What makes a good book? In my opinion, a good book is something you just can't put down, no matter what. It compels you to read from start to finish. They aren't too easy to find. I think the last one I read was Robert Harris' Imperium, which was way back in 2007.

I admit I gave in to temptation yesterday at Reader's Feast and bought some books. I have a few unread ones lying around back in the apartment, but I can't ever say no when I'm in a bookstore somehow. Picked up Kurt Vonnegut's Slaughterhouse 5 and Max Barry's Jennifer Government. Now you've probably heard of the former. It's classic literature and I'm sure anyone who's picked it up nowadays probably did so because they've heard of it. But what about the latter? I doubt you've heard of Max Barry, who's an Aussie writer living in Melbourne. I picked up the book on a whim, flipped through a few pages (not more than 5 seconds worth) and I had already made my decision to buy it.

And here's the kicker. I started reading it last night and didn't put it down. Well not much anyway. I went to bed at around 3am then woke and finished it. I won't say it was brilliant but it was engaging. Now that's good fiction. And that's the reason I pick up strange books in the bookstores everytime, hoping against hope that it'll turn out to be a winner. Most crash before they've even taken off in the first chapter or even the first few pages, but a few gems do make it through.

Try it one day. Stop looking just for books from your favourite authors. Pick up a book that looks interesting. The results may surprise you.