The author catagorizes books into many different catagories and then she recommends the books in those catagories. Some are very different and some are common.
My "to be read book" just got alot bigger after reading this book.For the delight of bibliophiles everywhere I adore books about books, and BOOK LUST is the best one I've come across thus far. Filled to the rim with over 175 lists, it's guaranteed to satisfy any bibliophile's appetite. I've been carrying around this book since I purchased it and I still can't get over how much I enjoy it and how useful it will be for me.
Each list is so much more than a simple rundown of assorted books. Nancy Pearl's narrative provides a much-appreciated glimpse into the book genre that only an experienced reader/librarian with decades of experience under their belt can provide. Her writing is intelligent and witty. Browsing this book is like sitting down and discussing books with a good friend over coffee.
Included is an excellent selection of list including fiction and non-fiction books such as:
African Literature in EnglishArt AppreciationAustralian FictionBrothers and SistersChick LitCzech it OutElvis on my MindFamilies in TroubleFood for ThoughtEtc. etc.
BOOK LUST solves a question many readers ponder: what should I read next? Now I know that this question will not haunt me anymore. Get this book. It's worth every penny.
There is one criticism. Pearl really does not give a reader enough information to go on. She slings some unspecific superlatives ("Delicious!") on a title and then moves on. She knows she making suggestions for a diverse audience and is highly democratic: among the authors she spotlights is Lewis Nordan of whose praises I'll sing, too--he's a fine literary novelist out of the South. But Pearl also heaps equal praise on another writer who is strictly genre, clever but no literary giant. I kept a long list of titles that sounded interesting, then plowed through Amazon reader reviews to figure out if the books were worthwhile. I ended up downsizing the list considerably.
There are many books that Pearl has left out and that is understandable: she had to stop somewhere. Chances are hundreds of readers are contacting her right now with notes on what she omitted, and there will be a sequel.