Book Beat: Learn the bad book warning signs

It's always hard to judge whether a book is good or bad unless you've had a chance to read it for a while.

Browsing through bookstores or libraries, however, doesn't leave much time for that. Book reviews can be helpful, but depend too much on the reviewer's personal taste.

Here - based on my own personal opinion, of course - is a quick guide to spotting "bad" fiction and nonfiction books before you waste money or mental energy on them.

Beware of the thick ones: A notable exception to this rule is Ken Follet's hefty "Pillars of the Earth." Margaret Mitchell's "Gone With...