Judging a book by its cover?

Question

Why is it okay to judge a book by it's cover. I'm just talking about the general idea. Please provide reasons and examples if you can.
-Thanks =)

Answer 1

I would say it's only okay in certain cases...for instance, when you're in the "romance" section of a bookstore, you don't need a sign to tell you (if you've seen paperback romances, you know what I mean). Certain genres, widely speaking, are characterized by having certain artistic styles on their dust jackets. A sci-fi/fantasy novel is relatively easy to tell apart from Bill Clinton's memoirs. You can tell a lot about the _content_ of many books--again, not all--simply by making an educated analysis of its cover art. It is much harder, I believe, to make a guess about the actual _quality_ of the work (some brilliant authors simply cannot afford good art--such is sometimes the fate of the unknown writer).

Answer 2

The publisher knows that for many people, the cover is the thing that the will determine if they pick up the book or not. If they can't get you to pick up the book, they can't get you to buy it.

So, knowing this, they spend a great deal of effort making sure the cover will attract people to pick it up. They also want to make sure the people who pick it up are the ones who will be interested in the subject matters. Thats why cute babies are not often found on the covers of auto repair manuals.

The cover is the publishers way of saying "If you like what you see, why not take a look inside, because this is what this books about." They are pretty much asking you to judge the book by its cover.

Answer 3

I think that's a general idea for some readers but, as for me, it's more that just the cover. I mean we should see inside for some interesting contents according to the genre we enjoy reading and collecting for years to come. I think the cover's like the front yard of a house, therefore, we should not hypnotized by its colorful, great artwork design only. Many books I've read and collected are mediocre regarding the covers but the inside is great and enjoyable whenever I pick them up to read.

Answer 4

The saying is "Never judge a book by its cover." Also quoted as: "Don't judge a book by its cover."

This part is from my memory. But i found this citation:

DON'T JUDGE A BOOK BY ITS COVER - Don't judge things by their appearance only. Originated in the United States. First attested in the journal 'American Speech' (1929). Has been used in Britain since 1954 ('Murder in Haste' by H. Gardiner). The proverb is found in varying forms. From "Random House Dictionary of Popular Proverbs and Sayings" by Gregory Y. Titelman (Random House, New York, 1996).

So it's not OK.

A good example is boys who see you because you're blonde and thin, and never try to discover who you really are.

Answer 5

Judging a book by its cover is a metaphor for a deeper meaning. It is said to never judge a book by its cover, meaning you chance missing out on a wonderful experience. Today, I believe judging a book by its cover can be a positive when used with your intuition and inner voice that something is not right. Steer away from what makes you uneasy.

Answer 6

The generally accepted idea is that one CANNOT judge a book by its cover. Just looking at a 30 second ad, you really know nothing about that movie, that product, etc.

Let's say you are buying groceries. You see your usual brand of soup... but beside it, there is a new brand, with a really bright, easy to read label. MUST be a better product because of that, right? Wrong. It is what is inside the package that is of real importance.

Same thing with every individual you know. Same with yourself. Regardless of someone's clothes, gender, hairstyle... name whatever you like.... nothing whatever tells you who they really are, or what they stand for, believe in.... Well, perhaps you see my point.

Answer 7

Come to think of it, No, I don't pay much attention to the Front cover. I can barely remember all the covers of the books I've bought & read. Yes, it helps if the visual/graphic/color(s) is appealing; the size of the book & font too. I always read the synopsis at the Back of the book, though. And that is part of the "cover" ;-)) Sometimes, especially in case of non-fiction books, I check out the Index, too. It gives me an idea of what the writer is trying to argue / cover, content-wise. Yes, Titles have sometimes caught my attention & it makes me want to pick up the book & check out the synopsis. A few such books I've bought because the title first caught my attention : "Mister God, This is Anna" , "Song Birds" , "God On God" , " The Last Lecture" , "A Cup Of Comfort" , "Life Without Genes" . *~*

Answer 8

1. When you have no other information, you will just have to do with the cover.
2. When you like the cover, why not.

Answer 9

cause if the title dont interest you.. why read it... but sometimes they are good even if the title dont interest you...