You actually can judge a book by its cover.
Yes, you read that right. I’m a librarian, so you can trust my word on this. And I’ll give you proof.
A book’s title will give you a pretty good idea about the content. And the cover image usually fits with the title, further confirming what you’ve just assumed. Take these examples:
“Chose the Wrong Guy, Gave Him the Wrong Finger” by Elizabeth Harbison. A young woman marries the wrong brother, and years later must revisit her decision when both men come to town. The story is emotional, funny and dramatic.
“Mayhem” by Sarah Pinborough. Jack the Ripper is already wreaking havoc across London, but this novel adds a new serial killer, who leaves his victims’ body parts wrapped in neat parcels, minus the
heads, which he prefers to keep.
“A Year of Living Sinfully: 7 Deadly Sins, 365 Days: A Self-Serving Guide to Doing Whatever the Hell You Want” by Eric Grzymkowski. No explanation needed. But as the author explains, “Life expectancy these days is 78.4 years…you’ve got 77.4 other years to be good.”
Granted, these are obvious examples, but you can see how it works. Feel free to judge all the books you want based on their covers. But don’t say I gave you permission to judge people in the same way. Capiche?
ImagineIF Libraries encourage exploration, fresh ideas and self-discovery. Learn more at www.imagineiflibraries.org.