{"id":15138,"date":"2020-04-20T11:40:26","date_gmt":"2020-04-20T18:40:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lbpost.com\/hi-lo\/?p=30000009841"},"modified":"2020-04-20T11:40:45","modified_gmt":"2020-04-20T18:40:45","slug":"book-whisperer-jhoanna-belfer-knows-what-you-should-read-next-just-ask","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lbpost.com\/esd\/hi-lo\/book-whisperer-jhoanna-belfer-knows-what-you-should-read-next-just-ask","title":{"rendered":"Book whisperer Jhoanna Belfer knows what you should read next; just ask"},"content":{"rendered":"

Before the pandemic, you\u2019d find Bel Canto Books popping up at farmer\u2019s markets, literary events, conferences, just about everywhere there were people. If you were to wander over, you\u2019d find a table with lots of books chosen specifically for an event whether it was women and tech or Black History. Sitting behind the table, you\u2019d meet the chooser, Jhoanna Belfer, attentive and gregarious and probably asking you what you liked to read.<\/p>\n

Belfer, founder of Bel Canto Books, likes to say that this is her superpower: reading, a lot, and then recommending books she thinks you\u00a0would like based on your tastes and interests.<\/p>\n

When Long Beach went into safer-at-home, Belfer adapted quickly. No longer able to chat with people in person, Bel Canto Books now offers a personalized book concierge program called Books Go Mobile. After asking a few questions, Belfer comes up with a list of suggestions just for you. If you like her picks and want to buy the books, she\u2019ll ship or deliver the books straight to your door, usually with some sort of personal touch.<\/p>\n

\u201cPeople get excited when their books arrive,” she said. “They know a real person picked these books out just for them. It\u2019s like a present to yourself.\u201d<\/p>\n

For voracious readers, Books Go Mobile is like having a personal shopper or a subscription service. For casual readers, it\u2019s like trusting an expert to show you the ropes.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt can be intimidating to have so many choices,” Belfer said. “A book is a commitment, so I love helping people find something they\u2019ll like. I can personally vouch for every single book I recommend.\u201d<\/p>\n

The books she recommends are largely influenced by her own literary tastes. Belfer loves a good story, compelling characters, a world you can get lost in. Literary fiction, books by women, a strong narrative\u2014these are all prominent in her selection criteria. So if you generally like these elements, you\u2019ll probably like her picks.<\/p>\n

\u201cPersonally, I have a freaky love for dystopian fiction,\u201d she said. \u201cIf you\u2019re looking for something experimental, though, you might want to ask someone else. I want a good story, something that will take me out of this world and into another.\u201d<\/p>\n

If you\u2019re wondering how much Belfer reads, it\u2019s around seven books a month. Still, no one can read every single book out there, so Belfer also keeps a pulse on the literary scene, following new releases and reading reviews. Even if your tastes veer slightly out of her aesthetic, she can probably still recommend a quality read.<\/p>\n

The caveat: If you\u2019re looking for highly specific non-fiction recommendations on niche subjects, like herbalism or mechanics, she\u2019ll refer you to Bel Canto\u2019s Bookshop.com page, where you can conduct your own searches, buy a book online, and still support your local bookseller.<\/p>\n

As Belfer puts it, \u201cI\u2019m not an algorithm. I\u2019m a person who loves to read.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Bel Canto Books recently became a permanent pop-up inside The Hangout on 4th Street, offering a rotating wall of curated books. Now, with stores closed, she keeps much of her stock at home\u2014around a hundred or so of her favorites ready to recommend and send off to a hungry reader. And she\u2019s constantly ordering more.\u00a0For Belfer, \u201cOrdering books is like being a kid in a candy store.\u201d<\/p>\n

I’d call her a book whisperer, and it’s clear that her passion for reading is a gift to the rest of us.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m making up for all that time that my parents or boyfriends were annoyed that I was reading so much. Now it\u2019s my superhero skill,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

So how do you get a personalized reading recommendation?<\/p>\n

Go to Bel Canto\u2019s website<\/a> and click on \u201cSign Up for Books Go Mobile.\u201d You\u2019ll be prompted to answer some survey questions asking what genres you like and do you prefer short or long books? Are you looking for funny or serious, what’s the last book you read, what do you not<\/em> like reading and what\u2019s your budget? If you have a Goodreads account, she\u2019ll scan your bookshelf to get an idea of your interests. Then, she\u2019ll contact you with a list of books you might enjoy, and you can order them to be delivered.<\/p>\n

Bel Canto Books has quickly gained a loyal following in the Long Beach literary scene. Pre-pandemic, in-person social events included book clubs, author readings and craft days. Now, you can still mingle bookishly with virtual gatherings.<\/p>\n

Since 2017, Bel Canto has been drawing readers into this slice of the local literary community. And it all started after Belfer decided to send a few emails asking friends: How would you like a popup bookstore that curated books for specific events?<\/p>\n

Turns out a lot of people said they would like that. (Actually, she got the email idea from a book I also have on my shelf, The $100 Startup<\/em>, by Chris Guillebeau.)<\/p>\n

I asked Belfer to recommend books for the following scenarios:<\/h3>\n