Readers recommend - as do bloggers

    Good Houskeeping magazine is launching a Reader Recommended Books scheme. In association with publishers, copies of submitted books will go out to 50 GH readers who then decide whether or not they would recommend them to a friend. Sufficient recommendations result in a 'Good Housekeeping Reader Recommended' logo appearing on the book's cover, and coverage to that effect in the magazine.

    I'm all for helping readers find books they will enjoy but what puzzles me about this initiative is what the magazine's editorial director Lindsay Nicholson (as quoted here) says lies behind it: "It is very difficult to get independent, non-agenda-driven suggestions about what one would like to read and this is an authentic way of doing it." She goes on, "We’re constantly told to never judge a book by its cover but in some cases we don’t know if we can judge a book by its reviews either. This is why we’re calling on our trusted consumers to review a selection of books in their home to offer peer-to-peer recommendations.”

    I'd have thought that in these days of so many high-quality book blogs, the books pages (admittedly not what they were in terms of volume) in newspapers and magazines, 'staff choices' in bookshops, the proliferation of book groups, recommendations from the likes of Richard & Judy and The TV Book Club, (and not forgetting excellent publications such as this one), there was no shortage of easily-available advice and informed, unbiased comment on books, no matter what you like to read.

    I've said it often before but it's relevant here - one of the great strengths of book blogs is that they are written by individuals, and it takes very little time for a reader to see how far that individual's taste overlaps with their own, and thus whether the books a blogger rates highly are likely to appeal. Knowing that a book is 'Cornflower recommended', if you happen to share Cornflower's literary predilections, may be worth more to you than the consensus of a group on a magazine's mailing list. Granted, perhaps the target audience for the scheme are people who aren't drawn to blogs and specialist books pages but are more inclined to look at, for example, the supermarket book selection and see what catches their eye from what's on offer there, in which case they might find a 'sticker of approval' of one kind or another helpful in making their choice, but still, I'm surprised that the editor identifies a need for more independent advice.

    Would that I could have a 'Cornflower recommends' logo put on my favourite books, but that fantasy aside, it strikes me that while book jackets feature quotes from well-known writers or from newspaper reviews, publishers might do well to include bloggers' verdicts more often too. I am quoted from time to time both on covers and marketing material and on Amazon listings, and usually I've discovered quite by chance that what I've said in a review has later been used in this way - and of course my comments have always been spontaneous and genuine, never made to order or in terms of some agenda (as Lindsay Nicholson refers to above); but it would be lovely to see a little more prominence given to the opinions of bloggers - we are indepenedent, after all, and blogs do sell books!

Comments

[craftygreenpoet]

It's odd isn't it? I'm constantly surprised too by professional critics who bemoan the success of book blogs (of course they're worried about their own income! but I think book blogs add to the information available about books so are definitely a good thing)

[Linda Gillard]

Lindsay Nicholson appears to have been living under a stone. Publishers were slow to catch on to the marketing power of book blogs but I can't understand why it would take a magazine like GH so long to catch up. Its readers are mature, female, book-loving. They of all people would have discovered book blogs.

As you know, Karen, I've quoted a Cornflower review on the back of the new paperback of HOUSE OF SILENCE. I've also quoted another blogger. I'm now working on the cover of the next pb and I plan to have quotes from 3 more book bloggers. This is because readers trust bloggers and will in many cases recognise their names, so an endorsement from an established book blogger will boost sales.

[Claire]

Anything that encourages reading and book sales has got to be a good thing. But I do agree that bloggers are becoming more and more influential. As in Linda's books, bloggers thoughts are starting to appear on book covers and so publishers must be realising their power. I do trust bloggers sometimes I think more than the review pages. I sometimes wonder if authors review each others books too favourably. Or perhaps I shouldn't say that!

[Alex in Leeds]

I'd be very wary/sceptical of this reading pool actually recommending very much of interest to be honest. If the rating criteria is just 'would you recommend this to a friend' then just about any good or indifferent book they send out will get the sticker. It's way too vague as a question and the feedback loop is closed. No book blog tour would just feature 50 book blogs saying 'I'd recommend it to a friend' and nothing else to explain why! Plus where's the voting threshold? Is it 34/50 people saying yes for a pass? 40/50? 50/50? Seems like belated and badly managed bandwagon-jumping to me.

[Alison P]

I would also argue that there is an art and a skill in book reviewing. I read alot of books (10 a month on average) am well educated and work in the legal profession. However, I am a terrible book critic. I often struggle to articulate what I have enjoyed/disliked about a book and as I tend to get something from every book I read, would end up recommending books that,when taken as a whole, probably aren't worthy of the recommendation. Also, surely whether you recommend a book to a friend or not depends on the friend? I have read books that I have not particularly enjoyed but can see why others would enjoy them. Similarly, there are authors I love (Wallace Stegner, William Trevor) who I know certain friends would simply not enjoy. Recommendations from friends, bloggers you trust and book critics whose taste and style you have come to know is one thing. Buying a book because a random group of readers of a certain magazine enjoyed it seems like a leap of faith to me!

[Darlene]

Since discovering my favourite group of book bloggers I have filled a bookcase with a fair number of their well regarded reads!

[adele geras]

Bloggers I enjoy and agree with are often a source of good reading tips. Looking at the papers, reading the mags, like WE LOVE THIS BOOK and NEWBOOKS MAG and LITERARY REVIEW. ROund ups at Christmas and just plain old looking in bookshops, charity shops, etc all guide my reading. But top of the list comes; what my family and friends recommend. I have very literary daughters, husband and even 95 year old ma in law who knows her literary onions, so that's a good resource. Friends includes you, Cornflower! And Cornflower Recommends Stickers are a good idea!

[Deirdre]

I get my book ideas from a variety of sources but primarily from the coterie of book bloggers I read every day. Over the years, I have developed "reading relationships" (I just came up with this term!) with blogs whose opinions I trust - independent opinions! Thanks to you, Cornflower.

[LizF]

Good Houskeeping used to have very good book pages back in the late 70's and 80's when Susan Hill was their book reviewer for a while. I still have a lot of books on my shelves that were bought after she recommended them, including a lot of the first green Virago publications and I have always trusted her recommendations but their current book page is certainly not up to her standard, in my opinion.

I used to get reading ideas from magazines and newspapers but since I discovered the world of book blogs four or five years ago, my TBR lists have been fuelled by a small number of bloggers -yourself included, Cornflower, as you know - whose taste in books I know and trust.

[Jo]

Intriguing idea from a magazine that I thought would be a bit more up to date with what is going on.

Blogging is a new way of book recommendation and the publishing people I know absolutely love bloggers, because they can get the books that would not get the press some publicity and then with word of mouth or word of blog the book gets more well known.

I use blogs and the newbooks magazine for suggestions and I love Deirdre's description - reading relationships with the different forms of media out there now.

[Ruthiella]

I gave away my copy so I can’t be sure, but I think the paperback of Susanna Kearsley’s The Winter Sea had a Cornflower blurb! Blog reviews, blog comments and on-line reading groups such as yours, hugely influence what books I check out from the library and/or purchase. I did a quick check of the 101 books I have read thus far in 2012 and roughly 50% would fall into this category.

[Liz Wood]

I agree with LizF. The problem is with Good Housekeeping itself. There's a lack of integrity in their book reviews. For example, they'll typically have a cover pic of -say - Dawn French, an extensive interview with her... Then surprise surprise her book is highly recommended in their reviews. I'm on the point of giving up reading these mags as I'm finding blogs - whether on books, home style, cooking - much more real and honest. I'd buy a book with a Cornflower sticker!

[Lindsay Healy]

Great post and a lovely argument for the value of book blogs. I think they are very trusted and used by readers.