because of too much hype.

Ah of course this dates me somewhat as I forgot people read kindles and mostly dibble about on their phones now. I don't do a daytime commute very often these days.

I'm always super impressed/intrigued by the "what was your favourite book of 2022?" or similar threads. Assuming posters mean written that year 🤷🏻‍♀️

My favourite pastime used to be trying to see what book people were reading on the tube without being obvious about it.

Also, when the carriage was really packed and being squished in looking at people's shoes and trying to see if they matched the rest of them. I expect that makes me weird....

I finally meet someone as 'crazy' in the nicest possible way as me

I always think l am the only one reading a book because l happened to come across it in my local bookshop or at the airport on my way out on holidays. Then l discover its on lots of people's favourite list or whatever eg this year l read..Lessons in Chemistry early enough in the year and soon after realised it was very popular. Same with Elizabeth Strout. I came across one of her books and liked it so much l ordered them all online bit by bit only to discover later lots of people live her. So never read a book because it's the "in" one as often those don't appeal to me.

I don't usually notice or even care what's popular. However I did recently buy " How to kill you family" after lots on here said they were reading it. I gave up after a few chapters, it was shit, I won't do that again!

I buy a lot of mine as 99p Kindle deals - and they are often more recently published or hyped.

I'm also part of a book group and we do tend to follow trends a bit there too.

I like talking about what I'm reading and so tying in with the current titles helps scratch that itch (I read a lot of other stuff too!)

I often read book reviews and if they sound interesting buy straightaway from Amazon so I guess that yes, I would be reading a lot of “latest” books although not necessarily the most popular. If favourite authors have new books coming out I will generally pre-order them too.

No, most of my books are bought second hand and I tend to stick to certain topics.

I do see the books of the moment quite a lot on the bookshelves of my local thrislft shop.

Really good point by someone else though was that I did see a lot of people reading by the pool recently, and the lady on the sunlounger a few beds down was really laughing at her book, I snuck a look and bought it myself! I do think it’s quite new too 😂

Not if it's money-raking rubbish like Spare.

@EineReiseDurchDieZeit do you recommend any YouTubers? Thanks

The answer is no. The books I read are either ones I fancy reading after seeing it on Bookbub, Kindle book deals, or books chosen for my Bookclubs, plus the odd personal recommendation.

Just read a book on my Kindle which I purchased in August 2021!

I used to love seeing what others were reading on my commute. I do follow a couple of book bloggers and have picked up recommendations from them.

With the bestsellers, I've found them very hit and miss. Books that people have raved about I've hated, and books that others have dismissed I've enjoyed. Each to their own.

If an author I like has a new book due, I do tend to preorder it.

After reading Hamnet I was very much looking forward to The Marriage Portrait, and after The Silence Of The Girls I couldn’t wait for Women Of Troy. Mantel made us wait flipping ages for The Mirror And The Light, so I was chomping at the bit to read it.

I also enjoyed the book review sections of newspapers and the various R4 book programmes so I find some recommendations there too. But there’s also browsing second hand shops too.

If the latest Big Thing is a new author, I’m more likely to be offered it on loan from a pal, as we do swap a lot of books. But I only spring for a hardback when I’m confident I like the writing enough to splurge.

@HHiccupHorrendousHaddock Is The Marriage Potrait any good? Would you recommend it? I loved Hamnet.

Not at all. In fact, I hardly ever read fiction published in my lifetime. For me, literature is an escape. I love Sherlock Holmes, P G Wodehouse, Dickens, Jane Austen, Henry James, H G Wells, etc because they take me away from the modern world. It's not that I want to live in their time btw (though I must say I wouldn't mind visiting Edwardian Baker Street, or briefly staying in one of Wodehouse's country houses!). That said, I did read and love Edwward St Aubyn's Melrose novels. And I really like Bill Bryson's stuff.

I hardly ever read what my friends are reading. In general, I follow Harold Bloom's advice. I also spend lots of time browsing in secondhand bookshops and unearthing mouldy oddities that no one has heard of. Right now, I'm reading Bertrand Russell's Conquest of Happiness and Joseph Conrad's Lord Jim.

Actually, when it comes to non-fiction I AM more interested in contemporary writers. I'd really like to read Otherlands, for example, which has had rave reviews. I also want to read Merlin Sheldrake's book Hidden Connections.

The last really popular book I enjoyed was Bill Bryson's Short History of Nearly Everything. I absolutely loved that. In fact, it's one of my desert island books.

For YouTubers I was going to ask the same, but I do like Jack Edwards. I also
like Belle’s Books but she is a very small YouTuber comparatively to Jack.

@CaptainSensiblesRedBeret @StColumbofNavron

Hi there, finally got a minute to look and reply.

It's actually quite difficult because there are so many where the person is really interested in Fantasy/YA/Romance and that's just not me, as a reader, particularly when the focus is on series. These tend as well to be US based. It took me a while to find ones more my speed.

Jack Edwards/Jack In The Books has emerged as my favourite largely because he knows how to make content and keep it snappy

I initially quite liked Emmie, who is Canadian but her videos drag and I read a couple of her recs last year and found them both a bit pretentious.

Eric Karl Anderson tends to do videos where he will read a full Best Book list and nominated prize list type challenges

Savidge Reads has been going for years and there is also Drinking By My Shelf

@EineReiseDurchDieZeit thanks for the recommendations. I know what you mean about so many being interested in fantasy and romance. I found out about fairy porn last week!!! Not a genre I’ll be trying tbh. I’ve just a Jack in the Box and he seems promising.

These are all interesting replies. I think I'm most in line with @JoonT!

Thinking about this more, the idea of keeping up with the latest books seems quite exhausting. But I find it slightly impressive at the same time!

And lol @WandaWonder !