how to find a book when you don't know the title or author

Looking for a Book But Can't Remember the Title or Author? Try These Tips!

Have you ever wanted to find a copy of a particular book, but the author's name eludes? What if you can't remember the title? While frustrating, forgetting those details does not have to mean the book is lost to you forever. There are quite a few resources out there that can help you find the work of literature you are seeking. Try these strategies and you could have all the information you need to buy the book before the sun sets today.

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1. Tap Into Your Social Network

If you are active on any social media platform, you have friends and/or followers who read your posts. Why not post something about the book you are seeking? Even if the best you can come up with is something about the setting or possibly a detail or two about the plot, that may be enough to jog someone's memory.

The great thing about social media is that people beyond your friends or followers can also see the post. Perhaps they will share your question with their friends and find an answer for you. While this approach may net you several different suggested titles or author names, there's a good chance one of them will be related to the book you seek.

2. Talk With a Local Bookseller

Bookstore owners are often avid readers themselves. Along with enjoying the hobby, reading a lot of books makes it easier to help customers who are looking for something in particular. In the past, you've had owners help you find books related to a certain genre, or perhaps find a book by a specific author that you've not read yet.

That same bookseller can also take whatever scant information you can provide and help you find the book you seek. Any stray detail about a plot or a character's name may be all it takes to trigger his or her memory. Before you know it, the seller could be reaching for the book you want or at least place an order and have it for you in a few days.

3. A Visit to the Local Library Might Help

Librarians are also excellent resources for finding a book when you can't remember the title or the author. Like booksellers, librarians possess a great deal of knowledge about all sorts of novels, biographies, and other types of books. Even a few minor details may be all it takes to point the librarian in the right direction. If the book happens to be available in the library, you could soon be settling down for a nice long read.

4. Make a Call to a Local Book Club

While professionals are a great approach to finding the book you want, don't overlook the benefit of contacting a local book club. Even if the best you can remember is the genre and a small portion of the plot, the leaders and members of the book club may know exactly which work you are seeking.

This approach may take a little longer than talking with a professional. That's because your contact will need time to get the word out to all the club members. Even so, there's a good chance that someone will come up with a suggestion or two in a matter of days.

5. Ask a Question on an Online Forum

While social media groups have surpassed them in popularity, online forums are still great sources of information. Find one that's devoted to the genre you believe is related to the book in question. The forum members are likely to pick up on whatever details you can provide and suggest several titles or possibly authors who have employed the type of plot you mention.

6. Conduct a Browser Search Using a Main Character's Name or a Quote

More than one major search engine has indexed the entire texts of many books. There are also sites containing quotes from various literary works. Thanks to the content found online, there's a good chance of finding a quote or some mention of the main character that will lead to the book's title and author. All you need is one or the other and finding the book will be a breeze.

For example, you are looking for a book that has a quote like "never attempt to teach a pig to sing. It wastes your time and annoys the pig." Enter that into the search line on your favorite browser and it won't take long to find out that (a) the author of that quote is Robert A. Heinlen, and (b) the title of the book is "Time Enough For Love." Armed with that information, you can quickly to your favorite online bookseller and order a copy.

7. Try the Search Feature at an Online Bookseller

Online booksellers also offer tools that you can put to good use. Some do have limited search criteria, most often the ISBN, the title, and the author name. Others have internal search engines that allow users to employ additional types of information. If all else fails, give this approach a try. You might find what you seek a lot easier than expected.

There's more than one way to find the book that's on your mind right this minute. Put these ideas to good use and it's only a matter of time before you find the right answer. Once you have the title or author name, visit your favorite online seller and place the order.