Chapter 8

Journal Entry # 8
Examine several YAL books. Identify and explain the factors that influence whether or not you will read a book.


I never really thought about this issue before. One thing for sure is that I never judge a book by its cover, although Brown and Stephen said that book covers are effective in influencing students’ reading selection. I guess I do get wiser as I become older, because looks do not deceive me anymore. However, I do read the synopsis or the comments at the back cover of the book to see what the story is all about. Another factor which influences my interest is the plot of the story. I do prefer a relatively fast paced story to the one which drags on the same issue for too long. I also like humor, contemporary realistic fiction, and adventure.

As mentioned by Brown and Stephen, qualities such as “authentic dialogs, clarity of language, vivid images, rich but not effusive descriptions” also influence my reading choice. I think the novels Hero, Ganesh, and If You Come Softly do have all these qualities. They were so riveting that I simply could not put them down until I finished them. Beethoven in Paradise does have the clarity of language but I found it not as riveting as the previous three novels. I like Chinese Handcuff but it could be a bit confusing at the beginning because it has a lot of flashbacks which can interfere with the chronological flow of the plot. I think Chinese Handcuff is also very “American” and I wonder if students and even some of the lecturers at my college would understand some of the phrases and words used.