Tipping point

My criteria for buying books is as follows:

1. Did the title catch my eye? If so…
2. Is it longer than 200 pages? And finally…
3. Does it cost less than $4 (preferably less than $3!) with tax?

I spent many a weekday evening combing the discount sections of my neighborhood used bookstore, so massive we called it The  Warehouse. It was practically my entire social life. On our very first date, my husband and I spent an awkward hour in that very bookstore – he exclusively reads politically themed non-fiction, I’ll read basically anything but politically themed non-fiction – and he found for me a book I’d been looking for for three years straight.

(Ladies, that’s how you know he’s a keeper.)

After moving away from the wonderful Warehouse, I expected to have a harder time finding books. These days I buy words on a screen, not tangible text. My Kindle and I are inseparable. I admit, I sometimes miss the smell of old paper, the strange company that prowled the rows with me at 9:30 on a Friday night, the odd bookmark or photo forgotten between pages. Still, I have no regrets. I can shop in my underwear! Surely that counts for something?

My criteria for purchase is basically the same, with one caveat: What do the reviewers think? Having pages of reviews available on any given book still gives me the tingles. I only read a couple reviews per book and only if the first three requirements have already been met. Most times, the reviews posted persuade me to give this book or that one a chance. Other times, I purchase in spite of them. For example:

I enjoyed the overall story very much, but I did not enjoy the explicit sexual discriptions. I also did not like the homosexual references.

SOLD!