If you live in the USA, you are almost certainly familiar with 'hype'. It's hype that convinced me that the decoder ring in the cereal box would change my life. I find that it is best to avoid wading through hype when trying to find good books to read. It doesn't matter whether I want tear-jerking heartbreak or nightmares or wonderful new recipes or an explanation of gravity waves, reading the blurbs and the latest press releases is not a good way to find reading that appeals, charms and enriches.
It is not just books, either. Articles that appeal to me because of the topic or the language used in the Pocket service very often come from a few years back. I found the same thing in the physical library. I like to browse books that are five or ten years old. The storm of hype and blurb and overblown words has passed by then, and it is easier to see quickly and more accurately if a given book really seems likely to add to my life, knowledge and feelings.
The tried-and-true approach can be overdone. A professor who studied at the University of Chicago looked down on its famous Great Books program. Sure, the ancients knew valuable things but he said imagine studying science at Aristotle's level. That's why it pays to get things that are modern, just not too modern. My technologist friend repeatedly advised not to jump on the bandwagon (I have never actually seen a bandwagon and I am not tempted to jump on one if I do) too soon. Let the bugs, flaws, and errors get discovered, complained about, and fixed first.
It tickles me how excellent books and movies are just sitting around waiting to charm and fascinate when I look past the very latest.
