How to Know When a Book is Good Part 1

How to Know When a Book is Good Part 1

By Jacob Malewitz

Writer A Writer’s Eye, A Reader’s Eye, A Comic Eye, Chasing Heaven, Story And Script

Reading is never a waste. In fact, reading can do much for your mind. Sitting on the couch, digging into your favorite romance can be like watching the sun set. Sitting up, your eyes tensed, and reading a horror novel can make all the hairs on your arm stand up. Or just reading the works of Ernest Hemingway can make you question the way the world works, and our role in it. That is the power of a book. But how do you know when a book is good?

Looking at the Clock

Even good books will make you look at the clock often. However, when you are looking at the clock and page number all the time, maybe this book isn’t up your alley. Maybe this history of medieval times is a bit tame for you. Or the literary novel of a divorce too boring. When you start and stop all the time, giving up on the book, it may be time to open a new one.

Understanding the Power of a Book

When a book is good, though, it can make the time go by faster as you turn the page. There is a certain power to a good book: it can have the beat of poetry, the conflicts of an old western, maybe even enough action to out do even Hollywood. When you start looking at all the pieces of a book, and your reaction to them, you come to understand the basic reason you like it—this book has power.