[Tim]

I have all kinds of sources. Often times I'll pick up a book that I heard about on NPR or in the NYT Sunday Book selection. I also end up reading books that were referred to in another book that I read or was in the bibliography. Sometimes I just wander around a bookstore or the library. Other times I get recommendations from friends.<br><br>
My biggest problem is I have a "to read" list that could keep me busy for the next decade.

 

[Auntie Moe]

lately...I read what people give me. Sometimes I pick up books in the thrift shop and sometimes I'll reread what I've got on hand. If I really like one book, I'll often go seek out other books by the same author.<br><br>
I rarely purchase books at a book store though. Mostly because I'm cheap.

 

[Gingerbread]

I'm a bookstore browser mostly. Sometimes I get my ideas from other people. I rarely read books given to me unless I ask for them.<br><br>
If I'm on vacation and finish the books I brought, I'll read whatever's available.

 

[ecodork]

I have a couple of different sources for books. Sometimes I'll pick up books that I've heard or read about, sometimes I'll just browse the shelves of the bookstore. Often I exchange books with people. My mom just sent me 3 books that she thought I would enjoy. I have no idea when I'll have time to read all of these, but it's nice to have options!

 

[Tim]

Most of my books are borrowed from the library. I use Amazon and bookstores to find books and the library to obtain them.

 

[runningINnyc]

I use many of these same methods. Additionally if I see a program or movie on some given topic I'll often follow-up by finding a good read on the subject matter, which many times leads into reading many books on the topic.

 

[morph]

Somebody mentions a book on a message board, and I put it on hold at the library. <img alt="biggrin.gif" src="http://files.kickrunners.com/smilies/biggrin.gif"><br><br>
I've read some really good books just by browsing the aisles and picking them up, but then I don't have anyone to discuss them with. And if you can't discuss the book, then it's kind of like the tree in the woods thing; if it falls and no one's around to here it, did it make a sound?

 

[jenna]

I had been a member of the book of the month club. So, I have a basement full of unread books right now. I read about 2 a month.<br><br>
I have one on hold at the bookstore that I saw on here.<br><br>
Or, if I see something in the grocery, I'll either get it or check it out at the library.

 

[Snowboy]

mostly suggestions from others and sometimes whatever i see in the book store that catches my eye.

 

[McTortle]

I have suppliers. People who read books and then save them for me. Sometimes I have people who want me to read the book for them and give them the executive summary, that works pretty well too.<br><br>
I buy books to complete sets of works for authors I enjoy rereading but I rarely buy a book I haven't read already - unless it comes highly recommended by people I trust.

 

[merigayle]

a lot have been recommendation here. many of my patients recommend books to me. I am an amazon.com junkie and look at recommended reading and "others also bought" which has been quite fruitful.<br><br>
I went to a real bookstore for the first time in AGES the other day and did not enjoy it. I got confused, lost, could not find anything, and no one would help me find the book i was looking for. I had a gift card and luckily used it and do not have to go back. Amazon is just so much more user friendly <img alt="biggrin.gif" src="http://files.kickrunners.com/smilies/biggrin.gif">

 

[jeans541]

Most of the books I've been reading lately were just given to me. I also will put a title on hold at the library if it interests me. Our library also has a huge book sale every July--thousands of books just set out on tables. $5 for a paper grocery bag full or $3 for a plastic bag. I grabbed a variety of books this year--some authors I knew of and liked, some I had only heard of, and then I tossed in a few random books because they had an interesting title or cover.

 

[bobswife]

All of the above. Book store browsing, friends passing them along, garage sale buying, message board recs, news articles/stories about interesting things, etc. I have such a big to read pile & DH doesn't understand why I keep getting more. Poor non-reader that he is.

 

[RandMart]

The library directs me ... I go in with one book I want to find, then walk out with two others, plus three or four books D'Kid picks up, I grab some more challnging ones for her that would go with <i>those</i>, then some DVDs, maybe a CD or two I need to copy ...<br><br>
The librarians keep reusable plastic shopping bags behind the counter for families like us.

 

[wipaddler]

I actually get most of my ideas out of Outside Magazine which leads to other books that I hear about or find in my search for the first. Otherwise I will find books that are interesting at the National Park sites that I visit and try to read all of those. And then I will go into the bookstore and find one good piece of Chick lit and buy that too.

 

[muzicgrl]

For casual reading I tend to read works from a list of authors that I have already read. Other than that, I go by suggestions from friends.

 

[chosha2002]

Usually, I pick from authors that I already have read too. After that, it's perusing the Christian bookstore and if I don't find anything there that interests me (which hasn't happened in a while), I'll hit Barnes and Noble classics (haven't done that in a while either). Then just about all the other already mentioned forms of obtaining new book titles.