I know my vegetables because I grew up on a farm that raised them. I planted them, nurtured them, picked them and ate them. A good vegetable has a distinct complexion, aroma, color and appearance that speaks quite eloquently. When I see one I know it, but it is rarely in a grocery store. The grocery store vegetables are bred and judged on qualities that are not natural to a vegetable. A hard, juiceless tomato is a good grocery store tomato because it withstands abuse, and because it is picked and shipped green and then forced ripened it lacks a good tomato’s flavor and vitality. It is an anemic mutant of what a real tomato should be. I won’t eat it.
What about books? I certainly grew up reading them, but unlike vegetables they do not always read the way they look. The first books that truly captured my imagination were ugly, green and clothe bound. The covers were void of any graphics, displaying only a title and the author’s name. I loved them.
The library recently had a book sale at our local hospital and while waiting to get in for a blood test, I browsed. The words in these books were mostly wrapped in a package of graphics meant to grab my attention, and I must say the artwork on many was quite stunning and good. If books were vegetables, I could have simply walked along tossing these beauties into my bag assured of a good read.
Unfortunately, books aren’t vegetables. So how do you pick one when you are going in blind?
I always randomly open the book and read a few paragraphs. You don’t need to know anything about the plot or contents to grasp whether or not the writing clicks with you. I can read a book about turf grass management if the writing is good. I just can’t eat a vegetable that looks superficially perfect but in reality is tasteless.
Richard Rensberry, Author at QuickTurtle Books®
QuickTurtle Books® 
I like both venues, a good bookstore or yard sale.
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I am always drawn to the covers of books and if I like the writing hidden inside, all the better! And now I can hardly wait for the Farmer’s Market to start again…
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Reblogged this on Religion & Science for Mind & Body and commented:
Truth! Agood cover sometimes covers up things just like makeup!
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Thanks.
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That’s a good thing. That is what it should do.
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A title or a photo on the book sometimes peeks my interest to read the book.
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I grow my own veggies and there is nothing better than the first tomato of the season. With books I read the first few lines of the book, if I can’t get into the story….on to the next book.
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I don’t hang around either. I had read several books by one author that I really liked and took it for granted the next book by him was a sure thing. When I bought it I never even looked inside. I had been anticipating a great read but I struggled to get past the first chapter. It wasn’t a good book. If I had sampled it prior to purchase I would have set it back on the shelf.
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