Would you play book roulette?

[SilentMute]

This is not a game thread--just a curiosity on how many people would be willing to do this.

I came up with this game years ago. To play, you go to your local library or bookstore. You randomly choose books off the shelf--going to different shelves if they are separated by genre. Then you read whatever you select--even if it is not what you normally would choose.

What the point is to expose you to different literature that you may not have ever come across before due to some innate snobbism. For instance, I tend to be rather prejudiced towards romance novels. Oddly enough, I didn't find these to be as painful as I thought they would be. I actually got some insight because of them, and one I actually enjoyed.

What is funny is that I haven't actually had too many books that I have hated playing this. I think there have been four I just couldn't finish reading. However, if you take into consideration that I have been playing this game for many years now, and how many books I have probably read--then four really isn't that bad. I have discovered some of my favorite authors and books through this.

Another question I would like answered: Would you buy a surprise lot of books, without knowing the titles, online?

[Lykren]

I don't think I would play this, for the simple reason that I have enough books I want to get through now to last me decades.

[Buh4Bee]

I'd definitely play this, but I'd go to the library. I wouldn't pay for the books. I am open to reading anything.

[TurquoiseSunset]

I might try this. I wouldn't want to pick up more than 3 books at a time though. And if I really don't like the books I will not finish them.

I probably wouldn't buy surprise bulk lots online, even if the lot is very cheap. I would probably be stuck with unwanted books after trying to read them.

[varnish7]

I'm not sure about book roulette, but this thread just gave me the idea for movie roulette. Basically the same thing that you were talking about, only with Netflix streaming.

[SilentMute]

I've actually done that to some degree on Netflix. I actually have a pretty wide range of interests when it comes to movies, I think--as I have more patience to watch things than to read them.

I tried it with reality shows, which I tend to have a pretty low opinion of. I haven't watched a lot. I watched Hoarders, which actually had a pretty interesting--if not rather disgusting--first episode. It was a great show to watch to be motivated to do housework, I can tell you that! I was disappointed in Storage Wars, which I thought would be more interesting.

[Dark Muse]

It is an interesting concept, in a way I kind of do this on Goodreads, using their free giveaways. As a way to try and promote their work authors will give away a select amount of advanced copies of their books, and you can sign up to try and win as many as you want. So I will often pick books that I am unsure about, or that might not be something that I would pick up in a store, since it is free it is no risk and it is fun to see what I get when I do win.

[Shevek]

I admit from the title of the thread I was expecting something a little more dangerous and risky... like choosing blindfolded from a pile of canonical works with a Dan Brown book thrown in or something. I would do the OP's idea with another person or group of people, so that we can share our experiences and have more fun with it, but if the purpose is to expose myself to literature I'm unfamiliar with I'd rather do research and get recommendations beforehand.

[YesNo]

I play a similar sort of game, but it is not as random as what I understand this game to be. I need another person to select the book or reference it in some way or even mention it in a thread on Lit Net. Once the book is referenced, I look it up in the library.

I do the same thing with food. A few weeks ago I was with a British co-worker whom I rarely see in person. He ordered "fish and chips" and so did I. It was the first time I had the meal. I had no idea that "chips" meant "french fries".

[SilentMute]

Well, the point of the game is to read something that you normally wouldn't. If a person researched it, I would think they would still be exploring whether it went with their interests. I find when you are uncertain about a book, it must have something that interests you to have your curiosity piqued.

Of course, sometimes I read things just because it is something that everyone seems to be talking about. Generally, I don't go with popular opinion, but sometimes you can't help but be curious. I read Harry Potter for that reason, and most recently The Hunger Games.

However, in both cases, I've had similar interests in the past in witchcraft and alternate gloomy realities of a future worlds--so these books still were probably things I would be inclined to read anyway.

[Annamariah]

I haven't picked up completely random books, but having worked in different libraries, I've come across and brought home somewhat random books from genres I usually don't read just because they looked interesting. I recommend trying something new every now and then. It doesn't even cost anything, if you get the books from a library. I think I should try the totally random book roulette thing sometimes, too, though I've got enough yet-to-be-read books in my own shelf to last me a year :D

[prendrelemick]

Yes I would and I used to all the time. Very occasionally you find something really good.

Even better is to join a book club. You still get to read stuff you would never otherwise read, but a book will have gone through a selection process by being recommended by a member, so its not going to be total rubbish.