How to Preview a Book

Many times readers buy a book on-line or in a book store and end up not liking the book. This problem can be eliminated if you follow these simple book preview steps. This way you know what to expect from your new book.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• A Book- fiction or non-fiction

1. Read the front and back covers. The back cover should give you a brief summary of the book's main idea.

2. Read all the material before chapter one: including the dedication, chapter titles, about the author, copyright and the introduction. Most people just skip over this information, but it can actually tell the reader a lot about the book subject and purpose. Pay particular attention to the author's introduction because it is the only place in the book where the author actually has a chance to tell you what he/she wanted to accomplish in writing the book.

3. Read at least the first five pages of chapter one. This will give you a good sense of the author's writing style.

4. : Based on your preview, list four things you learned about the author - include his/her qualifications and biases about the topic. Would you like to meet this person?

5. Based on your preview, what is the subject of your book?

6. What do you think is the purpose of this book? Why do you think the author wants you to learn about?

Tips & Warnings

• A complete preview takes about 10-15 minutes, but ultimately, it will save you time and make sure that you spend your money on a book that you will actually read and get something out of.