How to choose a good book

“A mind needs books as a sword needs a whetstone, if it is to keep its edge.” 

-George R.R Martin

There are literally hundreds of books out there and thousands of authors eager to express their views. It can be intimidating for a first timer to choose that 'perfect book', a book that hooks them to reading, a book that expands their horizons and is comprehensible. 

Today, I will write about the art of choosing a book. There are literally hundreds of articles on this and every other person will tell you something else about it, here's my two cents.

1) Friends & Acquaintances - Ask the people around you who read a lot (hint : they are the ones 'hanging out 'in libraries and book stores). They will suggest you exactly the right book, keeping in mind you level and your aim for reading.

2) Your interests -  Why do you want to read a book? Is it for fun or to learn? If you want to learn, then why a book instead of a blog/website? These questions, while simple, will greatly help you in narrowing down your search. Not all books talk about what you want. Many would talk about similar ideas, but only a few will deal with the exact topic.

3) Reviews - Book reviews and user ratings are a great way to find out more about any book. Also, while reading a review keep in mind the kind of person who wrote the review. A teenager might not highly rate a book which retirees would love. Search around a bit and you will find a good review by a person with similar thoughts as you. Heed this guy's advice.

4) Wikipedia - ALWAYS read the plot of a book (use wikipedia,goodreads etc) before reading the actual book. Believe me it saves a lot of time. As they say, "Never judge a book by its cover".

5) Quora - As the newest sensation on the internet, this site is growing by leaps and bounds. There are literally hundreds of book reading suggestions and lists on the site. Simply sift through them till you find what you're looking for.

Note: Its tempting to read all the books of a certain author because you loved his first one. But more often than not, constantly shifting focus and reading authors from different cultures and backgrounds, is a more entertaining and educational experience. Of course, this doesn't apply if the author is a Woodhouse, a Gladwell or the like.

By following steps 1-5 (not necessarily in that order), I have managed to read a lot of useful and fun books. If you have any other technique to find books to read, do comment below.