December = Christmas
Christmas = Gifts
Gifts = Books (Sometimes.)
According to Forbes, between 600,000 and 1,000,000 books are published each year in the United States. Of those, about half are self-published. A study by Stanford University found that fiction accounts for only 11% of books published in a given year. Almost 130 million books have been published (and reprinted) since the beginning of time. We've got thousands of choices at our fingertips, and more appear every day.
Sources for new book recommendations also change every day, but for me, some are tried and true. I always check the new book rack at my local Delaware library. It's usually front and center when you walk in. There's also a feature on the Delaware Library Catalog where you can view and request new books in both digital and print format.
My non-library sources for new books begin with NPR Books, which boasts a wide variety of books and reviews from authors I might never hear of otherwise. For situational awareness, I may check the New York Times Bestseller List, while repeating this mantra in my head: What is popular is not always good. (Like cars, cell phones, jobs, computers, and houses, "new" doesn't necessarily equate to "great." Duds are everywhere.) I also check Amazon New Releases, which is my best source for new books on sale. (There's also this fantastic feature on Amazon, where you can put together and publish your own public wish list and share it with friends and family. They can search for it, too.) I also like the Slate Audio Book Club.
Hopefully you'll get a fantastic book for Christmas, or a gift card with a huge balance on it, so that you can buy yourself a whole new collection of Mary Roach or Mark Kurlansky books that will blow your mind. (Hint, hint.) Who knows what December will bring?
My advice is to never stop reading. Whether it's given to you or you buy it, pick up a new book, wrap up in your favorite blanket, and enjoy the heck out of it.
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