Why we read what we read

Why we read what we read is the ideal book for everyone who loves fiction and occasionally wants to dabble in the shallow realms of non-fiction. Like the title suggests, it explores what lures us to some titles while others are just destined to be forgotten. Their aim is to "provide a glimpse into the current state of the national psyche by looking closely at the books Americans buy, specifically those books they have bought in the greatest numbers since 1990 because these books resonate with broad segments of the reading public."

It is, as the subtitle suggests, a very opinionated book but the passion and perseverance of these authors didn't bother me. Although some of their conclusions were plain weird, even offensive, I loved reading this book and saw the humor in their snide remarks regarding the American literary public or lack there off. The only downside to this book is the abundance of figures and statistics that creates the illusion that you are reading a well researched bundle of joy. Nobody needs that many sales figures, trust me.

In a nutshell, this book has several chapters, each with its own genre: self-help books, romance, thrillers, religion, fiction, politics and The Da Vinci Code for the sole reason that is was a poor re-enactment of Dan Brown's Angels and Demons. Nobody apparently noticed and the legend was born. Go figure.

It's an interesting and enlightening read. By using several summaries and analyses, it will start you thinking about the books you've read and what they say about you. I now know more about John Gray's Woman are from Venus and Men are from Mars than I'd ever want to but hey, it was fun none the less. It will also introduces us Europeans to some lesser known "bestsellers" while once again proving our cultural differences.