How do you decide what books to read?

I pick based on a mixture of things - Cover art, backflap blurb, author, random reading of inside pages, random reviews, materials I've proofed over at work, simple curiosity, etc. - I read quickly enough with a wide enough variety of interest that very few books I pick up aren't read through at least once, even if I can tell I made a bit of a mistake in my choice.

I ignore all the back flap stuff and the inside flap crap... basically MSM "what to expect" junk anyway. Try reading an English proffessors book that you like (for some dumb reason, even though do not always agree) I like Harold Bloom. He has a book that list lists 100 novels to read and why he likes them. Read many... they are dense... some sci-fi... some really depressing but all good reads so far.

As an English major, all the others I went through school with ask the same question!

Knut Hamsuns'Hunger is a strange weird one and my gift to all!

Why not in the lit forum?

98% of my books I buy second hand, most of them it is just a case of what Oxfam has in when I stop by unless I want a particular book with more immediacy, then I will go online, but I prefer buying in person, much more of a buzz when I make a find. I seldom read fiction these days, but I am collecting Hermann Hesse's works which I save for those times that I do...and the odd Italo Calvino, particularly his short stories.

I have already given one answer to the OP question but here's another, equally truthful: the books I read suggest other books to read. Anyone who reads a lot will vouch for this.