They say it's good for the soul

Confession: I judge books by their covers

Rejoinder: In my defense even books with desirable covers (ie. aged parchment, that historical scarlet color or a scripty font) must meet further requirements before they leave the library with me. The requirements are as follows:

The inside flap must prove the book to be both interesting in plot, character, and setting; the first few lines must be narrated in a tone or voice that I like; and the picture of the author must not be such that it destroys all of my illusions about the book.

See? I'm not completely shallow when it comes to selecting my books (just don't ask me what I've read most recently).