Do you judge a book by its cover?

Yes. Minimilism never held any appeal for me. I remember the Kurt Vonnegut ones, especially Deadeye with its garish jumper yellow or for that matter Updike's recent covers which are an experiment with the sensibilities. I hated both.

I agree rdeous, although I would say that for me any of Vonnegut's covers could've been award-winning, and they would still pale next to the quality of the writing itself. The man's a genius.

I'm afraid I have been guilty of judging a book by its cover, in fact the topic crept up on the way to Fish's on Saturday when I said that I had not bothered to read Catch 22 for uni as my copy has a picture of a gun on the front, I now feel suitably ashamed and shall endeavor to read it before I start work in September.

In my opinion, don't bother. I tried to read it when I was young, and didn't get anywhere. A couple of months ago, I tried again, got overexcited about how great it was, and then got bored less than halfway through. One day, i may try again, but frankly, I'm not too fussed. On the subject of covers, I hate those penguin books - the silver ones. Horrible, horrible off-putting things. The content is usually good though: typeface; often well-presented introductions, etc...but the covers...eugggh.

Judging the entrails assumes importance when you've got a series lined up in front of you; those fourth grade biblical nancy drews and hardy boys, or enid blytons for that matter. I always liked the adventures of the wishing chair over Mr. Muddle, though his covers took the cake. But nobody really cares if catcher in the rye or a Faulkner is depressingly presented.

Judging a book by its cover is like judging a cat by its miaoooooooo.

Yes it is very reasonable unless the cat has laryngitis. Personally I like books with huge depictions of genitalia or trees on the front. That way I know what I'm getting.

luv that genitalia. That's what got me into reading in the first place - finding some mags under me dad's bed with big hairy cracks on the front page. Best thing that coulda happened to me (at 12). It aint law if it aint laminated!

Hey, maybe that's the way to increase literacy levels in schools. Put cocks and fannies on the front of the textbooks. Perhaps that's what "Chicken Licken" is about after all.

I don't see a problem with that theory. It aint law if it aint laminated!

Richard and Judy! Manus hoec inimica tyrannis.